Joker

Arthur Fleck, a party clown and a failed stand-up comedian, leads an impoverished life with his ailing mother. However, when society shuns him and brands him as a freak, he decides to embrace the life of chaos in Gotham City.

Why it stayed with me

It is disturbing because it refuses easy distance. The film keeps asking whether we are watching reality, delusion, or a society manufacturing its own monster.

Key points

• Neglect can become social danger.
• Ambiguity keeps the film psychologically unstable.
• The discomfort is the point, not a side effect.

Film details

• Director: Todd Phillips
• Year: 2019
• Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller
• Runtime: 122 min
• Personal rating: 9/10
• IMDb: tt7286456

Cast notes

Main cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz.