Joker poster

Joker

IMDb8.3/10RT Critics68%Metacritic59/100

Arthur Fleck, a party clown and a failed stand-up comedian, leads an impoverished life with his ailing mother. However, when society shuns him and brands him as a freak, he decides to embrace the life of chaos in Gotham City.

Directed by Todd Phillips · Crime · Drama · Thriller · 122 min · 2019

Trailer

Director

Todd Phillips

Writer

Todd Phillips, Scott Silver

Studio

N/A

Release

04 Oct 2019

Runtime

122 min

Genres

Crime, Drama, Thriller

Full Plot

A socially inept clown for hire - Arthur Fleck aspires to be a stand up comedian among his small job working dressed as a clown holding a sign for advertising. He takes care of his mother, Penny Fleck, and as he learns more about his mental illness, he learns more about his past. Dealing with all the negativity and bullying from society, he heads downwards on a spiral, in turn showing how his alter ego, "Joker," came to be.

Cast & Characters

Joaquin Phoenix

Arthur Fleck / Joker: A mentally ill, impoverished party clown and stand-up comedian disregarded by society, whose history of abuse causes him to become a nihilistic criminal with a clown-inspired persona. Phoenix had been interested in a low-budget "character study" of a comic book character and said the film "feels unique, it is its own world in some ways and maybe [...] It might as well be the thing that scares you the most". Phoenix lost 52 pounds (23 kg) for his role in the film.

Joaquin Phoenix

Robert De Niro

Maurice "Murray" Franklin: A talk show host who plays a role in Arthur's downfall. De Niro said his role in Joker pays homage to his character from The King of Comedy (1982), Rupert Pupkin, who is a comedian obsessed with a talk-show host.

Robert De Niro

Zazie Beetz

Sophie Dumond: A cynical single mother and Arthur's "love interest". Beetz, a huge fan of Phoenix, said that it was an honor to costar with him and that she learned a lot working with him on set.

Zazie Beetz

PF

Penny Fleck: Arthur's mentally and physically ill mother, who formerly worked for Thomas Wayne.

Frances Conroy

yP

young Penny.

Hannah Gross

TW

Thomas Wayne, a billionaire running for mayor of Gotham. Alec Baldwin was initially cast in the role, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.

Brett Cullen

MW

Martha Wayne, Thomas's wife, although the character has no dialogue (she only screams during Thomas' murder) and is never referred to by name.

Carrie Louise Putrello

AP

Alfred Pennyworth, the butler and caretaker of the Wayne family.

Douglas Hodge

BW

Bruce Wayne, Thomas's and Martha's son.

Dante Pereira-Olson

Ra

Randall and Gary, Arthur's clown co-workers.

Glenn Fleshler and Leigh Gill

td

the detectives Garrity and Burke in the Gotham City Police Department.

Bill Camp and Shea Whigham

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Did You Know?

Made on an estimated budget of $55.0M, Joker has grossed $1.08B worldwide — about 19.6x its budget.

Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02

Joker is part of TMDb's "Joker Collection."

Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02

Joaquin Phoenix appears in 3 films in our catalog, including Hotel Rwanda, Gladiator.

Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02

Joaquin Phoenix expressed interest in acting in a low-budget film about a comic book villain like the Joker between 2014 and 2015.

Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13

The film's director rewrote the entire script during production because Joaquin Phoenix lost so much weight for the role.

Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13

The film was shot with Arri Alexa 65 digital cameras due to cost concerns about filming on 65mm film.

Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13

Critical Assessment

IMDb
8.3/10
RT Critics
68%
Metacritic
59/100

Joker holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (1,690,149 votes), 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, 59/100 on Metacritic.

Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.

Ratings as of August 3, 2026

Where to Watch

United States

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United Kingdom

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India

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Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.

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AI Verdict

AI-generated

Based on aggregated scores (8.3/10 on IMDb (1,690,149 votes), 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, 59/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Joker's Rotten Tomatoes score?+

Joker holds a 68% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.

What is Joker's IMDb rating?+

Joker has a 8.3/10 rating on IMDb from 1,690,149 votes.

What is Joker's Metacritic score?+

Joker has a Metascore of 59/100 on Metacritic.

Is Joker good? What are critics saying?+

Joker holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (1,690,149 votes), 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, 59/100 on Metacritic.

How long is Joker?+

Joker has a runtime of 122 min.

Who directed Joker?+

Joker was directed by Todd Phillips.

Where can I watch Joker?+

Joker is available to stream, rent, or buy on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, JioHotstar.

Fan & Critic Buzz

AI Summary — from fan reviews & trailer comments

The public reaction to the movie "Joker" has been mixed. Some reviewers appreciate its bold and artistic take on the character's origin story, with Joaquin Phoenix delivering a strong performance as Arthur Fleck. Others praise its thought-provoking exploration of mental illness and social isolation, while some critics find it too simplistic or lacking in depth. The trailer comments are particularly enthusiastic, with many praising the film's unique blend of humor and tragedy.

