Synopsis:
Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks — the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he’s part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied, and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy
Director: Todd Phillips
Writers: Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
At times brilliant, at times pretentious. At times poetic, at times problematic. At times original, at times a case of “just change it up a bit so it doesn’t look obvious you copied.” Like the character the film is based on, Joker is a series of contradictions and is sure to raise a number of conflicting feelings and opinions — but one thing about this film can be agreed on: Joaquin Phoenix is astounding.
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is just a man trying to get by in Gotham City while dealing with his pseudobulbar affect, a condition that causes him to laugh uncontrollably. Working as a clown by day, with aspirations of one day being a stand-up comedian, he spends his nights caring for his ill mother (Frances Conroy) and watching his hero Murray Franklin’s (Robert De Niro) late-night talk show. After being attacked by a gang of youths and losing his job, Arthur’s world quickly begins to unravel following an encounter with three men on a subway train.
While there have been a number of different origin stories for the Joker since his creation by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson in 1940, Joker blazes its own path, taking only the failed stand-up comedian element from The Killing Joke, the frequently cited origin story written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland. The film owes more to The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver than it does to DC Comics, ensuring it feels different from any comic-book film we’ve seen so far. That isn’t to say the comics’ mythos is absent — Thomas Wayne, father of Bruce, is a pivotal figure here.
A major reason people have taken issue with this film is its unflattering depiction of mental health. Understandably, we don’t need another example of a mentally ill person killing people. While the film implies that blame can also be laid on those in power for failing to help — and even outright says this several times — it’s not a great look to villainize someone with mental health issues or to position a serial killer as a sympathetic or celebrated figure.
Whatever your feelings about the movie as a whole, there can be little doubt that Joaquin Phoenix gives a standout performance — something Todd Phillips can only be grateful for, as it’s pretty much a one-man show. Watching him is unsettling and hard, particularly when his shirt is off and his gaunt figure is most obvious, but you can’t look away as he transforms from a sad, lonely, odd man into a true villain. His laugh is equal parts eerie, sad, funny, and sinister. Even in silence, you can see how damaged Arthur is — an impressive feat. Phoenix has ensured he’ll be a strong contender in the debate for the best live-action depiction of the Joker alongside Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger (sorry, Jared Leto).
The supporting cast has very little to do, with Phoenix dominating the film. Frances Conroy is good as Arthur’s frail mother, who has her own mental-health issues. Robert De Niro is solid as late-night host Murray Franklin but remains a peripheral figure until the climax. Zazie Beetz is fine as Arthur’s neighbor and love interest but is little more than that — a two-dimensional character, admittedly by design and for function.
It’s clear that Todd Phillips was trying his hardest to get as far away in tone as possible from the comedies he built his career on, like The Hangover and Road Trip. His solution: make it dark and grim, add a string-heavy score to ramp up the tension, and include a bunch of unnecessary slow-motion shots — particularly of Phoenix dancing. For me, it comes off a little pretentious, a bit style-over-substance, with the movie overall feeling like Oscar bait. The film feels good in spite of Phillips, not because of him. The reveal involving Zazie Beetz’s character is a great example; better directors would have been more subtle, but Phillips makes entirely sure you understand what’s going on.
If you’re comfortable watching a character study of one of the most villainous figures in pop culture, you should see this in cinemas to fully appreciate Joaquin Phoenix’s performance. Joker is likely to be the most debated film of the year, with everyone sure to ask: is this movie what we deserve?
