The Joker
Media sector: film
Release: 2019
Rating: BBFC 15
Controversy: Social outcast Arthur Fleck becomes the Joker as he descends into madness. During an exploitative TV interview that a chat show host thinks will draw a big audience, Fleck rants about the society that has let him down before shooting the host. This starts a riot and he is seen (perhaps only in his own mind) as a revolutionary or a hero.
Concern: A small part of Fleck’s story is that he believes in a romantic relationship with a neighbour who eventually breaks that delusion. Given that Fleck was shunned by his love interest, many believed that this film was glorifying incels; a member of an online community of young men who are hostile towards those who are sexually active because they are unable to be sexually active. This is usually blamed on females who are interested in but do not return that interest.
Alternative: The film condemns austerity (complex economic issues) and suggests that poverty, abuse and unchecked mental health can lead to violence. It could be seen as a warning rather than a call to arms.