What. A. Film.
Is all I could keep saying as I walked out of the cinema with my mates when we saw it last night. If I had to summate it in one word it would be unreal.
Joker really is something special. Here’s my review; warning, mild spoilers throughout.
We are wasting no time into getting into another shit-filled day of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) who is a clown trying to make do in Gotham City, but society just keeps kicking him down and battering a bone or two. The plot is paced really well for its 2-hour slot or so; it is intense when it has to be, a few funny moments sprinkled in, but most dramatic, spellbindingly horrible and speaks to the heart of everything Arthur faces in his metamorphosis to become the Joker. This film does really well in respecting the audience’s intelligence; there are some moments where we are left to ponder and interpret it ourselves. Not everything is spoon-fed to us and it really is an extraordinary take on the classic DC character.
Joaquin Phoenix…. he’s not Heath Ledger, unfortunately, but oh my sweet Jesus Christ, he is insane! Literally! A very, very solid 2nd place. Right from the first camera shot when he’s getting his makeup on and fingers the inside of his cheeks to make frown then happy faces, whilst a single tear dotted his makeup… ugh, I knew then this was going to be something else.
The man is enthralling. Magnetic. He portrays Arthur in such a grandiose way I wish now I could go back to the first second and rewatch all of it again. He is not Joaquin Phoenix, I don’t see Joaquin at all, all I see is Arthur. I’m gripped by Arthur’s feelings, worries, actions, moments of weakness and heartbreak.
There are times when he wrenches your heartstrings, like at the comedy club where he’s doing stand-up but his condition (where he laughs hysterically at impromptu moments) made me feel desperate to want him to succeed. Then there are moments where he disturbs you so much it’s sickening that you took his side in the first place (taking a pair of scissors and eviscerating someone he knew). This man, as hard as he is trying in a city gone to shit, is not better than the people around him.
What I also really like about this film is there is no concrete, tangible antagonist for Arthur to confront or overcome. The antagonist is an idea. Sure, people like Thomas Wayne and Murray (played decently well by a great surprise in Robert de Niro) have shades of thinking themselves better than most, but overall, it feels like life is beating Arthur down. That makes for a really complex character arc.
I want to root for the man, I want him to get better and find success, but ultimately, he serves as a cautionary tale. His life may be the same for others, but his actions are not excusable. You know you have a really well-written character when he’s pulling you in different directions. When he comes to his favourite talk show, I was like “Yes! You made it dude! It’s your dream!” and then by the end of it… your words feel hollow.
Gone are the days of Zack Snyder's irascible grip on style over substance, all day, every day. This film is just gorgeous.
The cinematographers, God, they deserve as much applause as the main cast. It is brilliantly artistic. Colour, camera framing and lighting are used in poetic ways to transcribe mood, emotion, intent and action.
Future films that wish to stand amongst this one need to take a lesson from its filmmaking: treat the camera as a vehicle for taking a look into the characters, make every shot not only brimming with creativity, but with purpose. It is all in service of connecting us with the character of Arthur and showcasing his need to ventilate, through the mask of “Joker”.
The violence is designed well too; strong and filled with anger, every gunshot, every blow, every headbutt feels impactful. The set design is well made too; trash cans that stick out in exterior shots, dirty, cramped interiors with at least half a dozen licks of graffiti; Arthur’s apartment lending us this idea it is keeping him imprisoned, stepped on and overlooked by society. All of that is visually conveyed in the film’s cinematography and set design. And the costume design of Joker is impeccable:
Just the way the blue diamond shape over Arthur’s left eye drips longer than his right, how he is in a subway mall surrounded by other morons in clown masks providing perfect camouflage… we do not deserve this film!
The score is noteworthy too. A few song selections here and there work well, but it really does dive deep into the psycho factor of the Joker. Most often there are moments where it sets your teeth on edge, keeping you engaged on what is going on with Arthur, alluding to this ominous, invisible hand reaching out to crush you in its very grip, and succeeding when it reaches its zenith.
The dialogue and scriptwriting of the film are really the only, and minor, gripe I have with it. Most often characters say lines that relate to our current way of life right now, perhaps too much, with so much shit going on it feels like it has to get worse to get better. A mentally ill man lashing out at a society that treats him like garbage is something we most likely have seen before, and it could end up sending the wrong message; but frankly, it tells such a definitive origin story on a character who misleads us into thinking he has multiple ones.
Hollywood has effectively reopened a door whereby making a strong, character-driven story is better than trying to compete with existent material, a la what Warner Brothers had been trying to do against the MCU. I don’t want to see DC’s risky, gambling knockoffs of the Avengers, I want to see DC’s risky, gambling and highly invested interpretations of their beloved characters. And they have done exactly that with Joker.
As the 2010s draws to a close, and we stand on the brink of another era of film, Joker provides a strangely cathartic experience for those that are simply frustrated with life and want something different, something to remember. To close this year and by extension the decade out with a film like this, that really is a compliment to DC. Everything I have outlined is only available to see in one place: the big screen.
