Excellent example of mental health portrayal in film!

Rating: 10/10 (7 March 2020)

Aside from the storytelling of how the Joker came to be, this film beautifully captured the true essence of what it means to be living with a mental illness in a society that struggles to accept and understand it. The inaccuracies and exaggerations that come with the portrayal of mental illness in movies are all things we are prone to see and unfortunately fuel the stigma surrounding mental illness. It's refreshing to see a movie that tackles that stigma at its core by showing problems with society itself and how society treats individuals struggling with mental illness. It's very possible to merge entertainment with education and this movie exceeded that. While addressing issues like societal judgement and unhelpful medical staff, we were able to see it conveyed in a way that was also interesting and entertaining to see. The aspect that resonated with me the most was when Arthur called his therapist out for not listening and asking the same questions every week. Another aspect I found particularly interesting was how even though Arthur made efforts to get help and treatment, he wasn't given help when his therapist informed him that funding cuts were being made and he wouldn't be able to continue seeing her. Keeping the momentum of going to treatments and trying to get better is a long struggle that takes a lot of effort and work. Not being given the proper resources or support to keep that treatment can also be extremely detrimental and many are unfortunately put in this position. There are many individuals struggling with mental illness that do not have the resources to get help. I'm glad this point was reinforced in this film because there are individuals that want and seek help but simply do not have the resources to continue or find it. What made this movie unique was its ability to speak to a large audience, not only those struggling with mental illness but also those seeking to understand those that do. One of the ways Joaquin Phoenix prepared for his role was he studied up on how to portray Arthur's mental health struggles in the most accurate ways possible. One of the best ways we can tackle the stigma is to show more accurate portrayals and working alongside mental health professionals or psychologists so actors can portray those characters in the most accurate ways possible. While there are no justifications for Arthur's crimes, we did see how lack of empathy and support influenced the way he saw the world. The world can be a very cruel place, but the most important thing we can do is extend a helping hand to a stranger to spread a little joy in the world.