Joker Film Review - Todd Phillips Directs Joaquin Phoenix As A Joker Who Is No Fun But Sure Knows How To Make 'Em Laugh - It's A Comic Tragedy

Rating: 10/10 (11 October 2019)

Arthur Fleck in Joker is as much a victim of Society as his unfortunate victims. Working at a clown agency with a medical condition that makes him laugh uncontrollably, it's not a funny business for him. He asks for more mental health help, more pills, more than the seven he already takes a day, but Social Services are cut and his pills and therapy part of it. He is abused and attacked at work and is it any wonder he finally snaps. Having a gun should be illegal anywhere. But this is comic book Gotham and these things happen. Todd Phillips directs Joaquin Phoenix as a Joker we can initially sympathise with, while we watch his rage build, and his descent into the Gotham madness begin.
Arthur lives in a crummy apartment with his Mum played by Frances Conroy. He is her gentle carer and watches his mother Penny Fleck as she keeps writing to her ex-boss Thomas Wayne for help. Played by Brett Cullen he isn't listening. And the mood in the street is getting darker with a garbage strike and giant rats scuttling round town. But the mood is light in the Fleck household because they enjoy watching Murray Franklin's nightly talk show together. And in Arthur's head Murray played by Robert De Niro is waiting for him as a guest. For Arthur is a would be stand-up comedian, although Penny drily asks whether you need to be funny to do that. She's a wag, but she has a deep dark family secret buried in Arkham Asylum, one that will see Gotham burn. It's a Shakespearean tragedy.
But Arthur does his comedy homework and learns his trade by watching other comics. Jotting down what makes people laugh. He even meets a girl down the hall and invites her to his first stand-up show. Zazie Beetz's Sophie is not as embarrassed as we are. Make 'em laugh isn't something that Arthur can do, except for his own maniacal laughter the place is silent. But someone is filming.
So Arthur still keeps up his day job, the sad thing is his clown makes kids in a hospital laugh, until a gun drops out of his outfit. Well that's a scream, and of course he's fired. And so is the gun. Mayoral hopeful Thomas Wayne pitches the 'clowns' against the rich, after three of his staff are killed. Causing mass demonstrations in Gotham. We're all clowns now. The cinematography by Lawrence Sher and production design by Mark Friedberg is fantastic, a retro 70's Gotham City, (check the WB logo), and like the pre-gentrification of 80's NYC I remember.
Joaquin Phoenix was incredible, he lost 52lbs to play the poor pathetic Arthur. Each sinewy movement of his starved body taut when he practises his quiet tai chi, or maniacal ballet, and all the while straining against the pressure cooker building inside his head.
When the police finally track Arthur down, his mother is home alone when they call, and after suffering a stroke is rushed to hospital, where Arthur and Sophie sit with her. They watch as Murray Franklin shows the film of Arthur's stand-up comedy routine that night. It might not have made the punters laugh, but overnight it makes him a tv star. Finally Arthur gets his chance at prime time tv. But how to play it? He needs to practise. It's funny and sad as he copies the guests on the programme. Creating his entrance. We will him to succeed. Could this be Arthur's shot at being the next King of Comedy. Because Arthur does now feel he exists. The poor and wretched of Gotham all exist now. But was he ever really there? Was Sophie ever really there?
And for his much longed for tv appearance and his opener. Should he thank his mother first?, she nicknamed him Happy after all, telling him to spread joy and happiness in his miserable life. Should he thank his fellow clowns for their help, because Glenn Fleshler's Randall gave him the gun that helped get him here. They'll all get their turn. But Leigh Gill's Gary is too small to even open the door. Maybe he doesn't deserve any thanks.
And maybe after all he'll not even go on as himself, he'll go on as Joker. With amazing hair, make-up and costume created by Mark Bridges, and he'll just tell the truth. And see if they laugh. But you can be sure his act will blow Murray Franklin away.
Outstanding work by Todd Philips in an amazing film. As an origins story we are given the bare bones on which the future of Gotham hangs. And DC is definitely in a dark place with this tragic comic who dances a Catch Me If You Can finale.