Movie Review - Joker

Joker **** (out of 5) (R) Rarely does a movie get this much hype. Even more rarely does the reality live up to the advance publicity. This origin story for an eponymous nemesis to Batman goes two-for-two in that regard. Like all the DC Comics superhero fare, the setting and tone are very dark. Gotham City always seems to get about as much sunlight as an Alaskan winter. Many of the DC and Marvel good guys have had their origins shown in big-budget epics. Few of the archvillains have enjoyed the same examination of their formative years and influences. The Gotham TV series provided that for another Batman foe, the Penguin. Now we delve into the whys of another regular opponent.

Joaquin Phoenix is brilliant in the title role of a deeply troubled young man who only wanted to make people laugh - first as a clown; later as a standup comic - despite a significant lack of talent, or even an understanding of what might tickle anyone’s funny bone. He was a born loser, whose good intentions were delusional, at best. An assortment of humiliations and other traumas fueled the psychotic course he was seemingly destined to pursue. His parade of unjust troubles is so long and extreme that he becomes more sympathetic than despicable until the inevitable snap from beleaguered Arthur Fleck into the demented Joker figure of lore. If anything, one might admire the total of all he was able to endure before the final straw.

Todd Phillips seems an unlikely choice for co-writer and director, since most of his successful career has been built on broad comedies (all three Hangover flicks, Old School, Road Trip, among others). But he slides masterfully into the DC tradition of crafting dour tales of angst-ridden characters in decaying environs. Reportedly, he also achieved this feat on a much smaller budget than most of the Marvel and DC pulp-to-theater transitions. The latter might make him even more popular in LaLa Land than the quality of the former. Excellence is desirable; economy is coveted.

Expect a slew of nominations among all the production categories to complement those for Phoenix and Phillips. Joker won’t make you laugh, but it will give you plenty of bang for the buck. (10/4/19)