Joker Review

This scene sums up the unsettling life of Arthur. Like the Gotham city which was engulfed with darkness all around, his life never seemed to see the light he chased for. The unsettling tone rising from normal to insanity can be felt when he stretches his mouth to laugh or cry. This scene was symbolic in many ways when a person has to go through so much and perceives society in an abnormal way.

Arthur’s pain has become his shadow and in addition to that, his acute medical condition always threw him in a vulnerable state whenever he wanted to interact in a more humane way. His image in the society was just a clown who needed attention and makes people laugh despite his unbearable pain.

According to director Todd Phillip, this scene is one of his favorite scenes where a vulnerable Arthur was attacked in the busy street of Gotham city in the broad daylight. This scene provides a feel of the ruthless city were being good was considered to be a sign of weakness and helplessness. The weaker section was always mocked and attacked whereas the richer section got away with anything like his mysterious father did to him and his mother.

One of the most chilling scenes with Arthur’s therapist. His intentions were right but his mind was not. His mind was crossing the border of insanity which the therapist missed in every session. Arthur reminded her many times with his gestures but every time she refused to understand. She failed to understand when he confessed to her and said “Is it Just Me Or is it getting crazier out there”.

Despite a troubled childhood, staying with a mother who was mentally not stable, the only way for Arthur to escape the noise of the society was a comedy. His fascination with becoming a stand-up comedian was to escape from the dark reality of Gotham city. Although it’s a different story his comedy notebook says a different story. 

As per Joaquin Phoenix, the idea of the impromptu dance was to build the character’s transformation from a clown to the most dreadful villain in Gotham City. The identity of his true self was born when his fear ended and he took the step of ending it. Todd Phillip said that the music, the dance moves, and the location played a major role in bringing the essence of the character in his own space.

The insanity and power that Arthur felt being himself are portrayed in this scene where he gets ready to become his true self. He wears his real mask which the city already adapted to protest against the law what the clown did.

Now Arthur’s ideology overpowers the masses of Gotham City. He was not afraid anymore nor does he care about his idol who made fun of him publicly. He now no more was in a mood to take shit from anyone. Betrayed, battered, shattered from his closed ones he knew, he now knew how to deal with the situation with his new identity. When he requested his favorite talk show host Murray Frankfinn to introduce him as Joker, he just declared the rise of a terrifying soul.

Arthur says that his mother always believed in being a good man no matter what. He religiously believed in that until the world turned against him. This scene is symbolic in many ways. It was his turn to give back to society by putting on a happy face. The mask of the clown is no funnier now.

Director Todd Phillips Says “It’s pretty much why I make movies is to see a great actor take something and elevates it in a way that we couldn’t write in a page”. This rightly sums up this scene where Arthur rises to power. Joaquin Phoenix’s iconic dance at the end of the film is phenomenal in all aspects justifying the character of Joker making it one of the most memorable characters and rising above all the actors who played this iconic character many times. He owned the stage by making the audience forget about the film and making it a character-oriented film thoroughly. He was able to stir the audience on his journey and made everyone feel the pain, the angst along with him.