Joker (2019)

Joker (2019)

7/10

Starring

Joaquin Phoenix

Directed by Todd Phillips

I’ve never doubted Joaquin Phoenix—he’s one of the best actors out there. If you’ve seen movies like Gladiator (2000) or more recent ones like Her (2013), his range of talent will amaze you. Joker is an amazing movie that dives deep into the depressed life of its lead, Arthur Fleck, played by Phoenix.

The movie is based on characters from the DC Comics Batman universe. The story draws influence from a DC comic titled Batman: The Killing Joke, written in 1988, with an animated adaptation released in 2016. Phoenix absolutely nailed the laugh we’ve come to associate with the Joker character—wild and hysterical. The movie earned an R rating for its violence and disturbing content, and you’ll understand why when you watch it. Arthur Fleck has a disorder that makes him laugh and smile at awkward moments, even when nothing is funny. He suffers from other mental health issues and relies on medication to keep himself stable. Guess what happens when he no longer has access to those meds? Chaos—and that’s what this movie is about.

Set in 1981, the film follows a party clown who’s off his rocker. As described above, this unstable clown is Arthur Fleck, who lives with his unemployed mother, a former employee of Thomas Wayne. They live in Gotham City, where rising crime and disorder are pushing Arthur’s mental state further downhill.

Things get worse when Arthur loses his job due to a lie from someone he thought was a friend. It all spirals out of control when he’s attacked on his way home after being fired. He defends himself, killing two of his attackers in self-defense and executing the third.

After losing his job, Arthur tries his hand at stand-up comedy—and he stinks. Meanwhile, Gotham’s situation worsens, and Arthur can no longer get his medication because funding for the program that provided it has been cut. Now, we have a madman on the loose.

This movie was written, produced, and directed by Todd Phillips. Arguably, this can be considered one of his best films to date.

I highly recommend you see this movie—just not with the family, due to its disturbing content. The movie was both a critical and commercial success, and I don’t see any reason why Joaquin Phoenix shouldn’t be awarded for his performance.

DC is planning to make this movie a one-off for the character Phoenix played, and I really wish they’d continue to build on it. The movie ends with the formation of the Batman character, which would have made a second part another amazing thriller to watch.