Joker

          Director Todd Phillips, most known for comedy, turns his attention to the serious origin story of Batman's most famous nemesis, The Joker. Make no mistake this film, while it's roots are in the Batman universe, is not about superheroes or their villains and it is definitely not for kids. Think "Taxi Driver" meets "Death Wish".

          Born from the comics, The Joker has been played by many actors but his origins have never been fully explored. There are multiple versions but Mr. Phillips and his co-screenwriter Scott Silver, focus on a dark, grim story of mental instability and a failing health care system. Dropping the pronoun since the character is not quite fully formed until the end, "Joker" starts dark and only gets darker as it goes. While shot mostly in New York, it takes place in  fictitious Gotham City and while Bruce Wayne makes an appearance, Batman does not (although we do get a glimpse of his own origin). The city is dark, crime is high, a garbage strikes turns things even more foul and dank. The atmosphere is ripe for protest and all it takes is one lunatic to ignite the fuse for civil upheaval.  

          While the grim tone of the film almost makes it unbearable to watch, it is the performance of Joaquin Phoenix that make it all worthwhile. He is simply phenomenal. Depressed, angry, and stabilized only by medication,  Mr. Phoenix's character, Arthur Fleck, is a walking time bomb. Mr. Phoenix's maniacal laugh, body language, demeanor and eventual descent into complete homicidal madness, is a wonder to behold. At first he creates a very sympathetic character (part time clown and wannabe stand up comic) but by film's end, he is a character to be feared, the unhinged murderous lunatic Batman fans have come to know.

         The film co-stars Francis Conroy as Arthur's mother and Robert DeNiro as a talk show host (an homage of sorts to the role Jerry Lewis played with Mr. DeNiro in "King of Comedy"). In a deliberate fitting twist, Mr. DeNiro in that film,once the stalker, now becomes Arthur's obsession. Also co-starring are Zazie Beetz as Arthur's neighbor and possible love interest, and Glen Fleshler as a fellow clown.

          The film's cinematography and score capture the dark mood perfectly. The city hasn't looked this slimy and grim since the '70's. If you live in New York, you may find the terrible location continuity bothersome ( for example, Washington Heights is not magically connected to Bay Ridge Brooklyn) but it can be forgiven as it serves the story well.

      The film's message is pretty clear. When the system fails the mentally ill, the potential for a violent outcome is that much greater. We have seen this over and over again in real life, especially in recent years and there are genuine fears that "Joker" can incite real violence.  While Mr. Phoenix gives a tremendous performance, there is little entertainment value in watching him sink into madness and bring society down along with him.