Joker Movie Review

Is it Controversial or Fake News? A review of Joker

Never believe the critics or the news when it comes to movies.

Joker tells the story of Arthur Fleck, a man struggling to provide for himself and his mother. He has a few different psychological issues that force him to see a social worker, but the funding for the program was cut during the time where he most needed the help. Arthur is given a gun from his coworker after Fleck was beaten up by bullies. He works as a clown and advertises when a store is going out of business. When he is bullied once again for his problems, he uses the gun. Arthur is fired after he was found to have the gun while visiting a children’s hospital. His mother suffers a stroke soon after, which is when he finds out the truth about his life. I will not tell spoilers, but it is pretty messed up.

Throughout the first half of the film, one feels sorry for him and may think that his actions are justified. However, the second half is when Arthur turns into the villain we all know and love. While we still feel sorry for him, we know that his actions are no longer justified. Many people have complained about the length of the film as well as the story. While I understand that some people cannot sit still for two hours during a movie that juggles serious issues, they knew what they were going into. The trailer did not make one think that the film was going to be an action-packed superhero movie, nor did the trailer make it seem lighthearted. As for those complaining about the decision to include mental issues and illnesses, everyone was complaining that they do not see many films tackling the subject without glorifying murder or suicide. Now that we finally have one, people still are not happy. Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the character was stunning and very believable. If it was anyone else, I think that the film would not be as emotionally driving. It was refreshing to see an entire movie dedicated to revealing what went wrong in a villain’s life that influenced their future behavior.

Joker did not make me want to become a mass murderer; if anything, it made me want the world to treat those with mental problems as people and get them help. Though the movie is incredibly difficult to watch with its portrayal of violent bullying and people unable to get the help they need, I would definitely recommend giving this film a try. I would give it a solid 10/10.