Zamros said:
Just gave it a watch now and I have to say I agree a lot with its setting not being appropriate. Joker kept trying to make statements about post-crash austerity, viral videos and a whole bunch of other things and then just shoving it into an 80s aesthetic. The film definitely would have felt more appropriate in a more modern setting.
Yeah the bit where his bad performance "goes viral" was the most awkward clash of time periods. However, setting Joker in crumbling, bankrupt, punk, hellhole 70s/80s New York worked much better for the character, story and themes, than it would have done if it was set in cleaned up, shiny 2019 NY. They just needed to pay more attention to some story details, like the stand up routine being filmed, to make it natural. It wouldn't have been that hard. e.g. if De Niro had a gimmick where performers at that club would be regularly filmed for a shot at appearing on De Niro's show. Like a talent showcase.