Joker is a 2019 psychological thriller about a man who eventually becomes the sinister comic book villain known as the Joker.
Without a doubt, the Joker is one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time. Many talented actors have taken on the challenge of portraying the Clown Prince of Crime, and they have each brought their own unique take on the villain on the big screen. And now, the latest person to play this insane role is the charismatic Joaquin Phoenix. Written and directed by Todd Phillips, who is mostly known for making comedies such as The Hangover trilogy, Joker is an origin story that completely stands on its own and has nothing to do with the DC Extended Universe. The filmmakers have taken a lot of creative liberty with their iteration of the Joker, and it surprisingly revolutionizes the comic book movie genre to be a lot more grounded in reality.
Phoenix stars as Arthur Fleck who has been down on his luck, exhausted taking care of his sick mother, while suffering from mental illness and failing as a stand-up comedian. He is still trying to figure out what he wants in life and is tired of being constantly mistreated by society. Eventually, he discovers a life of crime and in time becomes a force of menace called … The Joker.
It’s such an intriguing journey seeing Arthur’s slow transformation, easily the film’s biggest strength. Phillips envisions his story as a character study rather than an action film, and it shows. Fleck is a villain who has many deep layers to pull from, something that can be powerfully showcased with the right actor in mind. Phoenix does just that, offering a phenomenal performance in the lead, carrying the movie from start to finish. As many are noting, an Oscar nomination is surely on the way.
As an origin story, Fleck’s life is simply a tragedy. He suffers through much during his evolution, changing both his personality and his mannerisms, and while Phoenix is the obvious stand out, the rest of the cast is sadly a little underdeveloped … except for Robert De Niro. He shines as talk show host Murray Franklin, putting some memorable moments together in a movie already crowded by many from Phoenix.
Perhaps worth mentioning is that it is, as expected, uncomfortable at times to watch. The tone is gritty, the filmmakers having the freedom to tell their own Joker story, and in so doing push a few sturdy boundaries. Phillips has obviously been inspired by Martin Scorsese’s films especially Taxi Driver while writing his screenplay. The cinematography and musical score are top-notch, and these two aspects certainly add a lot to the Joker’s complexity throughout. While it remains a comic book-inspired flick, it not so surprisingly also works as a tough psychological thriller.
Joker is yet more proof on why comic book films can be something that many moviegoers can look forward to seeing. There’s expectation to the genre by now but many filmmakers are shifting perceptions. So it is here. Joker is an unsettling yet highly accomplished film with a masterful performance at its heart. It’s absolutely brilliant.