'JOKER' REVIEW

1. INTRODUCTION
The film is about the life of the character Arthur Fleck, whom we know as the "Joker" in the world of cinema. It reveals the events that emerged with the ignoring, stigmatization and exclusion of Arthur Fleck, who had psychological and neurological problems, and how the character evolved from Arthur to the Joker who committed murder. He lives with his mother in a slum in Gotham, who had previously been in a psychiatric ward. He has a neurological problem that makes his life very difficult, causing an unwarranted, involuntary and untimely screaming laughter. He is fond of her neighbor Sophie having a daughter of about seven, and he wants to be a comedian like Murray Franklin, whom he sees as a hero. He experiences severe feelings of unhappiness and takes 7 different medications a day. He meets with the mental health worker regularly until the goverment stops the state support. Arthur, who was not seen by anyone until that day and could not feel his presence, realizes that after killing 3 people who attacked him, he attracted the attention of people and was seen. This situation changes his life a lot. Arthur gradually turns into the Joker, who now goes on with his life by committing crimes.
2 a. General Information
Arthur is in his 30s. It has a weak, thin, and timid appearance. He is emotionally and socially alone. He lives in a neighborhood with a low socioeconomic level. He continues his life by clowning and enjoys this job. He lives with his stepmother and takes care of her. He is very lonely in his social life, he has no close friends.Het mostly acts individually. Enjoys dancing and listening to comedy shows. His timid and introverted nature changes after the traumatic events he experienced, and he begins to commit murder and not regret this situation.
2. b. Family History, Background Information, Childhood
Arthur was adopted by his stepmother, he has no father. She was raised by a stepmother with a diagnosis of paranoia symptoms, narcissistic personality disorder, delusional disorder (referred to in the movie as delusional psychosis). Childhood life was highly traumatic. He witnessed violence against her stepmother by his stepmother's boyfriend and was subjected to severe and repeated physical violence. It was found by the authorities connected to the radiator, bruises were seen on his body, and malnutrition was recorded. He had a head trauma due to the damage he received. There is no information about the biological family, so the genetic dimension of the problems is not known.
2. c. General Problems
Social isolation and maladjustment; he has difficulty interacting with people. Apart from his work life, he has no close friends or social environment. With the words "I don't know whether I have existed all my life", he reveals that he is not seen and excluded by people. Usually behaves differently than people in community areas. In comedy shows he goes to, he usually gives an unnatural laugh response to parts where people don't laugh.
He has a problem of insomnia, for this reason, incompatible behaviors such as emptying the refrigerator at night and entering it.
In moments of neuropsychological stress, anger and sadness, it shows a pseudobulbar effect (pseudobulbar affect) in which it expresses its emotions in the form of laughter. Similarly, leg tremors are seen in stressful situations.
He expresses the disappearance of the concept of conscience by saying "I had a fight with a friend last time (he said he killed 3 people) I thought I would feel bad, but I never regretted it."
2. d. Psychological Symptoms
Chronic and intense state of unhappiness; he always feels miserable and unhappy and does not enjoy life.
He has a history of previous hospitalization. He expresses that his time in the hospital is more positive.
Arthur can't control his anger and resentment. At the beginning of the film, this is seen as hitting his head against the glass very quickly, kicking and damaging things during stress. In the following sections, this pattern has turned into repeated murder.
2. e. Predicted Diagnoses
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Schizophrenia
Depression
2. f. Discussion of the Diagnosis
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Arthur is initially a shy and passive person. He experiences sudden bursts of anger in daily life. He commits to repetitive actions leading to a criminal arrest, which started with killing 3 people after he was beaten severely. He expresses to the hospital employee that he did not regret this situation. After the first murder act, he kills Murray, whom he described as "bad" and thought he deserved it, on live broadcast. But the last murder was committed for no reason. It is thought that this situation can be classified as antisocial personality disorder. He does not care about his own safety and the safety of others, does not feel guilty or regret what he has done.
One of the DSM V Group A diagnostic criteria 1. Failure to conform to social norms concerning lawful behaviors, such as performing acts that are grounds for arrest. 3. Impulsivity or failure to plan. 5. Reckless disregard for the safety of self or others. 7. Lack of remorse, being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another person; especially with no remorse (not regret). The person is also at least 18 years old.
 
