Friday, ITV1, 9:00pm
Todd Phillips’ Joker (2019) is a grim, unforgettable character study that reimagines the origins of one of DC Comics’ most iconic villains. Set against the decaying backdrop of Gotham City in the early 1980s, the film strips away the superhero context to offer a grounded, psychological portrait of Arthur Fleck, portrayed with devastating precision by Joaquin Phoenix. Fleck’s spiral from an alienated man battling mental illness to the anarchic Joker captures the cultural moment of societal fracture, raising questions about class, mental health, and systemic failure. The film’s stark visuals and bleak tone are integral, but its impact is profoundly enhanced by Hildur Guðnadóttir’s chilling, Oscar-winning score.
Guðnadóttir’s minimalist and unsettling compositions elevate Joker’s atmosphere, amplifying its psychological weight. The composer uses a mix of dissonant strings and brooding orchestration that echoes Fleck's inner turmoil, underscoring his increasingly fractured sense of reality. The haunting cello motifs seem to follow Arthur like a shadow, particularly in scenes where his tenuous grip on sanity is most fragile. The standout track, “Bathroom Dance,” encapsulates this, turning a moment of crisis into an eerie ballet of self-liberation, where the music guides Arthur’s transition from victim to villain. The subtle but relentless build of the score mirrors the rising tension within Gotham itself, ultimately making music a narrative force of its own.
Complementing Guðnadóttir’s score are select needle drops that ground the film in its period setting while highlighting the absurdity of Arthur's descent. Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” and Jimmy Durante’s “Smile” punctuate key moments, offering a stark contrast to the violence and despair unfolding onscreen. These upbeat tunes, often played ironically, serve as a reminder of Arthur’s shattered hope and the distorted reality he’s come to embrace. Together, the score and soundtrack craft a sonic world as fractured and complex as the Joker himself, leaving an indelible mark on the viewer long after the film’s final frame.
- Daisy Rae