In this episode we review the movie Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Todd Phillips. We discuss major themes, plot devices, social commentary, and overall quality.
We found Joker to be an excellent movie that raised important social issues, reveled in moral ambiguities, and provoked thoughtful discussion. Though we agree on many things, Gaby sees the movie as justifying the main character and making him too sympathetic, while Dan argues that the director trusts his audience to discern right from wrong without having to preach to them. 
Our overall take is that Joker works well as a social commentary about what happens when the weak and downtrodden are forgotten and persecuted, though it strays far from the comic book Joker, who is a more intentional agent of evil.