Todd Phillips will
always be remembered with this stylish, bitter and instinctive movie, which is
set in Gotham City in the early 80’s that clarifies about how the depressed
Arthur Fleck, creepily played by Joaquin Phoenix, became the DC villain that we
all know from the Batman franchise.
Arthur, who has a
condition that makes him laugh spontaneously during tense situations, is a
punching bag of a society tarnished by money and power. Tortured from intense
childhood abuses, he works by performing in parties as a clown or holding store
signs on the streets. He lives with his mother, Penny (Frances Conroy), a weak
woman who ironically calls him Happy and lives obsessed with Thomas Wayne
(Brett Cullen), her affluent former boss who is now running for mayor. The
latter’s son is the young Bruce Wayne, played by Dante Pereira-Olson, who will
become Batman in the future so he can avenge the death of his parents and fight
the crime in the streets.
Heavily medicated to
treat mental illness, Arthur wants to become a standup comedian, which is hard
with his condition. Filipe Freitas said in his review, “He is an innocent
victim of a bleak world and is wounded both in the heart and in the head. It’s
so, so weird to see one of the saddest persons in the world cackling without
control whenever in trouble. It has a disquieting effect. The bitter
circumstances of life deteriorate his fragile state to the point of making him
commit murder and feel good with it. It’s his instinctive and emotionless
response to a poisonous society, the dangerous chant of the displaced and the
dispossessed.” The wicked act has the support of the crime people of Gotham,
who starts a riot against the corrupt system.
Freitas said, “Arthur’s
creepy side makes him unpredictable and his tortuous mind has lots of room for
imagination.” With a killer stare and that wide smile in his face, he
premeditates his next step: take down Murray Franklin, played by Robert De
Niro, the popular host of a talk show who is part of his downfall by making fun
of him on his show.
Freitas noted, “Simultaneously
gripping and unsettling, Joker is a win for Todd Phillips, an unremarkable
director until now, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver (The Fighter;
8 Mile) and had dedicated his directorial career to comedies such as the
Hangover trilogy (2009, 2011, 2013) and War Dogs (2016). Without a hint of
hesitation, he injects mordantly funny moments among the torrents of sadness
and makes the film thrive both as a noir drama and a clever psychological
thriller.” Embodying deep in his role, Phoenix was the main person required to
make everyone see the human pain behind the Joker’s evil.
This was not what I was
expecting when I went to see this movie tonight. Phoenix wins the creepiest
performance this year. This film is not part of the DC Extended Universe, but
they might try to insert it in later on, which I doubt if they continue to cast
Jared Leto in the role. However, Phoenix’s laugh did sound like Mark Hamill’s
Joker laugh, which I believe was an influence for this role. I don’t think this
performance is one of the best ones for the Joker, but it’s still a good one.
If you’re afraid of clowns, this is not one to see, but if you aren’t afraid
and are a fan of Joker, this one is a must to see, especially for the Halloween
time. This one fits with the creepy time of the year.
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