Joker: The review and discussion.

Joker 2019 “put on a happy face”

With this new DC film on the block and quite the controversial reception, it’s time we talked about Joker, which premiered on the 4th of October 2019. Directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix there have been mixed reactions towards this new stand-alone origin movie.

It makes sense… Joker is one of the oldest characters in comic book history so naturally, people will have strong opinions! The reviews range from “disappointing” with not enough action and violence to incredible and “Oscar-worthy” so who’s telling the truth?

This is what makes this film so interesting. It’s so ambiguous and different with intricate details, allowing a variety of interpretations which leaves you thinking “WTF”. Not everyone is a fan though, with a lot of those criticising the film, referring to previous portrayals of the Joker and questioning how this fits in with existing narratives. Others praise the film’s rawness and focus on the topic of mental health, societal cuts, intergenerational trauma and the power of status.

Whatever your views are, hold tight for a second, we’re about to get into it! There’s a lot to cover but I’ll do my best in dissecting this film. Although it’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s not, I’ll start by outlining the themes of loneliness, budget cuts, and mental illness.

Set in fictional Gotham City in the early 1980s, the protagonist Arthur Fleck narrates his tale as a lonely, failing comedian. Living at home with his mother and struggling in his job as a clown where he is disliked, bullied, ridiculed and abused in the street… you could say that he’s going through it!

Fleck’s unhappiness is clear in the opening scene where he pulls his mouth (quite violently) into a smile, causing physical and emotional pain as a teardrop falls down his cheek. This is the first indication we have that something isn’t quite right and the first evidence we have of him smiling through his pain (a trait that is fairly significant throughout).

We see this trait again when he is kicked and mocked in the alleyway where his sign is smashed into pieces. Another powerful message is sent here (although some may have missed this) where he presses his button to make the flower squirt water whilst he lays on the floor in agony. Smiling through the pain and his persistence to spread joy seems to be the coping mechanism he uses to get through these ordeals.

As we follow the private life of Arthur Fleck and witness his struggles and misfortunes, it’s hard not to empathise with his character. A man who keeps to himself, tries his best and is grossly ignored and bullied - your heart urges for someone to understand him. This is a man who is tormented yet still runs after something as minor as a sign in pursue of hope, but with pressures of budget cuts, mental health and a lack of support it all becomes too much for him.

Arthur’s loneliness is a contributing factor in his transition from Fleck to Joker. He is isolated in every aspect of his life, from work, home and within the community. In his home life we see another side to him: a caring, nurturing Fleck despite his sadness, who looks after his elderly mother: bathing and providing for her single-handedly.

This is something many can empathise with and understanding the care sector myself, I had a respect for Fleck that most wouldn’t acknowledge. The support he gives his mother requires a lot of mental strength and coupled with his mental illness that requires seven medications a day, alongside a low income and lack of support, this film portrays the real-life struggle of some… and it’s unsettlingly raw.

Upon reflection, I realise that he never offloads his troubles onto his mother (or others for that matter), and apart from the session he attends, (where his voice is hardly heard) and the meds he takes, there seems to be no safe space for emotional release or a place to turn to. Day in, day out, he hears his mother’s theories as she lives in the bubble at home, whilst Fleck is forced to put up with the harsh reality and injustice he suffers daily.

“Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?”

His social worker informs him that there will be no funds or meds which means his only support system is pulled from his feet. A helpless Fleck asks what he is supposed to do and the response he gets is “they don’t care about us.” A brutal reminder that the system doesn’t care about broken people, which mirrors attitudes towards mental health that we are still trying to change today. In a world designed to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, Fleck is the product of a failing system and is suffering the consequences.

As we embark on this journey of realisation, we get a better understanding of his childhood and the circumstances that shaped him into the man he becomes. We understand how these contributing factors become the catalyst for the breakdown of Arthur Fleck and the birth of the Joker as we know him.

It’s interesting to note that the birth of the Joker is only established after the views he had of those he loves are tarnished. He seeks revenge for the traumas he has endured at the hands of a broken and uneven society, yet bizarrely still shows compassion for those who help him… I’m talking of course, of the scene in his flat with his ex-colleagues in which he kills one in cold blood and spares another out of gratitude but is this narrative of trauma = violence dangerously simplistic?

