JOKER (2019) SPOILER REVIEW

First time watching JOKER in a movie reaction.
Full Reaction Here:
/ diegesischad
Maple's Instagram:
/ mapledivine
Joker is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed and produced by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver. The film, based on DC Comics characters, stars Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker and provides a possible origin story for the character. Set in 1981, it follows Arthur Fleck, a failed clown and stand-up comedian whose descent into insanity and nihilism inspires a violent counter-cultural revolution against the wealthy in a decaying Gotham City. Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, and Marc Maron appear in supporting roles. Joker was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Films, and Joint Effort, in association with Bron Creative and Village Roadshow Pictures, and distributed by Warner Bros.
#JOKER #REVIEW

[@BHardawayMusic]

He kills his mother right after finding out that his relationship with the girl isn’t real. He goes to her after reading the file. Then kills the mother the next day.

[@oxhine]

Hey, Maple! I think the film is a masterpiece. I thought of the Beatles song "Eleanor Rigby" when I saw this: "All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?" This is a movie about feeling disconnected from the world and it espouses compassion for the disenfranchised and marginalized of which there are legions. Arthur feels invisible. His only real contact is with his mother and that connection is ruptured harshly when he is exposed to possibly manufactured evidence of her own mental health issues and parental negligence. When his actions on the subway start getting media attention, he feels like he's leaving an imprint on the world. He actually does exist! His phantom girlfriend thinks the subway killer is heroic! People are wearing clown masks as a tribute! It's precisely the wrong kind of feedback for a delusional schizophrenic but the sensational media has to feed the beast of a jaundiced culture. In the watershed Alan Moore comic "The Killing Joke", Joker tests Jim Gordon's sanity by subjecting the Comissioner to the worst a parent can conceive -- irrevocable harm to their child -- theorizing that one horrible day is all it takes to plunge a sane man into madness. Joker paralyzes Barbara Gordon with a bullet to the spine to see if he can push the Commish over the edge. Well, this entire movie is Arthur's "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day". When Arthur dances, it's a non-verbal expression of exultation. Throughout the film, he's hen-pecked, ridiculed and abused. When he exerts agency over his own fate by standing up for himself, he finds the sensation exhilarating! It's about power! He does it after the subway shootings, the stabbing and right before the fulfillment of his dream -- the talk show appearance that he has meticulously prepped for. Although his intent was to commit suicide on air, Murray triggered him with his righteous indignation and hypocrisy. The Dr. Sally (read Dr. Ruth Westheimer) character was featured in Frank Miller's seminal "The Dark Knight Returns" when Joker does make an appearance on a talk show and plants a sensuous kiss on her for laughs. That's lifted straight from the comics although Joker ends the segment by lethally poisoning everyone in the room including the studio audience! Director Todd Phillips pays homage to several cinema classics: the bank of videoscreens juxtaposing murder and rioting with commercial banality is from "Network", the marginalized, violent, alienated protagonist is from "Taxi Driver", the phantom friend is from "Fight Club", the untalented aspiring comic is from "The King of Comedy" which featured DeNiro as the stalker, and the class divisions and systemic dehumanization is from "Modern Times" featured in the movie itself! The movie makes multiple statements and is subject to multiple interpretations. That is the hallmark of great art. This is why the film generated so much discussion. It touched on several hot button political and social issues such as elitist disregard for the struggling common man, the apathy of bureaucracy, the importance of support systems for the mentally ill, the anger of the 99%, Bernie Goetz-like vigilantism, '70's Recession-era New York City, the elimination of many federal health programs and facilities when the Department of Health and Human Services had its budget slashed by 25% under Reagan in the '80's, the Occupy Movement with clown masks substituting Guy Fawkes masks, etc. I love how the film forces us to view the Wayne legacy from the villain's point of view. Preventing what happened to Thomas and Martha Wayne in that alley is the impetus of Bruce's entire adult life with his father looming large in his psyche. Arthur views Thomas instead as a callous, elitist, arrogant snob who quite possibly discredited his mother, abandoned him and 'got what he deserved'. A provocative shift in perspective. Despite this being a Joker origin story, the film keeps the Joker's origin mysterious. The character has provided various accounts of himself over his 80-year history. In "The Killing Joke", he says he prefers his origin to be multiple choice! Christopher Nolan played into that, too, with Heath Ledger telling different tales about his facial scars. The final twist of the film is that the entire narrative might simply be a grandiose delusion told to the lady shrink in the harsh fluorescent lighting of Arkham Asylum where Arthur is briefly seen banging his head against a door while straight-jacketed! Was that the REAL Joker at the end concocting a tragicomedy in his mind that no one gets but him or was the REAL Joker the one we saw Phoenix play throughout? Phillips leaves it for you to decide.

