Let me start of by saying I was completely wrong about this movie. Way off. Not even close. When Warner Bros. Announced that they were making a Joker solo film with Joaquin Phoenix separate from the one currently existing within the DC Film Universe, I was baffled. Now coming from a comic-book-reading background the concept of more than one version of Superheros/villains is nothing new to me. That seemed to be the thing that most people were confused about. Not me. Having two jokers wasn't the issue...giving the Joker a backstory is what I was upset about. I thought this film was pointless and would only ruin the mythos of what the Joker is and could be on screen.
I have been a fan of the Joker my entire life. For some reason, I have been magnetically drawn to the character ever since I saw Tim Burton's Batman at the ripe young age of 11 years old. The reason The Dark Knight is still my favorite comic book film to this day is solely due to Heath Ledger's Joker performance. I have read every comic book story line where the Joker plays a major role, and I still believe to this day that The Killing Joke is one of the greatest pieces of modern literature available. I have spent countless hours researching the psyche of the Joker and possible theories behind his identity and why he does what he does. Needless to say, I think I have a very good idea of what it takes to play the role, and there are very few people on planet earth who I think could pull it off and take it to the same level Heath did. So you could imagine that when DC announced that this film would be entering the production phase...I took it very seriously and quite personal. I did NOT want them to mess it up, especially since the wounds of Batman v Superman & Justice League were still fresh. If they were going to do this, they had better do it right. At the time...I wasn't convinced they could.
After viewing the trailer that dropped a few days ago, I am now ready to admit that not only was I wrong about this film being pointless... but I now am convinced that this film will win Best Picture at the Oscars and will go down as one of the best and important films in the history of Cinema.
Allow me to explain.
Thank You Warner Bros. Seriously...Thank You
Before I dive into the reasons why I think this fantastic looking film will win Best Picture at next year's Oscars, let me take a moment to simply applaud Warner Brothers, DC, the marketing team, and of course the cast & crew of "Joker" for this trailer. I can't remember the last time I watched a trailer and actually stood up and clapped afterwards. Seriously. It's that good. It's one of those trailers that you watch and afterwards, you immediately think of how many awards it's going to win. It's hard to place a number on this one though...it has potential to be not only the most poignant and preeminent "comic book films" of all time, even perhaps surpassing the greatness of "The Dark Knight", but I think it really has potential to go beyond the scope of the genre and even the film industry itself.
The Perfect Man For the Job
The first and most important reason I think this film will be special is the star himself, Joaquin Phoenix. I cannot stress enough that, not since Heath Ledger himself played the Joker will there be a performance on film quite like the one Joaquin will put on in this film. I don't know what it is, but there is something about the role of The Joker that brings out the best in actors...given they are provided with good writing and stories. Yes, I'm looking at you Suicide Squad. I am definitely convinced that if Jared Leto had gotten anywhere near the quality and quantity of direction and care that previous Joker actors had gotten, that his performance would have been infinitely better that what we got. Also from what I have learned through my research into what happened with the Suicide Squad film, I believe that Jared Leto was ultimately screwed over. Apparently he shot a ton of footage, and not only did they use less than ten percent of it...the footage they did use was chopped to hell and edited very poorly. I blame the lackluster DCFU Joker on the Editing team and the writer/director of Suicide Squad.
However, even if Jared Leto had been given good script/story to work with...nothing he is capable of would even touch the performance we are about to witness from Joaquin Phoenix. You see, when it comes to playing a role like the Joker, I believe the actor portraying him needs to be capable of going somewhere very dark and twisted within the deep recesses of their minds.
...somewhere personal.
