Holy shit this is one of the most smooth-brain takes I have ever seen.
Hahaha, I haven't seen this term used in FOREVER!
Honestly, it wasn't quite what I expected, but I wasn't too far off. I still prefer Ledger's Joker overall, but hot damn did Phoenix pull off a fast one here! Honestly one of my favorite movies in recent time (though I don't see as many as I used to). You can view it like the OP did and be put off. Or you can view it as the reality that it portrays, and realize that society has a problem. Mental health is a huge issue that too many people put off or put down, but it's at the heart of the so-called "gun problem" we see today. It ain't the gun, it's the shooter, and so many of them have a screw loose somewhere that just needs tightening. Mental health carries such a stigma with it, when in reality, SOOOO many people are half a bubble off plumb in some way, and they don't get the help they need and deserve because of how they'd be viewed for doing so.
"The worst part about having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don't."
This isn't an excuse for their behavior, IMO. But rather it's a true statement that some folks legit have a mental issue, and society expects you to just smile and carry on. Think about it. When two people encounter each other, one asks "How are you?" and the other invariably replied "Good!" This reply is given by probably 95%+ of people, even when their life could be an absolute dumpster fire, because society expects you to act like life is all rainbows and unicorn farts. And that's just normal people! Those who genuinely need help are even more boxed in.
Additionally, yeah, the show knocked on bullies. Why? Because their assholes. Look at the Hide. We're just a collective bunch of assholes, but for the most part, a lot of us older hands are used to it. Sometimes we get each others' goat and panties get twisted, but for the most part, people cool off eventually and things carry on. That doesn't always happen in society. And quite frankly, people can be douches for absolutely no reason, just like the guys on the subway who got more than they bargained for. They made a scene for no reason, and unfortunately for them, their victim had enough. If anything, people should take away that if you're an ass, sometimes that comes with consequences. Maybe not moral or legal ones, but if you want to be an ass, eventually you're gonna run into a bigger/more fed-up ass who will dominate you. Stop being an ass, and life gets better for everybody.
Whew. Rant over.
If you haven't seen it, don't judge a movie by it's trailer. And if you saw it and didn't like it for any reason other than it was more gore than you expected, you're missing the point/message of the film.