The final scenes: A discussion.

The film’s biggest uncertainties and questions are within the final scenes and have left people with more questions and a whole heap of theories. With no distinctive guidance into what is real or fake, the film left some racking their brains for answers! Here I’ll lay out some of these theories and add some food for thought…

There is a multitude of theories currently circulating the internet and some seem very likely. Flecks mental instability makes him an unreliable narrator and makes scenes up in his head, notably the first scene with Murray where his laugh isn’t mocked but instead, Fleck is admired by his idol during one of his shows. In his version of events, he enters a relationship with neighbour Sophie (Zazie Beetz) , despite his social awkwardness and somehow manages to sustain a loving and healthy relationship.

In his account she is a supportive and loving girlfriend, who supports him through his journey as an upcoming stand-up comedian to the troubling times of his mothers’ illness. She continues to support him in everything he does whilst the rest of the world continues to turn against him. This all seems impressively optimistic as even the audience wonder how he could have possibly pulled it off (because he is SERIOUSLY punching)… which of course he didn’t because it was fake. Lastly, he is hailed an icon and is idolised in the final scenes as the Joker is lifted onto the bonnet and celebrated. Was this real too? It appears that any time he is happy or shown affection this doesn't seem to be real.

The first possibility is that aside from the two scenes we are aware of, everything after the police crash isn’t real. Perhaps he isn’t saved by the masks in the ambulance and actually dies in the back of the police car which means everything thereafter is how Fleck/Joker wanted things to end. This scene seems surreal with thousands coming to praise a once irrelevant man. It seems almost that he is in a euphoric state which further cements this theory that it isn’t real. At the end, the Joker notices that he is bleeding from his mouth and uses this blood to draw his signature smile. A powerful reminder to use your pain and turn it into happiness. Maybe this is the legacy he would like to leave (or at least believe he has left) behind?

But then, suppose he doesn’t die, and yes he doesn’t get saved by the mob but instead is sent straight to Arkham since this is where he is next seen. Maybe the mob scene isn’t real but it would make sense that he went straight to the hospital (we presume this is where he is) as had he been saved and freed by the mob, we would have to ask how he was re-obtained and transported. But then what about the death of the Waynes? We know it happens but if the final scene didn’t happen and he wasn’t present for it, how could he have a flashback of Bruce (future batman) standing over his parents’ dead bodies (or am I just giving myself a headache here)????

Another possibility is that the whole film is made up and that Fleck is in the hospital the whole time. In his first engagement with the social worker, they talk about the time he was hospitalised and his thoughts. In the story as we’re told from Arthur fleck, we’re not aware that he has been hospitalised before - only his mother - so is this the same period they’re referring to where we see him hospitalised at the end? It would make sense if he was hospitalised as the idea of the Joker could be a figment of his imagination. He already struggles with distinguishing between reality and dreams, so the whole film may just be as convincing as his relationship with Sophie.

A burning question from many is if Thomas Wayne is his dad? I know we’re told that his mother Penny was delusional and making it up but the note at the back of the picture could suggest that there was, in fact, a relationship. There’s no denying that she worked for Thomas in the past so the access is there. If this were true then the claims from his mother would mean that Fleck was robbed from a lifestyle and suffered without reason and would have every reason to avenge the Waynes.

Suppose Penny was telling the truth, this would mean that the adoption papers could have been fraudulent, and they could have just accused Penny of being crazy and sent her to Arkham. That’s not to say that the abusive relationship wasn’t true and Fleck could have still obtained his head injury during the abuse but it’s definitely possible, especially with Wayne’s position in power. Another scene that points to this as truth is when an unknowing Arthur Fleck visits the house and the butler Alfred is fully aware of the situation before it’s explained. Is this a tale-tale sign that something has been hidden? If so, this highlights the effects of abuse of power and how this may be exercised to avoid consequences in the past and silence those who know the truth…

Throughout the film, Penny didn’t seem too “crazy”, especially as someone who has been hospitalised for her mental instability, but instead seems obsessed with Thomas Wayne if anything. This begs the question of if her illness even existed or if it was fabricated to fit the Wayne’s story. If she was, in fact, crazy, this could have yet another meaning to us (the audience) and the challenge societies views of what “crazy” looks like. That you can be hospitalised and still appear “normal” and that you don’t always have to act erratically in the way people think to be mentally unstable. If Thomas Wayne was really telling the truth then was it actually his initial’s at the back of the picture or was did Penny do that to convince herself of her version of events?

