I finally got around to seeing the Joker movie. I was originally not that excited about this movie. I would rather DC build their cinematic universe than put out stand alone movies. Plus I liked the Jared Leto Joker from Suicide Squad.
Having said all that, the Joker is a masterpiece of a movie. Yes it is disturbing. But it is disturbing in a complex and deeply thought provoking way.
The movie is about a man named Arthur Fleck who lives with his mother. He works as a clown but really wants to be a standup comedian. But life doesn’t go his way.
He is mentally ill, which we later find out is from abuse as a child. He laughs at inappropriate times and is extremely socially awkward. He is also the target of bullying, some of it violent.
This eventually brings him to a critical moment as he is being attacked by three rich young men on the subway. His reaction determines the direction not just for himself but for Gotham as well.
Arthur unwittingly sparks a movement within Gotham, the deep-seated rage of the poor against the rich. The face of the rich is Thomas Wayne, the father of the future Batman. Arthur becomes the (clown) face of the poor.
In most movies, Thomas Wayne is just the man who is shot in the alley in front of his son, inspiring him to become Batman. The Joker fleshes out the character, painting him in a worse light than we might expect.
The Joker is a character who rarely evokes sympathy and yet that is exactly what this movie does. Yes he is a monster but he is also a victim. His victimization creates the monster.
If Batman is the hero that Gotham deserves, the Joker is the villain that Gotham deserves.
The Joker is a beautifully filmed and acted movie. It really is a work of art and it deserves any awards it wins. Joaquin Phoenix has defined the Joker for a new generation.
