Joker tells the story of a man named Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) who is constantly beat down by those around him and how it pushes him to reach his breaking point and become the classic comic book villain, the Joker.
Even though Joker didn't reach my expectations, there is still a lot to like about this movie. First off, Joaquin Phoenix is amazing in this movie. It shouldn't come as that big of a surprise that Joaquin is great since he is great in every movie he is in, but with this performance he takes it to another level. Joaquin's character suffers from a condition that forces him to laugh, even when it's not appropriate and the way Joaquin pulls this off is stunning. He does a great job of showing in his face how he struggles to hold the laughs in and up doing so brings him to tears and even chokes on occasion. There is also a great physicality to the performance. Joaquin often dances his way through scenes when his character is feeling confident or has to sulk and walk with a limp when he is down. Joaquin's performance also does a great job of making you feel sorry for his character when he is getting beat down, but also fearful of him when he starts to snap and turn into the Joker.
Another great aspect of Joker is the score by Hildur Guðnadóttir. The work Hildur does in this movie is truly remarkable and easily one of the best scores of the year. Her score adds this intensity and darkness to the movie that ratchets up the dread that is throughout the movie. While watching the movie I couldn't help but think of another score that I enjoy, Jóhann Jóhannsson's score for Arrival. It turns out Hildur as actually worked with Jóhann on a few of his scores.
Joker is also gorgeous to look at. The cinematography by Lawrence Sher is truly spectacular. In the poster above you can see a sample of how he frames and lights his scenes. Gotham City, where the movie takes place, is going through a garbage strike, so throughout the movie there is garbage everywhere and this helps add to the dirty feeling that the movies main character gives off.
So with all the praise I've given the movie, what didn't I enjoy? One is just how much time we actually get to spend with the Joker. Arthur doesn't actually turn into the Joker until the final thirty minutes of the movie. Those thirty minutes are truly outstanding and I just wish we got to see more of him. I understand that that critique is more on me than the movie itself. I also felt that some of the scenes were cut together oddly. For example, at the beginning of the movie, Arthur is at his job as a clown, the next scene he is with his counselor and it looks like he cleaned all the make-up off his face, but in the next scene, he has some makeup still on his face. This left me wondering what order these events had taken place. This wasn't the only time this happened. Another part that really annoyed me with the movie was the use of a "jock jam". The scene in which it was used was made up to be this iconic moment, but it just gets ruined by the use of this song.
Joker is a movie that has a lot going for it. The central performance by Joaquin Phoenix is outstanding, the score is dark and intense, and the technical merits of the movie are top notch. But this movie is more of a deep, slow, dark character study that leaves you feeling dirty when it ends. If you are looking for a typical comic book action movie that is centered around one of the greatest comic book villains, this movie will probably not be one that you enjoy. I do think this movie is worth seeing, just know it may not be what you are expecting.
3 1/2 out of 5 Stars
