END SEAT

Certificate: 15 Running time: 122 minutes  Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy Directed by: Todd Phillips The story: Loner and failed comedian Arthur Fleck becomes increasingly unstable after funding for his psychiatric support is stopped and slowly he begins a descent into madness, transforming himself into criminal mastermind The Joker. The verdict: I have tried to start this review several times in several different ways, but each time I have gotten stuck and deleted what I’ve written - Joker is a very difficult film to unpack and discuss. And that is not because it’s bad, but because it’s complicated. This film is very bleak and it won’t leave you feeling good. Technically, Joker is fantastic. The cinematography is excellent, the colour palette is perfect and the production design is spot on - altogether the setting of a restless Gotham City in 1981 is brought to life flawlessly. The performances are great and as expe...