Review of Joker (2019) by Hello_World — 24 Oct 2019

The Joker is an entertaining movie and its depiction of the titular character was compelling from begging to end. Joaquin Phoenix's performance was outstanding and will be remembered as on of the better Joker performances. Unfortunately, the movie falls flat when it comes to its themes and what it wants to say.

It seems like it wants us to be on the side of the working class. After all, the joker is a working class man who's issues are exacerbated by the upperclass. The government cut funding to mental health services, leaving him without his therapist and medication. Thomas Wayne seems uncaring and critical of the poor and even his celebrity hero made jokes at his expense. Following the Joker's actions, you can see how the class divide came to a head with the working class finally having enough of the oppression of the upper class and want social change.

However, this falls apart when you consider the actions of the Joker and rioters. The Joker, while more sympathetic in this iteration, is still a psychopathic killer and he is propped up as the hero of the working class. The working class started rioting and one even murders the Waynes in the alley as a form of revenge on the upper class. If the film wants us to take the side of the working class as the ones being taken advantage of, it failed. The upperclass were **** but the working class are dangerous criminals. This isn't helped by the fact that the movie showed the murder of the Waynes. We all know what will become of young Bruce. He becomes the hero of Gotham. He is also the top 1% Billionaire playboy. So eventually the hero of Gotham will be a rich man saving Gotham from people like his parent's murderer, who happens to be a poor and angry at the rich.

Even if the movie wanted to try to take a 'both sides' argument, it fails because the actions of the working class were way worse than the actions of the upperclass. The upperclass are the ones getting murdered in the streets. The working class are the ones idolising a killer clown. It seems very one sided.