As Ledger's Joker would say "Let's wind the clocks back" to Joaquin's childhood and examine some of the horrors he has had to endure. When he was young, Joaquin was forced to be involved in a religious cult. Yes, a cult. Eventually his parents became tired with the cult, and decided to leave...changing their last name to "Phoenix" (like the mythological creature) symbolizing a new start. However after leaving the sect, his parents failed miserably to provide for him and his four other siblings. In order to help provide for the family, the children (who were all actors) performed on the streets. Initially, it was his brother River Phoenix who was the breakout talent...not Joaquin himself. You may have recognized River in the now-classic film "Stand by Me". In the film, River has an iconic and emotional scene where he expresses his desire to run away to a place where "nobody knows him". River became a star and was expected to achieve great things in the world of acting...until one night...October 31st, 1993 to be exact...he died of an overdose while young Joaquin desperately called 911 for help. Although denying that this had a major impact on his career, Phoenix has showed again and again that he draws from such experiences in his acting. To add insult to injury, the media played the audio of Joaquin's 911 call over and over again on the nightly news prompting him to withdraw from acting and the public altogether for over a year.
Needless to say, I will not be linking that horrifying audio in this article out of respect for Joaquin...but imagine witnessing your beloved sibling die right in front of you and then being tortured by the media on a national level. Trauma in it's purest form, no doubt.
Once Joaquin finally did reenter the public and begin acting again, he exploded onto the scene and achieved a Golden Globe award for his performance in Walk the Line, a film about the life of Johnny Cash. However, his struggles seemingly didn’t end with his successes as a now-critically-acclaimed actor in Hollywood. It was soon after production on Walk the Line had concluded that Joaquin became aware of his alcohol abuse. He is on record stating how he abused alcohol and used it as a coping mechanism. He took yet another break from acting, and checked himself into rehab, as well as Alcoholics Anonymous.
Now how exactly does all of this make him the perfect actor for the role of the Joker? Well of course he can certainly go to that dark place I discussed earlier, but beyond his raw acting skill and experience it extends to how this film in particular is being written, directed, and marketed. It’s almost as if there is a meta-narrative going on between the character Joaquin is playing and Joaquin himself, and since the character of the Joker has always played around with the idea of meta narratives, this is absolutely perfect and embodies what the character has always been about. Bucking the system.
The Story
Now normally I am against any sort of backstory given to the Joker, because part of the reason his character is so interesting to me…and to many others…is because he is so mysterious and that we really DON’T know his backstory. His mysterious past gives no solid reason for him to act the way that he does, and it’s what makes him such a crazy and intriguing character. I was under the impression that under no circumstance should anyone attempt to explain the backstory of the Joker seriously, but I can honestly say this is the one exception. Based on the notes he was writing on his notepad early in the trailer, it seems that this movie will deal with the public perception of mental illness and the struggles that a person labeled “mentally ill” has to deal with.
It reads: "The worst part about having a mental illness, is that people expect you to behave as if you don't".
Of all the things revealed about this film in the trailer (there are very few) this is actually the most revealing in terms of the general direction the plot will be heading. There are a few ways they could go with this film. For example, one of the best theories out there about the Joker, and why he always seems to be winning and getting the upper hand on the Batman, is because he's actually NOT insane. Notice how he is always calling himself "crazy". He commonly refers to himself as insane, and this isn't something actual crazy people do. He seems to be aware of his insanity, and by definition...that actually makes him sane. Some have even suggested that the Joker is actually a SUPER villain and that his powers involve some sort of Hyper Intelligence and a sixth sense that allowed him to actually realize he is a comic book character. That would explain his constant meta-narratives about society and his occasional 4th wall breaking. Here is a favorite video of mine that explains this theory VERY well with MANY examples.
If they DID decide to go this route, then he could be talking about his mother in his "Joke Journal" and how the system treats her mental illness. We find out that he is extremely attached to his mother, and the reason we know this, is because there are literally only three times in the trailer where he actually smiles. In the beginning he smiles when the therapist asks him whether it helps having someone to talk to. In this scene, the smirk he gives the lady almost looks like one filled with mockery and irony. This combined with the writing in the journal and the rest of the events in the trailer that lead to him "snapping" lead me to believe that Joaquin's character in this film might not be actually crazy after all, and that he hates the system and what it has done to him and his mother. It would all come to a breaking point when something happens to his mother and he loses all faith in the system and decides to make a mockery of it by becoming the Joker. Notice how there seems to be revolts happening all across Gotham with people standing up to police and while wearing Joker masks. It seems whatever Joker does to buck the system causes a mass awakening within the City of Gotham and mass riots break out a result.
