Joker: A Dull Story of a Classic Figure
Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character in Joker, which opened on October 4th.
Image courtesy of Forbes.com
By Jared Prenda
In the few weeks leading up to the release of Todd Phillips’ interpretation of the origin story of the Joker has raised quite the contention in the forum of public opinion. In an age where people allow their emotions to run high and let tweets fly without any of the facts, the film has drawn quite a controversy. Despite the fact that only critics and attendees of the Venice Film Festival had seen the movie, the public opinion surrounding it was divisive.
Some viewed the film as a masterpiece that dove not only into the psyche of one of comics’ greatest villains, but also into the mind of a divided and increasingly violent America. Others viewed the film as an Anarchist’s Cookbook for mass shootings and violent crime, or a piece of far-right propaganda. Shockingly enough, Joker is none of these things.
Set in the early ‘80’s Gotham City, a fictional representation of New York City, we follow the life of Arthur Fleck, played byJoaquin Phoenix. Gotham is under crisis in the film, with a garbage strike underway and a rising tension between the elite and poor of the city. Fleck is a loner who lives with his mother and works as a street clown, while longing to become a stand-up comedian. He dotes over his mother Penny, played by Frances Conroy, going as far as washing her hair while she bathes. He even has a crush on the single mother who lives down the hall played by Zazie Beetz.
Although the film’s cinematography and setting painted a beautifully grim landscape, the film had no structure and had a very flimsy plot. The film lacked cohesiveness in regards to its themes and overarching message. Instead, this movie resembles a compilation of progressively over the top actions that culminate in the movie’s finale. The violence and edginess of the movie only seems to exist for the sake of existing. Even the love story leaves the audience baffled that Beetz’s character could be wooed by the uncharismatic and bland Fleck, and can only be understood by a flimsy revelation late in the film.
Even within its own comic-book genre Joker does not fit nor belong. There are very few indicators of the fact that the main character of the film had wreaked havoc upon the residents of Gotham for nearly 80 years since the character first appeared in 1940.
In past iterations of the character, we have seen both a sneering and charismatic portrayal like Jack Nicholson in the ‘80’s, and a dark and menacing portrayal from Heath Ledger. Phoenix takes neither of these routes by laughing maniacally and ensuring that no one in the audience is laughing along. Phoenix lets out a hyena cackle every time Fleck feels angry or uncomfortable and is far more unsettling than inviting.
Phoenix appears emaciated in the film, as he twists and dances the audience can see every rib and his shoulder blades jutting out. He uses every part of his body and gives a grand and operatic performance that outshines every other part of the film. This portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime leaves less of the feel of an iconic archvillain and more of a pitiful common criminal driven to insanity.
One of the most captivating scenes within the film features an encounter between Fleck and a young Bruce Wayne in which viewers even get to see the famed butler and sidekick Alfred. Outside of this and very few references, Joker does not fit the origin of such an iconic villain.
In one of the many rip-off’s Martin Scorcese’s filmography, Robert De Niro takes Jerry Lewis’ role in the ‘King of Comedy,’ playing the late-night talk show host Franklin Murray. Speck replaces De Niro as the crazed but witless comic who idolizes Murray and fantasizing that they are friends. The film’s plot is also a lazy rendition of class-based vigilantism in Taxi Driver, with Speck playing a less racist and aggressive Travis Bickle, another De Niro character.
Overall, the movie is drab and incoherent with no real structure or sense of theme. It is saved by the larger than life portrayal delivered by Phoenix that is sure to earn the actor an Academy Award nomination.
