Joker: Lots of Buzz

Smile.

Joker was released on January 7. Viewers can buy the Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. The Digital format appeared early on December 17.

JOKER

Joker has been on an impressive run. It made over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office and is one of the top movies of 2019. It also smashed expectations to become the biggest R-rated movie ever at the box office.

Joker’s run continues by doing surprisingly well during this awards season. Joaquin Phoenix won a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice award for Best Actor. Hildur Guðnadóttir won each for Original Score and Best Score.

Most notably, Joker picked up a cool 11 nominations for the upcoming Oscars. These include Best Picture and Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix.

The past wins make Phoenix a good contender for an Academy Award. If it does happen, it would be a huge ‘acting win’ for comic-book movies since Heath Ledger won posthumously for Best Supporting Actor. (Which would be even more intriguing as Ledger was the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight.)

On the flip side, like plenty of movies - despite all the awards love and huge box office - a lot of people do not like Joker. The Rotten Tomatoes has a “Fresh’ rating of just 69%. Some critics called it awful, stupid, and dumb.

This new origin story of the Joker also brought controversy.

It’s 1981 in Gotham City. The city is fractured. The mentally-ill and troubled comedian, Arthur Fleck, has been taking care of his mother, Penny (Frances Conroy), while she is dreaming of Thomas Wayne to save them.

One shining light is the show Live! with Murray Franklin (Played by Robert De Niro.) Arthur imagines making an appearance.  

Arthur’s bleak world eventually reaches a breaking point, and he descends into more madness and murder. Some felt the story came across too much like real-world news that it might inspire real-life violence when the film was initially released. And some viewers were so put off by the story that they walked out of the theatre.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes.

Todd Phillips directed the movie and co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver, based on characters from DC. The movie was produced by Phillips, Emma Tilliger Koskoff and Bradley Cooper. Yes, that Bradley Cooper.

The cast includes Phoenix, De Niro, Conroy, Zazie Beetz, Brett Cullen, Gleen Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, Marc Maron, Douglas Hodge, Josh Pais and Leigh Gill.

Batman was my superhero pick when I was a kid. He still is. I have The Dark Knight movies. I’ve probably even seen the George Clooney version a couple of times. I’m curious what Robert Pattinson will do with the role.

So, if there is anybody expecting something like a Batman movie, though, you will likely be disappointed in Joker. There are no big action sequences, and things are much smaller scale.

And yes, there is no dispute. The movie is dark and disturbing. When the violence comes it feels more shocking because it comes across more real. But somehow, the film is so well-done and looks so different from other comic-book movies that I found it hard not to like.

Phoenix is practically in every scene of the 122 minutes, and although I can’t debate the other acting nominees, I get the impression Phoenix is well-deserved of the awards. He’s sweet and awkward and caring to unsettling and murderous. I think I was tense, just watching him in certain scenes. Arthur Fleck’s laugh is uncontrollable at inappropriate times because of a medical condition - which is a real mental illness and not made up for the movie.  

While De Niro is in a much smaller role - and I have not watched The Irishman - this is probably the best acting I’ve seen from him in a long time.

If you are a Batman or comic-book fan, it is probably best to set your expectations accordingly. Director Todd Phillips even called the story an alternate universe in the special features.

But if anything, I say it’s Joaquin’s Phoenix’s performance is what makes the movie.   

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

Joker: Vision and Fury (22 minutes, 25 seconds.)

- The most interesting of the special features because it is the most extensive. As Director Todd Phillips called the movie an alternate universe, he also calls the story as a character study. How does a person become a certain way? Gotham was inspired by New York in the 80s. There is also talk of Joaquin was the first person in mind for the role and how Arthur Fleck is an original character, with no history in the comics.

Becoming Joker (1 minute, 25 seconds.)

- Joaquin was going through various looks as Arthur and Joker. There is no talking whatsoever.

Please Welcome…Joker! (2 minutes, 44 seconds.)

- There was no such thing as a repeated take for Phoenix. They showed his entrance to the Murray Franklin Show. Every single take, he did something different.

Joker: A Chronicle of Chaos. (3 minutes, 4 seconds)

- A series of photographs from the movie.

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment