The Master, by Paul Thomas Anderson, was far better than Joker as a movie about mental illness... PTSD in that case (and perhaps more, even something similar to the stunted development in joker)...
It also starred Joaquin Pheonix, but his performance was better there.. instead of being a caricature, he seemed like a fleshed out man...
The movie also dealt with more interesting themes regarding "therapy", society's duty to the individual vs. self motivated improvement of one's affairs and wellbeing... As well as the cult stuff that was the setting of that movie...
I guess the comic book nature of Joker limits the movie significantly... it has to fit into the serialised nature of the comic book movie universe and the baggage of conforming to the idea of joker as either anarchist or incel-psycho...
Interesingly... Both movies illustrate the deep wound in modernity of what happens when the state or society replaces the role of the father (in both senses of the word)...
If you liked Joker, you might really enjoy The Master... https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/68722-the-master
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Contestado por znexyish
el 20 de mayo de 2020 a las 18:27
Joker and The Master are poles apart stylisticaly. Is a comic book movie fan going to sit still for a Paul Thomas Anderson art film? I think not.
I wouldn't say that either are "about" mental illness. Joker seems to be more about the plight of a man in an uncaring society, a society that is even more mental or unstable than he is. The Master is to me about the construction of a society within a society.
In both Joaquin is an everyman who transforms himself into a superman. In Joker, a primal, Jungian if you will, symbol of resistance and attack. In The Master, Joaquin goes from lost to searcher of truth to L Ron Hubbard esque creator and evangelist of "truth" .
Plus what you said. As for the father stuff. Daddy issues, can't live with them, can't leave em at the golf course.
Contestado por CheekyMonkey
el 20 de mayo de 2020 a las 19:27
Good points... I broadly agree... But I do think that Joker is not a universal movie... Well, in the sense that he is clearly mentally disturbed... We can call it illness or weakness/fragility, but he's clearly not right in the head... Similar to Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver...
But I don't believe that the audience is as segmented as the marketers would have us believe... I think someone who has enjoyed Joker is likely to find The Master thought provoking... I think the juxtaposition of the two movies is interesting... Despite the stylistic differences...
Joaquine is such a great actor... He was even convincing as Jesus in that recent Mary Magdalene movie...
Contestado por znexyish
el 20 de mayo de 2020 a las 20:36
Good points as well. Now I only saw The Master when it came out. So my memory is weak on it. Yes different audiences can appreciate different types of films. Not all comic book fans took well to Joker either. Many disliked it. And Arthur Dent was probably too far gone from the start. So he just didnt need all that much to tip him over the edge. If i get around to rewatching either I will look more towards your mental health angle.
Contestado por MongoLloyd
el 23 de mayo de 2020 a las 11:22
Meh. This is the film that started turning me off to PTA. I was expecting some kind of lurid expose of LRH and his insane religion. I didn't really care about the protagonist whatsoever.
Contestado por CheekyMonkey
el 23 de mayo de 2020 a las 13:20
I think there is a narrative movie to be made to take down L Ron Hubbard and scientology, but I don't think Paul Thomas Anderson would be that kind of director...
Contestado por znexyish
el 23 de mayo de 2020 a las 15:36
Leah Remini's A&E show Scientology and the Aftermath tried. There was the documentary Going Clear before that. Until tax exempt status is revoked they will still be in business. As for narrative movies about cults there are lots. A good one is Ticket to Heaven (1981) based on the Moonies.
Contestado por MongoLloyd
el 23 de mayo de 2020 a las 21:27
Jason Beghe said everything anyone needed to know about Scientology well before some A&E show.