Set in the gritty streets of 1981 Gotham City, Joker tells the dark origin story of Arthur Fleck, a troubled man who spirals into madness and becomes the infamous criminal mastermind, the Joker.
Arthur Fleck is a struggling, mentally ill man who works as a party clown. He lives with his frail mother, Penny, in a small apartment, where they watch late-night television, idolizing talk show host Murray Franklin. Arthur dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian and yearns for acceptance in a society that seems to reject him at every turn.
Arthur suffers from a condition that causes uncontrollable laughter at inappropriate moments, and he carries a card to explain his condition to others. He is regularly bullied and harassed, both at work and on the streets, contributing to his feelings of isolation. Despite therapy and medication, his mental health deteriorates due to his oppressive surroundings.
Society’s Rejection: Arthur’s descent into madness accelerates when he is attacked by a group of young men while working as a street clown. His colleague gives him a gun for protection, but this leads to more trouble when Arthur accidentally drops it at a children’s hospital performance, causing him to lose his job. He also loses access to his medication when the city cuts funding to social services.
One night, while riding the subway home in his clown makeup, Arthur is harassed by three wealthy businessmen. His uncontrollable laughter triggers the men’s mockery, which soon turns violent. In a moment of panic and self-defense, Arthur shoots two of them and then coldly executes the third as he tries to flee. This murder becomes the catalyst for a citywide uprising, as Gotham’s working-class citizens begin to see Arthur as a symbol of their own frustrations with the city’s elite. Clown masks become the symbol of this growing movement.
Arthur’s Personal Unraveling: As Arthur embraces his darker side, he uncovers secrets about his past. His mother, Penny, who was once employed by billionaire Thomas Wayne, claims that Arthur is Wayne’s illegitimate son. Arthur confronts Wayne at a public event, but Wayne dismisses Penny as delusional, explaining that she was institutionalized for mental illness. Arthur later steals Penny’s medical records, discovering that he was adopted and that his mother allowed him to be abused as a child, causing his lifelong trauma. The realization that his entire life has been built on lies pushes Arthur further into madness.
Arthur’s fragile sense of reality continues to fracture. He begins to imagine a romantic relationship with his neighbor, Sophie, only to later realize that their interactions were delusions of his mind. Devastated by this revelation and everything else in his life, Arthur fully embraces his new identity as the Joker.
The Transformation: After killing his mother, Arthur prepares for his appearance on the Murray Franklin Show. Earlier in the film, a clip of Arthur’s failed stand-up comedy routine was mocked by Murray on live television, further fueling Arthur’s obsession with the host. Invited on the show as a curiosity, Arthur plans to make a statement to the world.
Dressed in full Joker attire, Arthur makes his entrance on the Murray Franklin Show. During the live broadcast, he confesses to the subway murders and begins ranting about how society treats the downtrodden. The conversation turns increasingly hostile, with Arthur condemning society’s indifference to the mentally ill. In a shocking climax, Arthur shoots Murray in the head, live on air, sparking chaos throughout Gotham.
The Uprising: As Arthur is arrested, Gotham descends into violent riots, with citizens wearing clown masks rioting in the streets. In a parallel event, Thomas Wayne, his wife Martha, and their son Bruce are confronted in an alleyway by a rioter, leading to the iconic murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents. This moment symbolically connects Joker’s rise with the birth of Batman’s story, although the film does not explore Bruce’s future.
Arthur, now fully transformed into the Joker, is freed from the police car by rioters who lift him onto the hood of a car. As the city burns around him, Arthur, with blood smeared across his face in a grotesque smile, dances and revels in the chaos he has helped create.
In the film’s final scene, Arthur is seen in Arkham State Hospital, laughing to himself. When a therapist asks him what’s so funny, he responds, “You wouldn’t get it,” before walking down the hallway, leaving bloody footprints behind, indicating he has just killed the therapist. The film ends ambiguously, suggesting that Arthur’s story may be a delusion or simply the beginning of the Joker’s chaotic reign in Gotham.
Closing Thoughts: Joker (2019) is a chilling exploration of the effects of isolation, mental illness, and societal breakdown. Arthur Fleck’s journey from a struggling, invisible man to the Joker serves as a stark commentary on how unchecked cruelty and neglect can lead to the rise of something truly terrifying. Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as the Joker delivers a haunting portrayal of madness and chaos, cementing this film as one of the most compelling villain origin stories in modern cinema.