"I used to think my life was a tragedy...but now I realize it's a comedy"
I think this could be the Joker commentating on how no one...not even the system...takes him, his life, his mother's life, or her mental illness seriously. If life doesn't take him seriously, then why should he? Chilling but brilliant.
Now this theory also fits with Joaquin himself in real life, and how the media has tirelessly tried to pain a label on him. Despite the media insisting that his brilliant acting is due to the loss of his brother and the reason he picks tragic roles is because he has that traumatic event to pull emotion from, Joaquin denies this notion.
“You know, the press has kind of imposed upon me the title of “Mourning Brother” and all this shit that’s just not there. I don’t need to pull from my experience for a character.”
The trailer kind of gives off that vibe as well. To me, Joaquin just looks like a bullied and misunderstood man throughout the trailer who doesn't trust society or the systems in place to serve and protect the people of Gotham. Finally, it looks as if he decides to do something about it. He embraces his "insanity" and shows the world just how crazy he can be by starting an active campaign to show the people of Gotham just how broken the system actually is. Not only would this take on the Joker be brilliant, but it would stay true to who the Joker has always been in the comics. It truly would be a character pieces and a tribute at the same time.
Basically, every Joker fan's dream.
The Acting
Of everything that impressed me about this trailer...the writing, the direction, the story , the cinematography...the thing that impressed me the most was Joaquin's acting. He is literally perfect in all aspects and definitions of the word in this trailer. Absolutely brilliant. He seems to exude the essence of the Joker, and it's almost as if he has transformed himself...mentally, emotionally, and physically...into Arthur Fleck (the real name of his character in the film). This wouldn't be the first time either. In an interview, James Mangold (the director of "Walk the Line") had this to say about Joaquin's acting abilities:
“I could shoot Joaquin from the back, and without seeing his face, you would be able to tell what he was feeling. He never impersonated Johnny Cash…he became him”
And we can really see what James is talking about in this trailer. The body language and movements of Joaquin in this trailer are like nothing I've ever seen on film. There are many shots in this trailer where we see the Joker from the back and without even seeing his face, we can actually FEEL emotion. That is raw acting talent and a major reason why I think this film will be so successful.
This goes way beyond simply the behind-the-back shots, however. Some of the best scenes in this trailer are the ones where we see Joaquin from the front. I implore you to take a look at the pure RANGE of emotion and the pure RANGE of expressions on Joaquin's face throughout this trailer. From anger, to sadness, to pain, to joy....we see literally everything. Man, if the entire film is like this, we will be witnessing something very special this fall. Take a look below:
Notice how in this one, the makeup is running down his face making it look like a teardrop. Extremely visual and metaphorical representation of depression.
Now look at the this still of him holding up the sale sign and tell me that isn't a straight-out-of-the-comics joker expression. Amazing.
Look at the sheer pain on his face in these next two. Mental and Physical.
As we see him start to tumble down the rabbit hole, we get to see perhaps some of Joaquin's finest acting to date. There's just something about the way he is running in this next shot that gives me goosebumps. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I know how good this is going to be.
Again look at the raw emotion on Joaquin's face in these next few shots. You can really tell he is putting everything he has into this role. Everything. Again, I don't see a crazy man at all in this trailer. I have seen a lot of reaction to this trailer, and almost every one of them comments on how crazy Joaquin looks. I think that was actually done on purpose by the marketing team, so that when everyone actually goes to see the movie, they will be surprised to find that he's actually not crazy at all and that he was just simply failed by society and the system. My favorite shot of the entire trailer is this next one of him dancing. I was left just completely and utterly speechless upon first viewing.
