Joker: A Fresh Take on a Comic Book Classic

At first glance, making a movie about the origin story of the Joker seems counterintuitive. One of the main features of the crazed clown that makes him so successfully frightening is his unknown origin. The Joker is not a man of many layers, just one: evil. But, pure evil does not show up out of thin air. It takes years of cruelty and negligence to create a madman. Director Todd Phillips took a risk in trying to tell the story of the most infamous villain of all time without humanizing him but it paid off.

“Joker” introduces us to Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), an aspiring stand-up comedian who works as a party clown. At home, he lives with his delusional mother, Penny—their relationship is unorthodox, to say the least. Fleck bathes with and sleeps in the same bed as his mother, and she overlooks her son’s misery. When Fleck goes to work, he is constantly harassed by his insensitive coworkers, who view him as a freak. To cope with his bleak thoughts, Fleck visits a psychiatrist who fails to listen to his concerns. He also tries to find comfort in his next-door neighbor (Zazie Beetz). The only time when Arthur seems to be genuinely happy is when he comes home and watches his favorite late-night talk show host, Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro).

Known for his comedy, “The Hangover” (2009), Phillips brilliantly incorporates dark humor throughout the film, almost forcing viewers to laugh at Fleck’s fall into total insanity. The director also brings a level of vulgarity and violence unseen in any other movie in the DC or Marvel Cinematic Universe. Every one of the Joker's kills is both intimate and disturbing and grows more so as the film continues. The evolution of Joker into an even more unhinged character than we thought is completed by the replacement of the classic dark purple and green suit into a vibrant red and orange one that stands out in the gloom of Gotham.

Many viewers were curious as to how Phoenix would interpret the Joker’s signature laugh. In previous films, the Joker’s laughter symbolized insanity; in Phillips’s, it represents immense pain and isolation. In fact, Fleck suffers from an illness that causes him to laugh uncontrollably. His unnatural laughter is apparent every time he is in an uncomfortable or traumatic situation—he laughs for minutes at a time, nearly choking in the process. It’s at once both unnerving and cringy, which makes him so enthralling to watch.

It is Phoenix’s performance that truly makes “Joker” exceptional. In his mockumentary, “I’m Still Here” (2010), he plays a fictionalized version of himself retiring from acting to pursue a hip-hop career. While filming, Phoenix decided to stay in character off camera and appeared on media outlets as a distraught actor. It is Phoenix’s dedication to his roles that makes his acting authentic. Every aspect of Joker’s character is honed to perfection. The audience can easily distinguish Arthur Fleck from the Joker because of Phoenix’s acting. Arthur Fleck’s tense posture, eye movement, and hand gestures are completely different from Joker’s more relaxed nonchalance. Phoenix has no over the top fight scenes or high budget costumes, but he captivates his audience through his movements and charisma.

Opposite Phoenix is the city of Gotham itself. It is not merely just the setting—it is the primary character and the main antagonist of the film. Right off the bat, the film shows a newsreel of the current rat infestations on the streets of Gotham. The people living in Gotham are no better than the streets. Fleck gets beaten by a group of kids and then again by rich Wayne Enterprise employees. Civilians are ill-mannered and they scoff at Fleck’s mental illness. It’s Gotham who takes away Fleck’s medical treatment, shows no remorse for his illness, and rejects his dreams of being a comedian, leaving him feeling invisible and alone. In the end, it is Gotham who kills Arthur Fleck and has to pay for its callous nature.

At one point in the movie, Joker is portrayed as a vigilante who stands up for the working man. The clash between the two classes is a prominent feature in Phillips’s storyline. Members of the higher class in Gotham are hostile and apathetic toward the lower class. In one particular scene, Thomas Wayne and his associates are seen laughing and enjoying a screening of Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times” (1933), which tells the story of a struggling working man portrayed as a bimbo. Like Chaplin’s film, Phillips’s shares the theme of finding humor through pain. He also makes numerous other homages to films like the Robert De Niro-starring “Taxi Driver” (1976) and “King of Comedy” (1982). Like “Joker,” both these films tell the story of a loner trying to find his purpose but eventually falling down the wrong path.

The evolution (or devolution) of Arthur Fleck is fast-paced. Fleck is on a mission to search for his identity and he ultimately accomplishes his goal. He justifies his actions and his new persona by warning people that they get what they deserve. By the end of the movie, audiences neither sympathize nor condone Joker’s actions, but rather, they understand them.

When Fleck transitions to Joker, he is happier and healthier. He begins to embrace his laughter and find humor in his tragic life. Throughout the film, Arthur struggles to find purpose in his life, but when he becomes Joker, he is motivated and fulfilled. The tone of the film shifts from depressing to celebratory. At the beginning of the film, the environment is gray and grim, but toward the end, it is warm and vibrant. Though his actions are atrocious, audiences come to accept that Joker is the villain that Gotham deserves.

As compelling as the film is, “Joker” has garnered mixed reviews and criticism. The main concern that critics had with the movie is that it would promote gun violence. After watching the entire film, however, it does not send the message that violence is the answer. Rather, it forces us to take a minute to evaluate the society we live in today. Is it okay to laugh at the expense of others? What actions are we taking to help people with mental illness? “Joker” urges audiences to be more forgiving and sympathetic to those around us who are struggling. Phillips explores the idea that the Joker wasn’t born in a night. He wasn’t born after falling into a container of toxic chemicals or after a failed robbery. It takes years of physical and mental abuse, an unforgiving society, and a crushed dream to turn a man into an emblem of wickedness.