Joker (2019) – Review

A confused person. A term that I hear regularly in the news when someone has been violent somewhere. It is an easy-to-process label for a reader/viewer, because you don’t have to think about it. Someone who is confused can do crazy things, so that the act that has been performed has a “simple” explanation, no matter how big the consequences. It does not further incite you to think about how such a person finally got that far. Has he/she had many setbacks in his/her life, too little attention or simply not the right help from family, friends and agencies to ensure that this person was not confused? With knowing that information, you don’t have to understand the action itself or feel sorry for the perpetrator, but it may help you better understand the person and see if changes are needed in certain procedures to ensure that others don’t follow the same path. With Joker, director Todd Philips tries to paint a portrait of a man who will ultimately become Batman’s archenemy.

Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a man who dreams of becoming a comedian one day. He has a job as a clown and is hired to perform in hospitals and stores. He still lives with his mother and has a history of psychological problems. He has a condition that makes him laugh uncontrollably, even if the situation does not lend itself to it. A strange man who finds it hard to find his place in society and is slowly but surely losing his grip.

 There have been several memorable Joker renditions over the years and the question is always whether the next actor will be able to give it his own twist. Joaquin Phoenix seems to do that effortlessly and may be portraying the most frightening version here. Physically he has lost a lot of weight and regularly moves his body in almost unnatural ways. The acting performance is memorable and it would surprise me if he did not at least receive an Oscar nomination for his role, because it is a pleasure to watch him, no matter how uncomfortable he may make you feel. His interpretation of Arthur Fleck is the focus of the film and shows how he, just like for example Nina Sayers in Black Swan, is losing his sense of reality. He develops his own set of norms and values ​​as a result of what he sees and experiences, which are completely normal to him. The result is a violent man and some very graphic scenes that not everyone will appreciate. Philips knows how to build it all up in a masterful way and bring it to a climax, while he flirts with the fact that this all takes place in Gotham City. Joker is a “confused person”, but more than that, because as a viewer you slowly get to know his psyche and trauma. A memorable film that you won’t soon forget.

[score10]