And I'm just going to include these next few shots, because I've pretty much included every shot in the trailer at this point, and these are too beautiful to leave out.
Now I usually don't include that many screenshots in these trailer breakdowns, but this one was simply too good not to show and talk about everything in it. I really wanted to take my time with this one and really think about it.
The Look, The Laugh, and Bruce Wayne?
I will conclude my case for Joker being the early favorite to win Best Picture by commenting on the look and laugh of the Joker. Now an actor can be really good, and have a really good script to work with, but Joker's look and laugh are what makes him an icon, and without those...you cannot give a good Joker performance. That's just how it works in the world of comic book characters. The look is everything. I have to admit that I didn't love the look of Joaquin's joker when I first saw the test footage released a few months back. I have always interpreted the Joker as this crazy, hyper-manic, psychotic dude who wears makeup. I never really thought of him as a clown, so when I saw that they were going to paint the smile onto Joaquin's face, as opposed to the "vat of acid" origin or any other "permanent smile" method, I wasn't too pleased. However, after viewing this trailer it's obviously the only logical choice when considering the plot. It seems that the character of Arthur Fleck will be dealing with symptoms of depression throughout the film, and this is apparent by the fact that he struggles to smile throughout the trailer (see the photos above) and the only times he is actually smiling is when he is making others smile. The symbolism of having to paint on a smile because his inability to actually smile due to his depression is extremely moving and adds layers to this already seemingly deep character.
Joaquin's joker laugh is also absolutely perfect. To be honest, I think it's even better than Heath Ledger's laugh, and I think Heath's laugh was actually better than Mark Hammill's (gasp). Yes, yes I know...Mark is considered by many to be the one true joker, and I can definitely agree with you on that...but Heath's Joker is special to me for personal reasons. The fact that Joaquin's laugh (and performance) in this trailer alone is already making me compare him to Heath is a true testament to how his acting will be in this film, and why I think this film will be so good.
Oh, and yes this little boy in the trailer really is Bruce Wayne. I checked the cast, and it's him. That leads me to wonder if the Joker will actually be the one who kills his parents in this film...or maybe they will die during some chain of events that the Joker set off by his actions (see the screenshots of the revolution above). I am led to believe this because:
This man talking about the "cold-blooded" crime carried out by "someone in a mask" is actually Bruce Wayne's father...Thomas Wayne. This leads me to believe that Thomas Wayne will play a relatively significant role in trying to stop the Joker from unleashing chaos in Gotham...which would be in line with how Thomas was in the comics.
It looks as if the Joker actively seeks out Bruce...almost as if to apologize in his own sick way by giving him flowers and telling him to cheer up. He even tries to make him smile while wearing a red clown nose. Creepy.
Final Thoughts
This movie has real potential to change the way people outside of the comic book fandom look at these types of films. There have been movies before this that have attempted that. Films including Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, Zack Snyder's films, and the most recent one...Logan have all tried their best to snag at least some recognition from the Academy, but to no avail. I think this one has the best chance out of all of them to do it for the reasons listed above, and probably others that I haven't even thought of yet.
This is what happens when a great director approaches a great studio with a great script and a great cast & crew and everything comes together to create something magical. I love Marvel films, but DC will always have them when it comes to deep and moving character pieces and potential stories. There is something about DC characters that have always had a way of connecting with audiences on a deep level, and when handled right...can really do something special. Only time will tell if any of my suspicions are right, but one thing is for sure...
...we are in for a treat.
I will be talking about this more in my upcoming episode of "NerdCast"...a podcast I recently launched where I talk about things like this. The topics for next episodes include Avengers Endgame, Joker, Star Wars Celebration, among others. Be sure to tune in for that! Join the growing community of the most unique people on the blockchain! I'll see you there!
Until then...