[@shawnmayberry2323]

That was my favorite scene too, Chad. I've only seen one other Batman movie and not a comic book fan, but that shot of Bruce Wayne standing over his dead parents and with that deep drum from the score still gives me chills. Also I really enjoyed Maple's experience of the movie. Are yall taking suggestions?

[@moonakieater2308]

A lot of people miss the part in Arkham about who the doctor was who "diagnosed" his mother. In the comics Dr Stoner was a bad guy. So Thomas could've easily used him to fix her file.

[@adanmarcelo5034]

Will she ever be watching/reacting The Dark Knight Trilogy? Please, do if she haven’t watched those films :)

[@Diegesis]

Yes she will :)

[@zbyron89]

This channel is so damn good.

[@Diegesis]

Thank you so much!

[@Ccampbell23]

Maple, great reaction. You are wonderful to watch along with, thank you. Chad, great job editing and talking about the film with Maple. Appreciate the hard work and great content.

[@sophistichistory4645]

Compare the scene of Arthur on the Murray Franklin Show with the restaurant scene in "The Godfather". The buildup of tension leading to the shootings in both cases is augmented by a similar soundtrack. As Arthur launches into his final "What do you get....", there's a crescendo of chaotic noise of a chaotic mind as it makes the decision to kill. The chaotic crescendo of noise for Michael as he's about to commit double murder comes from an approaching L-train.

[@Diegesis]

Great connection

[@samrodriguez4947]

Whats up with him going inside the fridge? Makes me think that everything after that scene didn't happen.

[@Nimbus1701]

I think it is him attempting to "compartmentalize" himself, like he was literally trying to step out of his body and go to a "safe place." He obviously knows and realizes he has some serious issues or he wouldn't understand the real consequences about not getting his medications, carrying the "card" explaining he has an issue, and not be able to state verbally to the caseworker that "you're not listening." I think it may be the last attempt to either separate the Joker from the "world" or the "world" from him, but just my take.

[@YoureMrLebowski]

chad, you are one of the best reaction video editors on youtube. i've made a few reaction mashups, and yours are the most difficult to pull clips from because you "hide" your edits so well. you have the rare ability to make your 11 second segment look like the 25 second original. 👍🏼

[@Diegesis]

Lol that is may be the kindest comment i've received to date. thanks a lot and i know who you are ;)

[@blackeyeole]

Another dark but awesome movie is The Crow with Brandon Lee . I love that you have very good insight to the movies .

[@christopherdale1745]

I love how sweet Maple is. My favorite scene was when they reveal that he was imagining his relationship with Zazie the whole time. Blew me away. Are we supposed to infer that he murdered her and her child, by the way? Addressing class issues certainly may have been at least part of what they wanted to do, but I think their primary message seemed more focused on doing better with mental illness in America.

[@Dannydarko27]

The freaking score was phenomenal

[@manehriimao2079]

Great review guys and she must watch The Dark Knight Trilogy as well. 👍🦇

[@xsjado_anon]

You seemed to miss the photo signed by Thomas Wayne, that counters the story told in arkham. Then there's the doctor who's a bad guy in the comics - the point is that you don't and can't know, there is no right answer.

