⚠️ SPOILERS BELOW ⚠️
There’s probably already over hundreds of reviews for this movie, so what is one more review from an unqualified reviewer’s review suppose to do. But I share the same appreciation for this movie as the majority and will share why I didn’t give this a full 5-star rating.
Arthur Fleck, an aspiring comedian, part-time clown, lives in a time when his home city, Gotham, is suffering financially and socially. With a dense line drawn between class divisions of the poor and rich, society is angry and prone to the rebellion of the unfair lifestyle of the working class. Fleck experiences these harsh retaliations of aggravated citizens. This, along with his pre-existent mental issues, eventually leads him to become a serial killer, especially towards the rich class. Fleck embraces his new, fond role of his in society. This satisfies the working class, the majority, because for once the rich class and the people in government are finally getting what they deserve.
Unlike the Batman series, this movie is specifically focused on the antagonist, Joker, and his uprising. If you want to see a film about the gruesome actions that Joker did, then the Batman series would be a better film. This movie has a subtle mental health awareness background and, although not mentioned in the comics, could’ve been a mental health film with different settings and characters, but the same plotline. The film’s usage of a commonly-known story already contributed to the success of the film by attracting DC viewers.
Like past films I’ve reviewed, the leading actor always performs exceptionally amazing. For this film, Joaquin Phoenix (Fleck) nailed it out of the park! First, he lost at least 50 lbs for this role. In the film, you can actually see Fleck’s rib cage and it was intended for the purpose of how bad society was at that time. Next, Phoenix perfected the Joker’s uncontrollable laughing condition. In certain scenes, the laugh occurring was okay in a suitable environment and Phoenix was able to show how he didn’t need to control it at that time. In most scenes, Joker was in an unsuitable environment where it was highly inappropriate to laugh uncontrollably. Phoenix was so perfect in these scenes because it really made me, the audience, grieve for him to the point where Phoenix had to cover his mouth and tears were coming out. From an actor’s perspective, this would seem challenging because you’re required to pretend a real medical condition but try to hold back at the same time; two contradicting actions. Third, Phoenix’s commitment to the role was beyond extraordinary (no wonder he won leading actor twice)! His emotions and actions were so intense and his physical and mental state was fully committed to the role. In one scene, Joker was kicking a dumpster, out of aggression, so hard that the actor, Phoenix, sprained his ankle badly. All I can is that Phoenix actually becomes Joker, which is already a hard enough character to play, and that is why Phoenix made the film ten times better.
The plotline does have some holes, but I’m pretty sure Todd Phillips, the director, intended it that way so the film would have a more lyrical, deeper meaning leaving the audience to just wonder. Like with Fleck’s love interest, Sophie, the audience later finds out that he was imagining his relationship with her and when he finally interacts with her in reality, she has no clue who he is and what happens to her is obscure. The ending also didn’t make a lot of sense and pretty ambiguous. It did add to the suspense and creativity, I’d have to admit.
The ending wasn’t cliché or predictable. It had the ambiguity and lyrical element. The score was adequate. When they were presented, they were really good scores, but I felt like they were kind of present a lot and exaggerated. I don’t have many complaints with the score, however.
Throughout the whole storyline, I’d just hope that there were more distinctive scenes and not just the same actions. Like multiple scenes consisted of Fleck in his apartment smoking. These types of scenes, where not much happens, are highly dependent on Phoenix’s acting (expression/emotion), although Phoenix did perform those scenes amazingly. All in all, the storyline was kind of moving slow, but that adds to the lyrical and suspense element.
The film was amazing especially due to Joaquin Phoenix’s phenomenal acting of Joker. The storyline was different and slow-paced but comprised of deep, profound meanings. If only the storyline could’ve been more unique and impactful, then it would’ve received the 5 stars. With all the hype of the film, it was an amazing movie, but not to where the hype establishes it at.
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