“The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” – African proverb
“Call me crazy, sh– at least you’re calling.” – Drake
A corrupt government seemingly more beholden to monied interests rather than the constituents they are sworn to represent. Crumbling infrastructure and non-existent social programs for the poor and disadvantaged. An increasingly disenchanted and troubled populace concerned about their place among it all and the mind state of their fellow man. The previous descriptors apply to the world in which we currently live, but also paint the picture of bygone eras decades before this one. These problems have persisted in American society, making any examination of the past relevant to our present day. The past is prologue as the saying goes. Director Todd Phillips takes into a fictional 1981 set in the comic book locale of Gotham City, home of Batman but in a time before his existence. In this film, we see a series of events that lead a mentally ill, isolated man named Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) who cares for his mother Penny (Frances Conroy) in solitude toward becoming perhaps the most famous villain in American pop culture, the Joker.
Joker’s early 1980s setting is more than an aesthetic choice, it also sets the tone for the film’s themes. The Gotham we’re shown mirrors New York of the 70s and 80s; rising crime rates, increasing wealth inequality, the shuddering of long-standing social safety net programs, and the societal angst birthed from it all. It is within this environment that Arthur Fleck begins his slow devolution into the infamous Joker. Much has been made of this film’s influences and whether its protagonist mirrors Travis Bickle of Taxi Driver or Rupert Pupkin of The Last King of Comedy. While the Pupkin influence is there, who Arthur really brings to mind is the infamous vigilante of 80s New York Bernard Getz. Much as Getz’s decision not to take his screwed up city’s shit anymore turned him into a folk hero for many in NYC, despite his obvious troubles, Arthur follows a similar arc in Joker.
In Phoenix’s masterful performance, we see the character’s soul slowly chipped away bit by bit as his story progresses, until there is nothing left but a void. The impetus for his decline in sanity is both sociological and personal, ranging from the socioeconomic realities that see the mental health social work and treatment that Arthur was using abruptly taken from him, the disparate treatment between classes that come to infuriate Arthur and are embodied by his interactions with wealthy men like Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) and Murray Franklin (Robert DeNiro), to Arthur’s family history and relationship with his mother, which serves as his ultimate breaking point.
The mix of personal pain and social disillusionment leading to explosive sociopathy from society’s aggrieved was a hot button issue 50 years ago and remains relevant today, making Joker an equally relevant film. Western society still struggles with figuring out how to deal with our most disaffected citizens, how to better serve the poor, and how to handle the tragic fallout that often results from our inability to find answers to the first two issues. Whether it’s the true story of Getz or the Arthur’s fictional one, what’s clear is that the absence of hope or feeling like no cares about your plight can lead to tragic outcomes not only for the disillusioned, but for anyone unfortunate enough to encounter them. The state of mental healthcare in the United States has steadily decreased since 1981 (the year in which Joker is set) following then President Ronald Reagan’s repeal of community health legislation and block grants for states, shattering available services for the mentally ill. It’s disappointing that so much commentary on Joker focused on “incels” and not the complete systemic collapse of care for the mentally ill and the resulting societal strife and mass incarceration. Arthur’s feelings of abandonment when combined with constant ridicule, cruelty, and the failure of society’s institutions resulted in a broken man who lashed out just to feel seen, because negative attention is better than no attention at all.
Joaquin Phoenix’s depiction of Arthur Fleck’s reaction to the world around him will live on cinematic infamy for quite some time. His version of a character that is fast becoming the go-to for actors to prove their mettle stands among his legendary predecessors Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill, and Heath Ledger; combining all their mania and bone chilling laughter with a deep character study that challenges the society in which we live and our interpretation of it. Phoenix masterfully portrays a slow mental breakdown of an already broken man when the weight of the world and his life becomes too much to bear.
Joker’s cinematography is magnificent, providing both visual stimulation and an additional mode of storytelling. For instance, Phillips utilizes a staircase in Arthur’s neighborhood as a visual representation of his descent into madness. Early on, each time we see Arthur on the steps, he is sadly climbing them on his walk home, often at dusk or the nighttime. By the film’s end, after suffering a full psychotic break, Arthur triumphantly descends down them while dancing in full Joker regalia in the middle of the day; happy, full of sunshine, and comfortable in his insanity. Director of photography Lawrence Sher fully captures the essence of a 1980s east coast metropolis, fully imparting the New York aesthetic onto the fictional Gotham City. His use of lighting and one killer match cut you should look out for following a crushing moment for Arthur give the film a rich cinematic feel.
Joker has been the source of controversy for months now regarding its fitness for public dissemination and consumption. That so many felt uncomfortable with the film makes sense after watching, as it serves as a condemnation of trends within American society that have gone on largely unabated for the past 50 years. Joker holds up a mirror to the world we live in and the image staring back at us can be hard to come to terms with. Director Todd Phillips utilizes a fictional world to examine real-world issues like socioeconomic inequality and mental illness within a dark, surreal portrait of a man in pain aching for acknowledgment, one way or another. The film contains some amusing goodies and references for fans of DC comics as well as more than a few genuine surprises and twists, including a masterful reveal of the extent of Arthur’s psychosis that forces the audience to question just what they’ve been watching has been real and what hasn’t. Joaquin Phoenix submits a performance for the ages as America’s most iconic villain, providing him with a substantive backstory that explores his motivations in addition to the violent, chaotic personality we’ve come to expect. Phillips’ background as a comedy director also surfaces at points, including perhaps the darkest bit of comedy put to screen in years (you’ll know it when you see it). The substance of the plot is only enhanced by a haunting, atmospheric score from composer Hildur Guðnadóttir that perfectly sets the mood for the character’s mindset and actions depicted onscreen. The cinematography is also rich, visually pleasing, and adds additional storytelling elements complementing the script. Joker will be a challenging film for many, but isn’t this true of our most worthwhile art?
Image: Warner Bros.