Viewer Reviews (TMDb)

  • If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog :) Obviously, Joker is one of my most anticipated movies of 2019. I mean, how couldn't it be?! Besides belonging to the superhero genre, DC has been on a streak of great films within its universe, so an isolated…

  • Joker. The character that has existed since 1940, has become so heavy with so many different portrayals, different origins, that it feels impossible for any mortal man alive to impersonate the scattered personalities. It is an insurmountable task for any director to digest it all…

  • The Joker is similar to the DC Joker character but is not a criminal genius. The movie was a great depiction of how a person who has been mistreated, lied to, and ignored, totally lacking access to human compassion, can snap. The acting is top notch, and it puts a spotlight on th…

    ikomrad · 9/10
  • Okay, this film has already been so widely debated that I’m not sure what I can really add to the conversation. So, I’ll just give my thoughts. “Joker” is a fairly basic character study of Arthur Fleck, a mentally ill man who feels increasingly marginalized by an uncaring and bru…

  • *A Masterpiece*. The movie shows the escalating events that made Arthur become the Joker. Initially an inoffensive poor and sick man, Arthur suffered a tide of unfortunate events that pushed him closer and closer to the edge. Ignored and despised by everyone, sick and alone in th…

    Leno · 9/10
  • ***Not fun, but absorbing, artistic and tragic*** A mentally troubled middle-aged clown (Joaquin Phoenix) who lives with his mother (Frances Conroy) in Gotham City goes from not good to worse when he finally realizes his true identity. Robert DeNiro plays a talk show host and Zaz…

    Wuchak · 8/10
  • _Joker_ is a tour-de-force of a movie, not quite like anything I've seen, maybe since Taxi Driver. At its core it's a movie about the breaking point of a broken man, wrapped under the banner of a comic book movie that, take out the Waynes, works on its own. Joaquin Phoenix truly…

    JPV852 · 9/10
  • the ‘Hangover 2 & 3’, the two most uncomfortable comedies he’s ever directed that felt more crime drama than anything funny. There’s also some dark humor in ‘Joker’ that involves a door chain. It’s silly, yet absolutely terrifying with the given context. A complete departure from…

  • It is intersting to analyze this movie in a context of global increase of violent social movements against the Establishment. Joker succeed in making me accept a violent reactions without really explicit political fundation.

  • This is going to be one of those posts where I go against the mainstream but my reaction when I watched this movie was: You got to be f… kidding me? The only resemblance to the REAL joker in this movie is the name. As far as I am concerned this movie is an insult to the fans of B…

    Dark Jedi · 3/10
  • Each to their own, as always, but for me: Incredible! I was fully aware of <em>'Joker'</em> ever since its release, impossible not to be given the extraordinary hype that surrounded it, but it still absolutely surpassed my expectations - a sensational film. I adored every second…

    r96sk · 10/10
  • Carried by a terrific Phoenix, ‘Joker’ leaves an emotional impact as we see a bullied clown slowly transform into someone who enjoys creating chaos. Too bad we don't get to enjoy Phoenix as Joker more, though, because pretty soon after the turning point, the movie ends. 10/10

    AstroNoud · 10/10
  • It was exactly what it wanted to be, and it pulled it off perfectly. The "slow" parts add a lot to the atmosphere and it all culminates in a dramatic and unforgettable ending.

    iltnoob · 10/10
  • I knew it was gonna be super hard for me to like a Joker after Heath Ledger... Cameron in Gotham did awesome, Leto was really insane as Mr. J. But, I wanted a Joker stand alone... And this is what they gave me... Brilliant. From start to finish i just was on the edge of my seat.…

    Martha · 10/10
  • It's not an incel movie, despite what people are saying. And it's no a White Supremacy film either. It's not even a pro T-word president film. In fact, it addresses some pretty heavy left wing issues. Or at least issues that were traditionally on the left before things went...wei…

  • Really crazy dramatized movie. Slowly watching him go crazy. Pretty shocking ending and I wasn't expecting it.

  • The scenario told in this film depicts a situation in which we frequently disregard the feelings and situations of others around us, people who may not have the same advantages as us. We can sense the psychological upheaval that Joker is experiencing from his point of view. All d…

    Alunauwie · 9/10
  • Joker, portrait of a psychopath but beloved by a nation In the science fiction genre of Hollywood cinema, especially the superhero genre, many movies have been made that include different dimensions of humans. Courage and effort for the survival of the family are among these dime…

  • ## **Joker (2019) Review: A Stunning Performance in Search of a Sharper Script** Todd Phillips' *Joker* is a film of immense contradiction. It is a technical marvel, featuring a career-defining performance that is impossible to look away from, yet it is wrapped in a narrative tha…

    misubisu · 5/10

From the trailer's comments

  • *"I used to think that my life was a tragedy, but now I realise it's a comedy"* You can see that the *Why So Serious?* era is beginning now...

    @lula2984 · 1338 likes
  • Batman was the hero the city needed Because Joker was the villain the city deserved.

    @akilkotamarti1000 · 24435 likes
  • This Trailer is a Movie. Respect for Joaquin Phoenix...and the Editor.

    @jorgevelascoleon5505 · 851 likes
  • For six years, I’ve kept coming back to this trailer. It has to be one of the best trailers ever made. The music, the storytelling, the small hints of characters without giving away anything important, pure class!

    @trommemannen · 174 likes
  • Warner Bro’s is probably thinkin... all this time we tried to be like Marvel when all we needed to be was ourselves.

    @punkwrld · 20631 likes
  • Thomas Wayne: “What kind of coward does something that cold blooded, someone who hides behind a mask” Batman: Thanks dad

    @DEMOHF · 5550 likes
  • This film could really be something special. Beautiful tragedy.

    @travisybarra6740 · 1120 likes
  • I’m glad they never made a sequel of this Masterpiece

    @John-lt3uh · 212 likes
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