Many have known actor Joaquin Phoenix as the main role in Gladiator and Johnny Cash. It’s interesting to see how he’s transitioned to the role of a madman in the new movie Joker. His acting and the transition of his body was amazing in bringing us along to truly understand the character Arthur Fleck.
In the beginning of Joker, Arthur Fleck was seated in front of a mirror, hooks a finger into each corner of his mouth, and pulls. Up, then down: a grin, a grimace. We are meant to think of the masks, comic and tragic, that were worn by the actors in ancient Greek drama. This is important to the rest of the movie. Knowing this will help you understand the structure and pacing. When the movie fluctuates between these two moods.
This is all from the perspective of the Joker, not from third person. That is also important since many of the events we may think happened really didn’t happen. Many scenes were truly tough to portray but Joaquin Phoenix brought it the best he could, and it shows. Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck and failed comedian who becomes mad walking among the people of Gotham City. Arthur Fleck, the street clown and wannabe stand-up comic down believes his purpose in life is to make others happy struggles with making himself happy.
Joker has its own political poise. Lest it be accused of right-wing inflammation, allowance is made for issues more congenial to the left. Cuts to welfare, we are told, will soon block Arthur’s access to therapy and medication. It just goes in depth with what was happening in the 1980’s which was the crack down on the war on drugs. Many of the protests were real to the time and we see that in some scenes.
He meets with a social worker, appointed by the city, who monitors his medication. We learn from her that Arthur has been institutionalized in the past, and he carries a card that he shows to people when they flinch away from him. It reads “Forgive my laughter: I have a condition.”
We also learn later on that the city cut funding and Arthur wouldn’t be able to be prescribed medication after their last meeting. It’s more of a mental patient who struggles with his identity and wearing masks. Who goes on this journey of self discovery. This is a stand alone film with no correlation to DC comics or the Joker character in the movies. Phillips and Scott Silver, take us back to the bad old days of Gotham City, when work was scarce, rats were rampant and a garbage strike was happening in the streets.
Throughout the movie you seem many riots and people growing tired of the Mayor who is a Wayne. This is important because Arthur’s mother used to work for the Waynes and his mother claimed Arthur’s father was her employer.
Criticized and mocked, he tries to become the mask that he paints on his face before entering the stage. Arthur Fleck battles with who he is in private and who is acceptable with the people in Gotham city. Previous to him living in Gotham with his mother he was in the Arkham asylum where he was on medication for his mental illness. In any uncomfortable situation Arthur fleck would laugh hysterically which got him into some sticky situations.
Grim, devastating, utterly heart wrenching, a film that has many layers that unravel as Arthur Fleck begins to unravel. As many things in his life begin to fall apart his mental state worsens.
After he killed three men on the train who jumped him, he began to explore his dark side. Which leads his to hallucinating and action of violence. This also is when he starts to allow his alter-ego Joker to be set free.
Many scenes consisted of physical abuse that caused Arthur Fleck to suffer from thoughts of suicide which lead to utter madness. It is strong content to watch. Based on my high tolerance for these types of movies, I was able to watch the entire movie. If you cannot stand watching highly graphic movies, then I do not recommend watching this movie.
This movie is more about the events that lead to the alter ego Joker for Arthur fleck. Every possible reason is shown as to why Arthur’s experiences lead to the events after. Arthur has a connection to the Wayne family — we meet Alfred the butler and young Bruce — and also to Arkham Asylum. This is when Arthur goes to talk to his so called father. We find out from Wayne himself that he is not the father. That Arthur’s mother adopted him and was mentally ill and climbed Wayne was the father when he wasn’t. There was an incident when the mother was endangering the family and was admitted to Arkham Asylum.
Joker is not plotted so much as crammed with mangy incidents. One situation was when Arthur uses his gun for the first time, and another in which, pursued by police, he ducks in and out of the carriages. Most important of all, we get two father figures. One is Murray Franklin, the host of a TV talk show, under whose wing Arthur dreams of finding shelter and approval. Which becomes distorted when Murry plays the clip of Arthurs stand up comedy ad makes fun of him. The other is Thomas Wayne, a wealthy man who is running for mayor of Gotham. He has a young son named Bruce. The encounter with him and Joker happen when Bruce is young. Penny Fleck, Arthur’s mother, worked for him, and Arthur hopes to get the truth from Thomas but it turns out to be a lie.
He continues to tell Arthur, “Those of us who have made something of our lives will always look at those who haven’t,” he declares, “and see nothing but clowns.” Now later on in the movie the city swarms with a mob of the frustrated, all sporting Joker masks and wreaking indiscriminate revenge. The thing is Arthur Fleck doesn’t have a political stance all he ever wanted was to be noticed. So he isn’t sorry for the protests or the deaths on his hands.
During the last ten minutes of the movie he has finally become who he was struggling to become in the beginning of the movie, the Joker. He doesn’t associate his costume or makeup with the posttest. The people wear those masks because they see Joker as a hero. Arthur likes that his violence brings him attention. He admits everything he has done was to bring a smile to people’s faces but instead of them laughing at his jokes, he became a joke. Out of frustration and anger he kills his father figure, Murry.
Many people wanted the movie banned from theaters based on past events of the shooting at the showing of The Dark Knight Rises . Referring to the 2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting on July 20, 2o12, twelve people were killed and seventy people were injured.Many people wanted the movie banned because many felt it promoted violence of the poor who have mental illness to act out. Giving people who deal with mental illness the okay to go out and kill because people with power and money don’t help to fix the problem.
Definitely check it out if you are willing to, but if dark movies aren’t your thing, I recommend you skip out on it.