Joker Review

Entering into the theater for Joker, I knew that I was going into a phenomenon with so many outlets, reviewers, and audiences speculating on its meaning, implications, and consequences. I generally try to avoid any extended talk of films before viewing, as I obviously want to make sure I am coming in with a fresh perspective. With Joker, however, it was almost unavoidable. The talk of encouraging mass shootings, the portrayal of mental health, and overall subversion of general superhero films certainly piqued my curiosity. Now coming out of the theater though, I can see both why this film has been so polarizing and seen as a cultural touch point of the year.

Joker attempts to create a controversial depiction of a man dealing with mental health issues in a bleak world. The film is incredibly heavy-handed and unrelenting in its characterization of a man dealing with mental health issues and its themes. Consistently throughout, you are made uncomfortable simply not only by Joaquin’s mesmerizing performance but also just by the general antics of the character. Arthur Fleck has a condition that causes him to laugh at especially inopportune times. This, whether intentional or not, creates an odd reflexive experience due to the theater audience laughing-at-or-laughing-with Fleck’s experience. This reflexivity is compounded with De Niro’s character, a TV talk show host, having his live show audience laugh along at Fleck as he performs a mediocre stand-up routine. Finally, as if to bring it all full-circle, there are so many references and ties to King of Comedy that you begin to wonder if Todd Phillips paying homage to Martin Scorsese is really an homage or just plain emulation of Scorsese’s style. This simultaneously begs the question as to whether you are supposed to feel sympathy for Fleck’s character or if he is supposed to be a classic anti-hero. This, in a nutshell, is the fine line that Joker constantly attempts to walk. Is it a film that is supposed to have social commentary and make you understand the plight of those that society has ignored? Or is it a film that is too focused on furthering these themes to make anything redeeming or worthwhile? For me, the answer is simple: while Scorsese’s characters and worlds come to life and are engrossing, Joker is all too concerned with being self-important, disruptive, and controversial for it to ever reach the same heights.

Rating

★★½