Character studies of less positively inclined characters have always had an appeal. We tend to forget the human elements of a person who conducts a heinous crime. One could argue that our tendency to assume the worst about those aforementioned people is what aids us in preserving a safe and healthy society. I certainly believe that is true but, we should never deny ourselves the capacity to empathize with others, regardless of the person. I know the title says Joker (2019) review and I'll be sure to share my thoughts on the film. However, I find the current rhetoric surrounding it to be disconcerting. For those who are unaware, the national premiere of Joker was October 4th and the media has become a bit sensational due to its 'controversial' violence. People are afraid of Joker's rhetoric inspiring sympathizers to commit acts of violence. This all boils down to an age-old conversation that Quentin Tarantino has had with myriad interviewers. I agree with Tarantino in the sense that I believe violent media does not influence people in the direct way that many people assume it does. Violence and cruel people will always find an excuse or catalyst for their behavior.
I'll be the first to admit I was skeptical of director Todd Phillips's ability to tell a story like this. I'd seen War Dogs and Hangover both of which were enjoyable but nothing I'd revisit. Now having seen the film, I believe he utilized his previous work's comedy and tweaked it a bit, making it reserved and dark. The contrast to that darkness is the color palette, unlike most DC movies, it isn't afraid to use color to be expressive. The movie also doesn't try to be a superhero/supervillain movie. It's almost entirely standalone except for the inclusion of the Wayne family, which is a bit shoehorned. The story is compelling at most times and Joaquin Phoenix has done an outstanding job with his interpretation of Joker in stark juxtaposition to Jared Leto.
The violence in the movie takes a backseat to the day-to-day of Joker's life. It focuses more on political issues that affect people today such as mental healthcare and wealth inequality. For instance, (mild spoilers ahead) when the program that was funding Joker's medication and therapy is defunct due to federal budget cuts. The social worker tasked with caring for Joker admits that society doesn't care about people like her or him. At the beginning of the film, Joker is beaten by a sign that he was dancing with moments earlier. The sign says "Everything must go" an omen of what's to come. He's beaten with this very sign by some unsavory teens that steal it from him. Joker's life is a series of unfortunate events that lead to him become one of the most iconic villains of all time. We as the audience can empathize with Joker and while some members of the audience may applaud his violence, others find it to be a tragic consequence of a troubled man living a troubled life.
I found Joker to be a refreshing take on the comic book movie genre. It certainly isn't the best movie ever made but it's well shot, well-acted and at the very least it tried to do something no other DC film has done since the Dark Knight, tell a good story. If you are worried about the violence, I'd still check it out as those scenes make up very little of the run time. I think this story can be seen from a cautionary angle, that if we aren't careful, we too can become harmful to others and ourselves.
TL:DR: If you are tired of big-budget, popcorn comic book films, check this one out. Joaquin's performance alone is worth the watch.
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