“Joker” (2019). Director: Todd Phillips. Writer: Todd Phillips, Scott Silver. Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz.

 

Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal

― Albert Camus

The film “Joker” (2019) finds itself a place beyond usual comic movies, like in 2017 the movie “Logan” transcend the stereotype.

A character whose mother has died and he does not have regrets, who shot a man four times, is ripped apart from his lover, and categorized as a bad person among a bad situation… this is the plot of “The Stranger” (1942) from Albert Camus.

Camus explores the existentialism but more precisely: the absurdism. The Absurd consist that individuals should embrace the absurd condition of human existence while also defiantly continuing to explore and search for meaning (Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays, 1942).

In Myth of Sisyphus (1942), he explains that the human have three solutions: suicide, leap of faith, and recognition. The suicide is a declaration that life doesn’t matter and the leap of faith (term inspired by Kierkegaard) is when one accept that there’s more than the rational life, and that escapes the Absurd. So, the recognition is the best option. This consist in embrace the absurd of life.

First we have the life of Arthur Fleck living by a leap of faith. Then the internal journey begins, the make up starts and the idea of suicide takes place, a big one suicide. But in the end we see the recognition of the Absurd and the embrace of a new character: Joker.

Camus resolve that the Absurd has three consequences: revolt, freedom and passion. Revolt for not suicide and live life, freedom of moral codes and passion for living. Embracing the absurd makes one happy and to find meaning in life, with the resolution of dead.

We can see in the last scene, among the people, that Arthur Fleck enjoys life and finds happiness, like Meaursalt from “The Stranger”. Like the Sisyphus happy.