One of the most controversial films to emerge in 2019 is Todd Phillip’s gritty reimagining of the origin of Batman’s most iconic enemy. But even though the movie is based on a comic book character, there’s nothing ‘biff’ or ‘ka-pow’ kitschy about ‘Joker’.
As for the controversy? I don’t think it’s overly warranted.
But first things first; the brilliance of ‘Joker’. Set in 1981 Gotham, a city that is both physically and morally decaying due to an ongoing garbage strike, rampant unemployment and inescapable violence, we are introduced to Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a bullied, mentally unwell young man who works as a clown and lives with his bedridden mother. An absorbing character study, we follow Arthur on his tragic journey, from his fruitless pursuit as a standup comic (he’s awful), to the loss of his job, the abandonment by his social worker, and the uncovering of some deep, dark secrets. It’s enough to put the poor guy over the edge – and a trip, delivered in such skin-crawling magnificence by Phoenix, that transforms Fleck from a sad, broken soul that you empathize with to a terrifying, psychotic killer full of confidence, swagger and madness. The guy you’re watching at the end of this motion picture certainly ain’t the same guy you were watching at the beginning, and it’s truly scary to witness.
Phillips balls together a bushel of pop cultural monsters to achieve his goal, and in case you don’t see the obvious nods to Scorsese’s ‘Taxi Driver’ and ‘King Of Comedy’, Robert DeNiro – the star of those classics – is cast in ‘Joker’ as a smarmy talk show host. Somehow, Chaplin is an inspiration of Fleck as well and if that one DOESN’T seem too obvious….well, that’s part of the eerie magic of ‘Joker’.
Finally…..the social discourse which is attempting to put a smudge of the picture. The truth is, ‘Joker’ isn’t making light of the mental state of the main character, nor is it glamorizing the sometime horrific real life events surrounding mental illness. Rather, it’s a sobering (yes, films based on comic books CAN pull that off if done well) ‘what if?’. In this case, what if the vicious instability of an individual collides with a delapidated society? It’s okay to label it terrifying…but not necessarily controversial.
One tiny nitpick; on the home stretch, Phillips serves up a scene that ‘Batman’ fans will especially appreciate. It was…for THIS film anyway, which is a stylish and effective stand alone outside the spandex-riddled D.C. universe…not really necessary. But perhaps it just stands out ’cause are few moments wasted in this one.
