JOKER (2019, Dir. Todd Phillips) FIRST RESPONSE

Rating: 7/10

Cool cinematography, interesting story and really nice action sequences (also some really really cool kills), and I enjoyed how the plot developed. It also had some really good acting, especially from Joaquin Phoenix, who plays the lead Arthur Fleck. It obviously took a lot of inspiration from the movie Taxi Driver (1976) when it came to pacing and plot. however some parts of the script felt like it was trying too hard to be badass and edgy and I also feel like it demonised mental illness while also criticizing society demonising mental illness, so it wasn’t perfect.

Memorable Scene: The Murder Of Murray Franklin

The lead up to the murder was really tense. Arthur, who had up to this point been socially reserved, was acting super enigmatic upon entering the studio. As he revealed his crimes live on air the tension builds, with Phoenix playing Arthur’s new energetic persona making it even more tense, ending with a loud argument with Franklin, who had been idolised by Arthur throughout the movie. Arthur exposes Franklin for being a cruel, corrupt rich guy, and suddenly shoots him live on air. There is a bit of catharsis when Murray dies as the audiences view of Franklin deteriorates along with Arthur’s, starting from when he mocked the clip of him on air for reasons relating to Arthur’s mental illness. The contrast in this scene is good too, as the recording studio is brightly coloured unlike the grimy streets and apartments that the rest of the movie took place in. Arthur is also dressed colourfully in this scene, in a bright suit and clown makeup, which creates comedy as he tells a dark “joke” and admits to the murders of the upper-class men on the subway. The music too elevates the scene, the slow, beating score building up to the sudden gunshot.