Joker
Reviews
timesofindia
The first half-an-hour or so of Joker plays out likes a farcical drama on contemporary society and politics. Director Raju Murugan (who earlier gave us Cuckoo) doesn't spare anyone. From cops who salute helicopters flying across the sky to leaders who stage half-day hunger strikes and movie stars, everyone is a fodder for his sharply written dialogues that sting like barbs. We are introduced to Mannar Mannan (Guru Somasundaram), a villager, who, for some reason, calls himself the president of the nation (a chart in his house has photographs of all the presidents we have had till date, with Mannan's own mug) and takes it upon himself to solve the issues that he comes across. He also has two accomplices — Potti Case Ponoonjal (Mu Ramasamy), an elderly man who has a habit of taking offenders to court (Traffic Ramaswamy seems to have been the real-life inspiration here, though his look is modelled on the late writer Jayakanthan), and Isai (Gayathri Krishna), a young widow, who shares Mannar's ideals and functions as his secretary and social media manager (she uploads every moment from their protests, and these become viral memes online). There is also plenty of humour in these scenes (a goat kid is called Usain Bolt; Mannar refers to his work place as Pappireddy Bhavan). There are also some issues that keep getting raised again and again — illegal sand mining and open defecation, in particular. And slowly we are told how Mannar became 'President'. We are shown the love story of Mannar and Mallika, the girl from his neighbouring village who rejects him initially and is later charmed by his sincere attempts to woo her (Mallika lays down one condition to marry him — that he should first build a toilet in his house). We also see how Mannar becomes fixated with the powers of a president, thanks to his conversations with a father-figure (Bava Chelladurai). Meanwhile, the actual president is about to visit the village to launch a 'Toilets for everyone' scheme, and Mannar's life becomes interlinked with this. Tragedy strikes in the life of this couple, and this changes Mannar completely, and he begins his unique fight for justice. Raju Murugan seems to have realised the chief problem that hemmed in Cuckoo —overpowering melodrama, and in Joker, he strikes the right balance between drama and comedy. And the dramatic moments are dealt with in such a subtle manner that they are heartrending. The director still hasn't completely gotten rid of the didactic nature of his lines, but given that the film is built as an 'issue film' driven by a dramatic plot, this doesn't harm the film much. Still, the climactic breakdown by Mu Ramasamy, while searing in its intentions, sticks out as a message moment. Still, the director, once again, displays a flair for using music and casting. Sean Roldan's fabulous songs and score enhance the drama in the scenes, and the actors are wonderful. The two female actresses are very natural while Bava Chelladurai adds humour. But it is Guru Somasundaram's fantastic performance that is actually the film's driving force. Watch out, for he is going to be a major contender at the awards shows next year.
Movie Recommendation
The Cave2005-08-26After a group of biologists discovers a huge network of unexplored caves in Romania and, believing it to be an undisturbed eco-system that has produced a new species, they hire the best American team of underwater cave explorers in the world. While exploring deeper into the underwater caves, a rockslide blocks their exit, and they soon discover a larger carnivorous creature has added them to its food chain.More...
Kavan2017-03-31A budding journalist passionate about ethical, noble, hard-hitting journalism understands the more flourishing ghetto of sensationalism & news fabrication that the Entertainment TV Channel he belongs to, thrives on. When caught in a dilemma of whether to hold for a while or rise in protest, a situation forces him to make a decision that puts him out of work but… there begins his work.More...
Thupparivaalan2017-09-14Detective Kaniyan Poonkundran is hungry for a challenging case to investigate and the mystery of a murdered dog leads to a rival who could be the match for him.More...
Samsaram Adhu Minsaram1986-07-18Ammaiyappan Mudaliar fulfils every need of his four children. However, when the eldest son fights with him and leaves the house, Uma, the daughter-in-law, tries to solve their issues.More...
Nambiyaar2016-08-19Ramachandran, a young man who is preparing for his IAS exam, battles his id, which keeps getting him into problems.More...
Dune: Part Two2024-02-27Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.More...
Deadpool & Wolverine2024-07-24A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life with his days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. But when his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctant Wolverine.More...
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire2024-03-27Following their explosive showdown, Godzilla and Kong must reunite against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own.More...
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One2023-07-08Ethan Hunt and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the world's fate at stake and dark forces from Ethan's past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan must consider that nothing can matter more than his mission—not even the lives of those he cares about most.More...
The Holdovers2023-10-27A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam.More...
Alienoid: Return to the Future2024-01-10Ean has a critical mission to return to the future to save everyone. However, she becomes trapped in the distant past while trying to prevent the escape of alien prisoners who are locked up in the bodies of humans. Meanwhile, Muruk, who helps Ean escape various predicaments, is unnerved when he begins sensing the presence of a strange being in his body. Traveling through the centuries, they are trying to prevent the explosion of the haava.More...
Solo Leveling -ReAwakening-2024-11-26Over a decade after 'gates' connecting worlds appeared, awakening 'hunters' with superpowers, weakest hunter Sung Jinwoo encounters a double dungeon and accepts a mysterious quest, becoming the only one able to level up, changing his fate. A catch-up recap of the first season coupled with an exclusive sneak peek of the first two episodes of the highly anticipated second season in one momentous theatrical fan experience.More...
Vanished into the Night2024-07-10A father, immersed in a difficult divorce process, embarks on a dangerous mission when his children disappear from their isolated country house.More...
A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child1989-08-11Alice finds the deadly dreams of Freddy Krueger starting once again. This time, the taunting murderer is striking through the sleeping mind of her unborn child.More...
National Family2023-12-28Don Poli, the patriarch of a family embedded in politics, faces the change of party in his state - after a hundred years in power - losing all his privileges. Humiliated and angry, he threatens to disinherit his family and leave to rebuild his life. This forces his children (Kippy, Ramses and Belén) to take extreme measures to ensure their future, causing everything that could go wrong to turn out worse.More...
Panda Plan2024-10-01International action star Jackie Chan is invited to the adoption ceremony of a rare baby panda, but after an international crime syndicate attempts to kidnap the bear, Jackie has to save the bear using his stunt work skills.More...
Kingdom: Return of the Great General2024-07-12Depicts a continuation of the "Battle of Mayang", an all-out war against the neighboring country Zhao that Shin and Wang Ki fought in in the previous work "Flame of Fate".More...
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes2023-11-1564 years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12.More...
Miraculous World: Paris, Tales of Shadybug and Claw Noir2023-10-21Miraculous holders from another world appear in Paris. They come from a parallel universe where everything is reversed: the holders of Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses, Shadybug and Claw Noir, are the bad guys, and the holder of the Butterfly Miraculous, Betterfly, is a superhero. Ladybug and Cat Noir will have to help Betterfly counter the attacks of their evil doubles and prevent them from seizing the Butterfly Miraculous. Can our heroes also help Betterfly make Shadybug and Claw Noir better people?More...
Talk to Me2023-07-26When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.More...