Can a villain origin movie work? Joaquin Phoenix shows us in Todd Philips’ dark psychothriller-tragedy, Joker.
The Joker has had many origins over the years. Some of them are tragic, showing an ordinary man driven to madness by circumstances outside his control. Some of them are more conventional, showing a man already dangerously insane skirting the line until finally diving headfirst into being something horrific. Joker chooses to split the difference while taking inspiration from 70’s films like Taxi Driver to tell this particular take on the rise of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is already at a low point in his life. He’s poor and living with his mother (Frances Conroy). He dreams of being a stand-up comedian but has to make ends meet as a clown. His mental health is not great, and not helped by a neurological condition that causes him to have fits of uncontrolled laughter at the worst times. He’s already disregarded by society, and as Gotham is at its absolute worst at this point in history, dominoes start to fall, setting him on a path that leads him to becoming the eponymous villain. It’s basically a horror story happening in slow motion, the inevitable ending already known to the audience with the only question being “how?” It’s chilling and sad, but at no point does the movie attempt to make the fledgling Joker into a misunderstood hero, instead simply showing the making of a monster.
The supporting cast is good, with Robert De Niro as Arthur’s late night TV host idol Murray Franklin being especially fun. That said, this is Phoenix’s movie through and through. Arthur is omnipresent throughout the entire film with the exception of one important scene near its end, and Phoenix plays him in a way unlike previous depictions. He mixes awkwardness and sadness alongside the character’s attempts at being funny, making the audience feel for him before occasionally showing the man he’s destined to become, reminding that this man is not the hero by any means.
The buzz surrounding Phoenix’s performance is well-deserved.
The cinematography and music compliment each other, managing to elicit a similar effect as the movies that this one takes inspiration from. That said, like those films, the amount you enjoy this movie will depend on how you enjoy psychological thrillers in general. The violence, especially as the film hits its climax, is not that of a superhero action flick. It’s sudden, shocking, and can be especially uncomfortable these days with all the real life tragic violence that happens. That said, it is quite a movie to experience as an alternative to the larger-than-life comic book movies that already dominate the box office.
Joker is its own unique thing, showing that unique takes on superhero comic movies can work without needing to try to fit to a cinematic universe. Joaquin Phoenix has definitely earned his place alongside Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, and Heath Ledger as providing an iconic take on the classic villain.
More information can be found on the official website. A ticket to the film was purchased by the reviewer.
