Leia a resenha crítica do filme Joker, publicada no website da Rodgers Memorial Library, para responder à questão.

    Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a mentally ill man who laughs uncontrollably. He works as a clown, gets help from a social assistant, lives with his mother, and wants to be a comedian. As the movie progresses, Arthur feels betrayal from everyone around him, pushing him to a breaking point as his support system collapses.

   Joker is an unusual comic book movie in the sense that it is a character study. Inspired in part by Martin Scorsese films like King of Comedy and Taxi Driver, Joker looks at the need for affection and identity. This contrasts heavily with action-packed superhero movies. It’s a serious, disturbing movie that opens itself to critical thinking, not all of it pleasant as exemplified when Arthur, in a moment of exasperation, tells his social assistant “All I have are negative thoughts.”

   Usually, the Joker is defined by his relationship with Batman. Bruce Wayne (Batman’s real self) and his family play an important part in Joker, yet another rich family could be substituted without changing the plot much. Fleck’s journey is not as connected to his traditional comic book role as in other movies and the audience is challenged to ask if he is a villain or a victim.

(Rodgers Memorial Library. https://sites.google.com. Adaptado.)