Tears For A Clown: Joker Movie Review/Analysis
A hauntingly great origin story for one of DC Comics’ Most Famous Villains
I have a weird affinity for villains.
From villains like Magneto, who has a grim origin of being in a Jewish internment camp which currently affects his world view on the co-existence of humans and mutant to Thanos, who was once a pacificist in his early years before being intrigued by death and nihilism.
I’ve always said villains are not born. There is either something in their past which changed them or affected their mindset which made them who they are today. In most cases, it’s how society treated them or how they were raised. No one is born with a pre-conceived notion to do evil.
The Joker movie seems to be playing this angle. How did Joker, one of DC Comics’ most famous villain become the “Joker”. The movie gives Batman’s arch-nemesis his own spotlight and tells the narrative on how one evolves from just a man to a homicidal maniac.
This is only not a review of the movie but also a perspective on themes including mental illness and the world of Gotham, the place which had a hand in creating the Joker.
It’s A Grim World And It Only Gets Bleaker
The Joker (or known in the movie as Arthur Fleck) is played by Joaquin Phoenix, who is known for many roles in movies such as Her and The Master.
The movie also stars Zazie Beetz (from the TV show Atlanta) and Robert DeNiro. The movie is directed by Todd Phillips.
Arthur is a middle-aged man living in Gotham, making his living as a clown for hire. He goes to entertain kids in hospitals as well as help businesses advertise and sell their products. From the very first scene, we see the cruelty of Gotham on display.
While holding up a sign for a store owner selling his products, Arthur’s sign gets stolen by a bunch of kids and he gives chase into an alley. He gets ambushed, beaten and has his valuables stolen. This sets the tone for how the city treats Arthur.
In the first two acts of the movie, Arthur is a sympathetic figure. You can’t help but feel sorry for his circumstance. The only person in his life is his mother who he shares an apartment with. He’s battling with mental issues and is currently on heavy medication. He sees a health professional every week who doesn’t appear to really provide the care that he needs.
The cinematography in the movie shows Gotham as grim, depressing and cruel. This is emphasized with the soundtrack throughout the movie. Dark violin tones echo in almost every scene, reminiscent of Hans Zimmer's music score in the Dark Knight movies.
Not Right In The Head
There are various themes of mental illness spread out in this movie. You can’t help but notice it. You can’t help but emphasize. Gotham City constantly beats down a character who is mentally ill, gets bullied for the way he is, gets fired from his job (although it was an incident which warranted it) and mocks him for trying to survive.
The breaking of the camel’s back is when the city cuts back on funds for providing mental support.
But with all these circumstances, is it enough to make someone go over the edge? You may find yourself battling with that question at the end of the movie.
This is what makes the Joker origin story so strong. Villains don’t just become villains. Most of them are sometimes a victim of society. Some do have a choice to take different paths. But some are seemingly put on a path to destruction. Joker/Arthur Fleck, appears to be one of those people on that path.
Throughout the movie, Arthur shows signs of wanting affection outside his mother. From wanting to be closer to De Niro’s TV host character, to wanting a somewhat of a relationship with Zazie Beetz’s character, someone who he meets one time on an elevator in his apartment.
He’s living in a grim world where everyone is “mean” as Arthur states in the movie. Jobless, mentally ill, and living in a cruel city. How much is that for someone to go over the edge?
Becoming A Monster In A Monster-Filled City
Joker may be a villain. But so is the city of Gotham. The movie is almost a reflection of what we see in modern times. The theme of inequality is strong.
Thomas Wayne is featured here and he comes off as an elite member of society with almost no empathy for the lower class. He wants to run for Mayor to “clean up” Gotham but he appears tone-deaf to the realities of the people on the ground.
In one scene, Arthur Fleck kills three people while in clown make-up and that sets off a news cycle condemning the killings. But the lower class populace is seemingly not bothered because the three victims were seen as “elite”. Thomas Wayne condemns the killings and even makes a point of people siding with the “clown killer” as clowns themselves.
In a small sense of irony, when Thomas Wayne meets Arthur Fleck in person, he tells him how people going round in masks hurting people are cowards. The irony here is how his son, Bruce, eventually wears a mask and goes around doing the same.
Verdict: A Marvelous Performance By Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix delivers a great performance as Joker. Many will see parallels between him and Heath Ledger’s Joker. But while Heath Ledger’s Joker was portrayed as more of a world-class villain, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker shows his human side. Even with Joker’s iconic laugh in this movie, there is “pain” in the laughter. It’s not maniacal. But rather sad.
You will have sympathy for his character in this movie. In the third act, your sympathy might wane but you will see the logic and empathize nonetheless. In a scene with Joker on the TV show hosted by Robert DeNiro’s character, Arthur Fleck/Joker goes on a rant on how people like him are stepped on and not given a second look because of his class status but people who are in the elite class are constantly given all the attention. It’s the type of speech you would find in a series like Mr. Robot, a TV show in which the main character also rails against the elite in present society and sets off a chain of events trying to bring down the elite.
But even with empathy, you should note how a character like Joker, who apparently stood up for the poor/lower class, actually doesn’t care. His actions are not planned. They’re random.
He’s still a mentally unstable individual who was not given the help that he needed. He went on a path of destruction, leaving lots of innocent people in his wake.
By the final act, you will start to see the makings of a modern-day Joker.
As Heath Ledger’s Joker said, “Some men just want to watch the world burn”.
This version of Joker wanted to put a smile on people’s faces first. But then he lost his way. In many ways, the society he lives in is to blame. But that’s up to you to decide and make that conclusion.