Schizophrenia
Growing up with a mother with delusions and other environmental stressors are thought to trigger this condition.
It is thought to be grandiose erotomania type delusions. He particularly believes that Sophie is his lover and that she sees Arthur as Gotham's savior. He has fantasies about how a good son he is when he takes the stage on Murray's show. In another scene, he gets very caught up in his mind and actually attempts to shoot with the gun in his hand. He also believes that a show hhe performed on the stage was applauded and praised despite its bad conclusion. He has delusions that he is a savior, funny, successful dancer.
He shows anhedonia and asociality as the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. A decrease in emotional involvement, not enjoying life, and unhappiness are experienced intensely. He explains this wish and his meaningless life with the statement "I hope my death will pay more than my life". He lives an asocial life, he has no friends and no one he is close to. He goes alone to comedy shows, which is one of his limited tastes.
Because of his delusions, his adjustment and functioning level were severely affected. His ability to evaluate reality is impaired. He is unaware of his condition and lacks insight. Later, when Sophie does not recognize him, he goes back to the past and realizes that these are actually in his mind, which may show little insight.
It can be seen as prodromal effects such as depression and hopelessness.
DSM V Schizophrenia Group A diagnostic criteria 1. Delusions. 2. Hallucinations. 5. negative symptoms (i.e., affective flattening, alogia, or avolition) meet the items. D. Schizoaffective disorder and depressive or bipolar disorder with psychotic features have been ruled out because either (1) no major depressive or manic episodes have occurred concurrently with the active-phase symptoms, or (2) if mood episodes have occurred during active-phase symptoms, they have been present for a minority of the total duration of the active and residual periods of the illness. E. The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or another medical condition. Since we do not know its duration, if it lasts less than 6 months, it can be described as Schizophreniform Disorder.
Depression
For the diagnosis of schizophrenia, a diagnosis of depression disorder with psychosis features should be excluded. However, in the case of the Joker, this distinction cannot be made definitively. Joker shows depressive symptoms, but does not meet the diagnostic criteria for depression. He has trouble sleeping, can choose strange (entering the refrigerator) places to sleep, cannot enjoy life, and reports this to his regular social health worker many times. Generally, he gives agitated reactions. "I did not know what happiness is even once in my damn life" "I hope my death will pay more than my life" explains the life that he considers meaningless. Among the DSM V A group diagnostic criteria, 4. Almost every day, Insomnia or sleeping too much. 5. Almost every day, Agitation or psychomotor retardation noticed by others. 7. Almost every day, Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt (which may be delusional) (not just as self-condemnation or guilt for being sick) may meet these item.
3. CONCLUSION
Although we do not know the genetic factors, it is very difficult for a young child to grow up with a mother who has psychosis and narcissistic personality disorder, that is, who always believes she is right, is selfish, does not admit her mistake, and is often critical and accusing. We can guess that in Arthur's childhood the basic need for freedom of expression of his needs and feelings was not met. For this reason, he is very shy and does not know social skills. He is always looking for love and approval, but somehow cannot find the love he is looking for. After learning about her mother's condition and confronting her childhood, he experiences great change. The masked depression and shy condition leaves its place to the symptoms of antisocial personality disorder and schizophrenia. In addition, when the effects of traumatic events and environmental factors that he experienced as a child and adult are evaluated, it is thought that schizophrenia may have prodromal effects such as depression and hopelessness in Arthur. At the same time, antisocial personality disorder patterns are seen in addition to these. Arthur is now the Joker who is (extremely) noticed by someone as he always wanted.

Research Assistant Merve SEVEN