Standalone DC movie Joker has started making the rounds in theaters everywhere and while fans are mostly pleased with the unique interpretation of the character, critics are split down the middle.
Most reviews appreciated Joaquin Phoenix’s performance, the dark tone, and Todd Phillips’ uncompromising vision, but some criticized the unclear message and handling of serious topics like mental illness and the public’s reaction to violence. For those who enjoyed it, here are ten films to check out to gain a deeper appreciation of the movie. Some are here for their direct influence on the Todd Phillips’ film, while others are connected in different, unexpected ways.
You Were Never Really Here
Joaquin Phoenix plays a wholly different character in this unique crime thriller from Lynne Ramsay. He’s mentally unwell and haunted by thoughts of self-harm, but instead of birthing anarchy, he dedicates his time to rescuing teenage victims of human trafficking. The film contains minimal dialog, instead opting to tell most of the story visually.
It draws comparisons to Taxi Driver but is shot in an entirely different style. Lynne Ramsay doesn’t typically direct crime thrillers, but her trademark visuals add a unique touch to the genre, making it one of the finest films of the past five years.
King Of Comedy
Despite following a similar arc to Scorsese’s classic film, Taxi Driver, King of Comedy was lambasted upon release. This is probably due to the main character, Rupert Pupkin, being unlikable by design and how he only gets more unhinged as the movie goes on.
The latter takes out his frustration on degenerate pimps in order to save a teenager from forced sex work, while Pupkin stalks and eventually kidnaps a popular late-night talk show host. Robert De Niro’s role in Joker and the main character’s admiration of him is an obvious homage to King of Comedy.
Fort Apache, The Bronx
It’s impossible to truly know what life was like in New York City during the late ’70s and early ’80s unless one lived it. Plenty of films from the era used the metropolis on the verge of ruin as a backdrop and main focus for their plots.
Fort Apache, The Bronx follows a police precinct in one of the South Bronx’s most dangerous areas. Paul Newman stars as a cop facing an internal conflict when he witnesses two other officers throw an innocent teenage off a roof during a riot. Joker was filmed primarily in New York City and it was clearly designed to look like the city did forty years ago.
Network
Part of the Joker’s rise to prominence is the media’s obsession with his crimes and the movement it sparked. Simultaneously, television also stokes his anger as Murray Franklin mocks his failed stand up routine and invites him onto the show. For a movie that dives even deeper into this theme, look no further than Network.
The 1976 drama is all about television exploiting frustrated people for the sake of ratings. It starts when a recently fired reporter’s on-air rant causes ratings to skyrocket, and everything spirals out of control from there.
Natural Born Killers
Oliver Stone’s 1994 film is not meant to be taken seriously. Watching the two lovers’ murder spree across the US through a grounded lens will only make someone sick. Instead, view it as a satire on the American media’s obsession with violence.
It’s a heavy theme, but the film is thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. Some may find it too much to stomach, and they cannot be faulted, but those who go through with it will be pleased they did.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
It’s clear that ’70s cinema had a huge impact on the movie, and not just because the setting was ripped right from the decade. In particular, character studies from the era had a strong influence. One such movie was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, directed by Milos Forman and starring Jack Nicholson.
It doesn’t garner comparison because they both deal with mental illness, but they also deal with characters put down and restrained by society. They both end up in entirely different places, however.
The Hangover
This doesn’t bear any thematic similarities and may seem an odd inclusion, but both films share a director. Todd Phillips became famous for his comedies, but he also had the occasional documentary here and there. The Hangover was his biggest hit.
One always gets a new understanding of a film when they see the filmmaker’s career trajectory. While the two are radically different in tone, there is still value in seeing where the director came from.
The Dark Knight
Joker had some tough duties when creating another incarnation of the classic character. Heath Ledger had pulled off what some considered not only the best Joker but perhaps the best performance in any comic book adaptation.
Fortunately, the idea of an origin story and heavier characterization differentiates the new version from the enigmatic, anarchy-driven character from The Dark Knight.
Batman: The Movie
A time existed when comic book adaptations didn’t thrive for darkness. While several still indulge in silliness, like Shazam! and Ant-Man, most aim for something edgier. This wasn’t the case with 1966’s Batman: The Movie which is a full-on slapstick adventure based on the similarly comedic Batman series starring Adam West.
Cesar Romero plays the caped crusader’s arch-nemesis in a sillier, more flamboyant interpretation. No attempts at drama exist, and the whole film is a fun time. It’s good to know how the character was treated on film previously.
Taxi Driver
The two films Joker seems to take the most hints from are King of Comedy and Taxi Driver. All three follow unstable men living a meager existence in a large, crime-ridden city that eventually gets pushed past breaking point.
The principle difference between Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle and Joker is Bickle’s act is heroic, though he was dangerously close to assassinating a political figure beforehand. Scorsese is one of the most celebrated directors, and Taxi Driver is him at the top of his game.
