The film Joker spurred a significant amount of backlash regarding it’s rather sympathetic portrayal of a mentally ill social outcast who takes out his own perceived injustices out on society in a violent manner. This occurrence on the surface simply appears to be one of many politically correct backlashes against controversial that are a dime a dozen in any given generation. However, a more thorough examination reveals that the subject can serve as a window into how American society views the mentally ill at large along with the underlying reason for why they do in such a manner.
A relatively recent phenomena has drastically altered how the public views the mentally ill in a rather negative manner. Mass shootings have become increasingly prevalent since the Columbine shooting in 1999; and with that, so has a particular profile. A white, lonely, and mentally ill man has become the first picture that comes to mind when one hears about a mass shooting; considering that for a variety of reasons this is the usual profile of a mass shooter that is displayed by the media. With that, a new level of fear has been associated with those who fit this profile. Furthermore, because of this fear; the treatment of the mentally hill has become an often debated subject within politics. If the gratuitous violence wasn’t enough, a front and center national debate over whether every mentally ill male is a ticking time bomb only further stokes public paranoia. Meanwhile, these shootings continue on to the present day with alarming frequency. As of the writing of this date, there have been 419 mass shootings in the U.S. in this year alone. All of these factors illustrate that publicity regarding the mentally ill has been almost exclusively negative.
Then came Joker, the movie was objectively a success by grossing over 333 million dollars. However, with that success, came an increased amount of scrutiny. This culminated in a vocal contingent of people claiming that the film overly sympathized with the stereotype that is responsible for a number of mass murders. The plot of the movie can be summarized by stating that a mentally ill loner who originally has nothing but good intentions; gets continuously harassed and rejected by society that he desperately yearns to join. This rejection helps to transform his eagerness into resentment towards society which in turn causes him to transform into the supervillain known as the Joker. The character even commits murder multiple times during this metamorphisis. The key detail to be mindful of, is that despite him ultimately turning into an objective villain; the film makes sure to note that he is not the only one to blame for his destructive behavior. At every turn, the Joker’s attempt to integrate into society are not only rejected but rejected aggressively. His act of making a child laugh causes the mother to verbally berate him; his act of physically meeting a man who he believes to be his father results in him getting punched in the face; and his act of taking his boss’ advice to carry a gun to protect himself results in him losing his job. There is also an already famous scene where he openly expresses his disdain for his therapist who clearly does not actually care about his mental health issues. In case that isn’t clear enough, one of his “jokes” before murdering a man is “what do you get when you cross a mentally ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash? You get what you fucking deserve!”. In response, some critics stated the movie was normalizing and even inspiring others in the character’s position to replicate similar behavior. Unfortunately, what some are failing to interpret is the film’s true underlying meaning. They are not calling for an acceptance of unabashed violence against society by the mentally ill. Instead, they are calling for a re-examination of an American health system that although has come a long way, still has much further to go. Those who criticize this film in that manner are instead making an insightful statement on America’s partial regressing in it’s attitudes towards the mentally ill; rather than any ill with the film itself.