Joker (2019) is a disturbing, singular character study that demands your full attention
Joker is visceral in its description of a disintegrating society, where almost everything will satisfy a viewer of comic book films. It probably goes too far in expressing its own cynicism, however, there is considerable reward in watching Joaquin Phoenix, who is consistently uncomfortable in this role. The film is worth watching for him alone.
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A singular performance in a bleak world
Joaquin Phoenix shows the many layers to Arthur Fleck in Joker (2019). He is slim and unkempt, showing a true sense of a man unraveling. He doesn’t indulge in typical villainy as some people once characterized Fleck. Instead, he delivers the character with a fragile, broken humanity which emphasizes the tragedy of Fleck’s descent into madness.
The film’s aesthetic choices coupled with gritty cinematography and a dark, dreary score portray a sense of gloom and highlight the psychological deterioration of Arthur Fleck. Setting the film against the backdrop of a dilapidated 80’s Gotham City is a bold choice, but Joker strips all of the flash and glam of the superhero films to show the unvarnished reality of the city’s neglect.
Where the film succeeds and falters
The movie pulls back the curtain more on the delusions of the main character. In turn, the audience becomes more engaged as they begin to challenge what is truth versus what is simply the main character’s delusions. The weak link of the movie is the script pulling too much from ‘70’s character dramas. More often than not, the writing of the movie comes across more as a copycat movie than a novel idea.
Critics commend the movie for its social commentary, but I believe its social nihilism makes for a rather shallow movie. The movie is spot on in depicting what is broken in society. It merely stops there and offers no guidance. One could conclude the movie simply endorses chaos.
Who should watch and who should skip
If you enjoy your cinema dark, challenging, and character-driven, this film is essential. It is unlike any franchise film in that it does not provide easy answers. It rewards those who can tolerate and enjoy the slow-burn build of tension. If you are a patient film observer, this film is for you.
Again, if you are the type of person to enjoy a traditional comic book movie, which offers clear moral stakes and fast paced story with a lot of action, this will fall flat to you. Also, if you are searching for a movie that will bring you some kind of justice or closure, you will trade that for a heavy lingering feeling of complete unease.
Joker: Ending Explained
(Spoilers ahead) The ending suggests that Arthur’s journey may be a figment of his own imagination, blurring the line between his reality and his delusions. When he stands on a police car and becomes a leader of the Gotham revolt, his persona becomes fully merged with the myth. As the audience, we’re left to contemplate if all the chaos surrounding this man is simply a projection of society’s indifference to the point of creating the very monster of which they are afraid. We begin to wonder, are the explosions of cities, long passed the point of being broken, the actual reason this city has finally erupted?
