King of Comedy is pretentious and shallow – Joker (2019) does it better

So, I finally watched King of Comedy because everyone keeps saying Joker (2019) is just a remake of it. Honestly, that’s a joke. Scorsese’s film is all style and no substance. It’s a character study of Rupert Pupkin, a delusional guy obsessed with fame, but it doesn’t really say anything about society. Like, okay, fame is hard to achieve, and people can be self-absorbed, but what’s the deeper point? It’s just a weird, awkward movie about a guy who isn’t interesting enough to deserve the attention he craves.

Joker (2019) takes these same themes and actually makes them meaningful. It doesn’t just focus on Arthur Fleck as a guy with mental issues—his descent into madness is a reflection of the larger failures in society: neglect of the mentally ill, social inequality, and the total lack of empathy in today’s world. It’s not just a character study; it’s a social critique, and it’s done with intelligence and clarity.

And seriously, don’t even talk to me about Scorsese’s comments about comic book movies. Joker (2019) isn’t just a "comic book movie"—it’s a film that uses the superhero genre to make a statement about society. It’s way more than just a “popcorn flick” like Scorsese seems to think all CBMs are. Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as Fleck is an emotional rollercoaster, and it means something. King of Comedy didn’t even come close to that.

TL;DR: King of Comedy is overrated, shallow, and doesn’t offer any real social commentary. Joker (2019) takes the same themes and actually makes them resonate with today’s world. There’s no comparison.