Basing premise on Alan Moore's Batman: The Killing Joke, the first in DC Black label (from a cinematic POV at least), explores how the most famous comic book villain of all time came to be.
Oh, title is also an unrelated 2008 graphic novel.
Joaquin Phoenix - Arthur Fleck/Joker
Robert De Niro - Murray Franklin
Zazie Beetz - Sophie Dumond
Frances Conroy - Penny Fleck
Brett Cullen - Thomas Wayne
Summary
In 1981, a mentally ill Arthur Fleck makes ends meet as a clown-for-hire and cares for his sick mother Penny.
Plagued with crime, unemployment and super rats, Gotham City is on the brink of collapse.
After suffering a brutal beating at the hands of Thomas Wayne's drunken employees, wannabe stand-up comedian suddenly snaps, spelling trouble for those around him.
Don't smile!
Seriously, you won't, because fascinating character study is definitely no laughing matter.
But having said that, quality will have you grinning from ear to ear.
From dark setting to iconic gun to the head hand gesture, Todd Phillips blatantly copies Taxi Driver; but there's more than enough originality to ensure phenomenal effort is not just a cheap imitation.
Rather ironically, You Were Never Really Here (also starring Phoenix), is also compared to Scorsese's classic.
And there's the brilliant Falling Down was of course.
Impressive screenplay by Phillips and Scott Silver features no terrible one-liners or cheesy comebacks.
Phew.
Gorgeous cinematography expertly captures grim atmosphere and Hildur Guðnadóttir's incredible score blew me away.
In an ironic role reversal from The King of Comedy, De Niro enjoys himself as odious talk show host, but this is all about Joaquin Phoenix.
Bold, daring, fierce, scary, enigmatic, mesmeric and 52 pounds lighter, performance ranks as one of the best I've ever seen.
The guy is a fucking genius.
When presented with inevitable Oscar, I wonder if he'll be brought out as Joker?
It's revealed Arthur was adopted and Penny's former boyfriend used them both as a punching bag.
Penny offered no protection, leading to severe head trauma, hence Arthur's condition.
Slap may have been based on Pogo the Clown, stage name of real life serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
To add further weight, Arthur performs at Pogo's Comedy Club.
Violence is entirely justified and painted with a realistic brush.
So, do we sympathise and root for Arthur?
Yes.
After all, society creates its own monsters, right?
Just before shooting Franklin dead live on TV, Arthur states "What do you get when you cross a mentally ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash? You get what you fucking deserve!"
Poetry.
Homages
The Dark Knight
Before getting rescued by rioters, Arthur is driven by the carnage he inspired.
Shot resembles Heath Ledger popping head out of police car.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
An enraged Arthur murders Penny in hospital by smothering her with pillow. Chief uses identical tool to put Jack Nicholson's now vegetable McMurphy out of his misery.
Joaquin Phoenix's Commodus suffocates Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator (2000).
Batman (1989)
Slightly dodgy, but whatever.
While Arthur is backstage waiting to murder Franklin, 'Put on a happy face' is written on dressing room mirror.
At the end of Smylex commercial, Joker says 'So remember, put on a happy face!'
Oh, title is also an unrelated 2008 graphic novel.
Joaquin Phoenix - Arthur Fleck/Joker
Robert De Niro - Murray Franklin
Zazie Beetz - Sophie Dumond
Frances Conroy - Penny Fleck
Brett Cullen - Thomas Wayne
Summary
In 1981, a mentally ill Arthur Fleck makes ends meet as a clown-for-hire and cares for his sick mother Penny.
Plagued with crime, unemployment and super rats, Gotham City is on the brink of collapse.
After suffering a brutal beating at the hands of Thomas Wayne's drunken employees, wannabe stand-up comedian suddenly snaps, spelling trouble for those around him.
Don't smile!
Seriously, you won't, because fascinating character study is definitely no laughing matter.
But having said that, quality will have you grinning from ear to ear.
From dark setting to iconic gun to the head hand gesture, Todd Phillips blatantly copies Taxi Driver; but there's more than enough originality to ensure phenomenal effort is not just a cheap imitation.
Rather ironically, You Were Never Really Here (also starring Phoenix), is also compared to Scorsese's classic.
And there's the brilliant Falling Down was of course.
Impressive screenplay by Phillips and Scott Silver features no terrible one-liners or cheesy comebacks.
Phew.
Gorgeous cinematography expertly captures grim atmosphere and Hildur Guðnadóttir's incredible score blew me away.
In an ironic role reversal from The King of Comedy, De Niro enjoys himself as odious talk show host, but this is all about Joaquin Phoenix.
Bold, daring, fierce, scary, enigmatic, mesmeric and 52 pounds lighter, performance ranks as one of the best I've ever seen.
The guy is a fucking genius.
When presented with inevitable Oscar, I wonder if he'll be brought out as Joker?
It's revealed Arthur was adopted and Penny's former boyfriend used them both as a punching bag.
Penny offered no protection, leading to severe head trauma, hence Arthur's condition.
Slap may have been based on Pogo the Clown, stage name of real life serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
To add further weight, Arthur performs at Pogo's Comedy Club.
Violence is entirely justified and painted with a realistic brush.
So, do we sympathise and root for Arthur?
Yes.
After all, society creates its own monsters, right?
Just before shooting Franklin dead live on TV, Arthur states "What do you get when you cross a mentally ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash? You get what you fucking deserve!"
Poetry.
Homages
The Dark Knight
Before getting rescued by rioters, Arthur is driven by the carnage he inspired.
Shot resembles Heath Ledger popping head out of police car.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
An enraged Arthur murders Penny in hospital by smothering her with pillow. Chief uses identical tool to put Jack Nicholson's now vegetable McMurphy out of his misery.
Joaquin Phoenix's Commodus suffocates Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator (2000).
Batman (1989)
Slightly dodgy, but whatever.
While Arthur is backstage waiting to murder Franklin, 'Put on a happy face' is written on dressing room mirror.
At the end of Smylex commercial, Joker says 'So remember, put on a happy face!'
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