Lastly, is this Joker the REAL Joker? It’s possible that this may have been the story of an individual who inspired the future joker. Maybe the real Joker sits amongst the mob? This would explain why the timeframe doesn’t quite fit or follow the comics exactly. A possibility nonetheless.

There are soo many possibilities and questions that are deliberately open for debate. It’s winding me up though since there are too many alternatives to consider… did he die in the fridge? Did he kill the therapist at the end? Why was there blood on his shoes? Was that a mark of all the blood on his hands (feet) or a literal death? Why were the corridors soo white? Was it his version of heaven? Or was he in Purgatory which might explain him running back and forth? Or perhaps he was trapped in the hospital… argh, my head hurts!

“The worst part about having mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don’t” - Joker 2019

Regardless of what you thought of the film, there is no denial that Joaquin did a superb job and nailed the mannerisms of the Joker as told in the comic. From the laugh to his physical appearance (where Phoenix lost a total of 50 pounds for the role), to even the distorted body described in the comics, Phoenix really encapsulates his audience, particularly with his portrayal of Arthur Fleck which boasts the diversity in his acting style. This new Joker is deeply disturbing and far too real to ignore (which is arguably a criticism too). It’s uncomfortable to watch and forces you to address things that are usually swept under the carpet but a disturbing masterpiece all the same! To try and compare him to the Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson would be unfair as they show a completely different side to the Joker.

Previously, we only knew the Joker in one entity, where his character as the Joker had fully been developed and he was known as a disturbing, mysterious, criminal mastermind whilst Phoenix’s Joker doesn’t kill much and demands empathy and an understanding of his mental state. This is why it’s important not to compare them. They’re different and were designed to portray different sides. The old joker showed him later in life whilst where he is completely ruthless and unapologetic. This version is from the beginning… the birth of the Joker where he is only just discovering himself. It may explain how they have such different characteristics - Growth!

During this film, freedom was given to develop the character as there had been no pre-existing background knowledge. This meant that we were able to see the Joker in a completely different light and understand him in a way that was not previously explored. Yes, we knew he has a signature laugh and he was gruesome in many ways, however, we never knew why he was like that. You could argue that the Joker wasn’t how we imagined because there was less focus on the Joker and more on Arthur Fleck. Here, even the structure is broken from usual origin movies where the transition into the Joker comes much later than expected. Again, this is deliberate so that we can truly understand the circumstances that forced Arthur into the character we all know as the Joker.

The film highlights the depths of mental health and highlights the impact we have on others and the power of our words and actions. It shows how circumstances in someone’s lives could impact how they are and their future decisions, and how as humans we could be pushed to the edge. It also points to a connection between trauma and mental health. I’m not saying that we’ll all turn into serial killers but it gives awareness of how build-up and lack of treatment can have a detrimental effect on an individual. If anything it may teach us to be more conscious of people around us and their behaviours, and possibly be more inclined to help where we can.

Josh Brolin aka Thanos praised the film’s message and its impact stating that “To appreciate ‘Joker’…you have to have gone through something traumatic in your lifetime. […] or understand somewhere in your psyche what true compassion is […] this film makes you hurt and only in pain do we ever want to change…” You can read the full quote over on his Instagram.

Of course, there are criticisms to this argument whereby introducing or implying that childhood traumas and negative experience life could turn your into cold-blooded killers is also a dangerous assumption. These things you must take with a pinch of salt, however, with copycat crimes in the past it’s a narrative that needs sensitivity. With people walking out of screenings saying that it was too raw and intense, it certainly isn’t for everyone with its dark themes and deep narrative.

If you have had any concerns relating to this film and the topic of mental health, you can read my let’s talk mental health post with links to help, should you or someone else need it!

Rating: Solid 9/10.

I plan to watch it again but I’m interested to know what you thought of the film. Let me know your thoughts below, or hit me up on my social or email!

Liz x