Arthur does exist. He’s right there. He snarls in his newsprint reflection. I wonder, who was the first victim of The Joker?
The resistance in Gotham is on the rise as clown-faces appear across the city. From a cab, one stares at Arthur on the sidewalk. They share a split-second.
He returns their smile with his own. He’s changing. The people are changing. He exists. It’s as if the city itself is crying out for a savior, and only his sunny disposition can bring sanity to the insane.
Arthur joins in with his people. Fists up. Fight the power. “The people are starting to notice.”
Sophie sure does. At her door, The Joker appears. Not Arthur. He’s got the makeup on, and he looks good. He goes for a kiss, and she accepts. Slow-mo dream, or slow-mo reality? For The Joker, does it matter? Not really.
Thomas Wayne asks Arthur, “Do you think this is funny?” Arthur takes a bow. Of course, he does. The world is hilarious. His job is to show others what he already knows. If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
Arthur screams his laughter into the face of Thomas Wayne. The practice has paid off. This is the laugh we’ve been waiting for — no holds barred, rage-filled guffawing.
“Is this a joke to you?” Thomas Wayne winds up and lets him have it. The punch knocks him into the next shot, but you can’t hurt a man who is filled with endless laughter.
Related Topics: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker, Shot by Shot, Todd Phillips, Trailers