[@kermitcook8498]

Nice take.

[@davidgagnon3781]

I hope there is no sequel. How could it not be a disappointment?

[@josephamoraz7990]

I agree, just let great films be. Not everything needs a sequel. Even though yes some part of me would be interested to see what they will do. But don't think it's worth the risk

[@thomasgriffiths6758]

You should look into Bernard Goetz a man who shot people on the New York subway during a robbery in the '80s and was turned into a bit of a folk hero, like the Joker in this film.

[@TheWestlane]

Joker did seem to show mercy to ppl he thinks are really innocent, like his little coworker that visited him. He probably saw him as unfortunate like himself. He begins to target batman in the future because he knows ppl like batman and his parents are really part of the problem but they choose to remain self-rightous. There was also a nod to Joker and his trademark calling card when he gave the woman on the bus the card with his condition.

[@greenbean5186]

Which state are you from?

[@michaelhines9960]

Wasn’t there cop or Ambulances sirens when he killed her??…I think she’s dead…did I make that up??

[@Diegesis]

I think the movie plays it ambiguously but I think he killed zazie beetz

[@Diegesis]

oh wait you meant the therapist at the end? yeah he walks out of the office with bloody footprints so yeah he killed her

[@sophistichistory4645]

13:45 ....."....dance performance..... Arthur had the music in him." So, Arthur was a dancer, a performer.... an artist, at heart. But, him and his art were shunned and belittled. Huh......not unlike an historical figure whose art was similarly rejected and person reviled, leading, in part, to him killing six million Jews in retribution.

[@corpsefoot758]

Joker only killed those who wronged him, whereas your painter made no such exception. Weak analogy

[@Bully_who_made_goblin_Jr_cry]

6:05

[@LuthandoDlomo]

Oh my god she is so beautiful wtf

[@Bully_who_made_goblin_Jr_cry]

1:10

[@notimportant3686]

hmmm... seems like the most misnamed "chad" ever

[@Diegesis]

Lol

[@notimportant3686]

@@Diegesis to UNquote the joker... you seem to think this is a comedy, but this is a tragedy

[@crazychase98]

Not a fan of the movie. I though it was a rip off of taxi driver. It has some of the exact same scenes as in taxi driver. There are compilations that compare the 2 movies on KZbin. Plus Martin Scorsese was original supposed to Direct this movie but decided against it. he made taxi driver as well. Ps hated all the socialists undertones in the movie.

[@Diegesis]

I prefer Joker to taxi driver

[@crazychase98]

@@Diegesis Fair Enough. I must add though taxi driver is about 40 years old. I also watch joker in theaters. Last time i got excited for a movie. Lol

[@Diegesis]

@@crazychase98 right. It is older so I think this movie cleaned up some of the 70's limitations we had. I also prefer Arthur to Travis Bickle. You should also look at the king of comedy. Joker takes a lot from that too

[@DMichaelAtLarge]

Apparently you're unfamiliar with the concept of archetypes. Every story is a rip-off of some other story, according to your standards. As the saying goes, "There's nothing new under the sun." Every story is retelling some archetype story. What matters is how the storyteller puts his own perspective into it. I also don't get your injection of politics into it. Socialist undertones? I saw zero politics in this. Only an effort to present an authentic-feeling world. Which, in case you haven't noticed, does include undertones of socialism here and there, for good or ill.

[@crazychase98]

@@DMichaelAtLarge yes i am aware. but this felt more blatant then taking inspiration from another movie. Both movies where shot similarly. And it has more then a few of the exact same scenes from taxi driver. And to me it felt heavy on the politics how ever not overly. It has a very much "yes the reason people are poor in america is because if you make money you are bad" kind of vibe. Don't get me wrong there's plenty of bad rich people shit looks at who we got in office. They got rich off politics. But this has more of a russian revolution kind of vibe to it . this coming from hollweird and all. I'm not surprised. Not saying you can't like the movie at all. Those are just reason i don't like it.