NJ dances with the devil in Joker trailer

This is a movie I didn't know I wanted to see. The final trailer for Joker, a movie that offers the gritty backstory to the villain and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Robert DeNiro has been released.

This film also stars New Jersey. A lot of it was shot here. You might not know it looking at IMDB.com's filming locations section. It mostly lists New York locations with only Jersey City mentioned last for street scenes. That's true, but Newark also was involved in the making of Joker. Newark's Market Street got the Hollywood treatment with building facades and adult theater signs and garbage bags to make it look like the 1980's. Joker is set in 1981. The NJ Economic Development Authority came up with film tax credits to the tune of $2 million.

This trailer sold me big time. It looks like a case study in mental illness, a big topic in our country right now. The plot description on IMDB reads:

"An original standalone origin story of the iconic villain not seen before on the big screen, it's a gritty character study of Arthur Fleck, a man disregarded by society, and a broader cautionary tale."

​While I think Heath Ledger will always be Joker, this trailer does make Joaquin Phoenix's work seem masterful. Can't wait to see this. The movie is in theaters October 4.

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