The year is 2020, you just screamed into the endless void, regretting every decision you made up until this very point. This is peak conflict, the world is crumbling beneath your very feet, and disease is ever-looming.  You say “man, this must be the bad place.” One bright and shining light of hope pierces the grey clouds that surround the Earth,  Joker (2020).

Joker, directed by Todd Philips, can be considered a cult classic. Dare I say a masterpiece. We follow Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, in a society that is riddled with corruption, discrimination, and abuse. Fleck is a ‘comedian’ with a mental condition that causes him to laugh uncontrollably. Fleck has a simple goal, he just wants to bring a smile to the world.

Despite his true and good intentions, society constantly walks over him and mistreats him. Fleck eventually snaps. From there it is a downward spiral and a domino effect that brings about the birth of the Joker. You know, it’s not much different from my own life. I’m sure many of us can relate, some more than others.

Fleck’s descent into madness (which reminds me much of myself) is perfectly depicted through Phoenix’s s-tier performance. Along with amazing story-telling and perfectly executed twists, we can truly see how society constantly mistreats those with mental conditions and low-class citizens.  If you have not seen the movie you absolutely should watch it.

Personally, I see much of Phoenix’s character in myself. No, I don’t mean the part with the talk show host or the two guys on the trains (mostly the girlfriend scene and the part in the beginning when he gets beat up). The line that stuck with me the most after I first watched the movie was when Fleck said “It’s me, the Joker.” On my first viewing (I have seen the movie 25 times), I thought to myself “Maybe I am the one they call the Joker.” It was not only an inner awakening but I felt that I really related to Fleck and everything he went through. I still think about the weight behind those words, especially because of Phoenix’s performance.

It was revealed to me in a dream that ever since Joker (2020) came out, it unlocked a new part of the general public’s subconscious. Not only has society been progressively getting worse and worse, but many people have lost their rational decision-making skills. I’ve been noticing joker-like things on what is seemingly a normal day, and no I will not elaborate.

Now you may be wondering, “this movie came out two almost years ago why are you reviewing it now?” Well, do I have some pretty crazy news for you. Joker (2020) isn’t just some movie. It’s THE movie. Whether we chose to believe it or not, we all have gone through what Fleck has gone through. If you haven’t, then you are the problem. It’s not the failure of society that makes the Joker, but it is the person that makes the Joker. Society is simply a catalyst in the process. We are all the Joker (2020).

Note: I am not a paranoid sociopath, I’m so serious.