While bringing the characters from DC Comics to life, director Todd Philips uses Joker to confront real-world problems - particularly how neglected, bullied individuals are treated in Western societies. The Joker (played by Joaquin Phoenix) suffers from mental illness and lives with his mother in a squalid apartment. After being abandoned by Gotham City Social Services he gradually turns into a psychotic killer, murdering three men who represent the elite and becoming a hero for a handful of rejected and forgotten citizens.
In a highly stylised yet nevertheless realistic context, the Joker’s intrusion into the world of superheroes is reflected in the film’s soundtrack. The music is characterised by striking contrasts, with feel-good retro songs on the one hand and extremely dark non-diegetic music on the other. Composed by the Icelandic cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir, Joker’s soundtrack revolves around threatening percussion and layers of deep, throbbing strings (contrasting against the higher-pitched ones in Charlie Chaplin’s song Smile). Occasionally, a choir appears in the soundtrack, acting as a common link between the two atmospheres. Some of the highlights of the soundtrack include Defeated Clown and Following Sophie, two tracks which are wrapped around a persistent drum pattern. Other gems include the heartbreaking Subway, the staccato strings in Penny Taken to the Hospital and the moving, triumphant climax Call Me Joker. A unique and passionate soundtrack by a woman who some consider to be the successor to the late Johann Johannsson. © Nicolas Magenham/Qobuz