The Joker (2019) Script

Home > Other > The Joker (2019) Script > Page 3
The Joker (2019) Script Page 3

by Todd Phillips


  MOM

  Happy, what makes you think you

  could do that?

  JOKER

  What do you mean?

  MOM

  I mean, don't you have to be funny

  to be a comedian?

  Beat.

  22

  INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, APARTMENT - LATE NIGHT

  22

  Joker's mom is out cold in her bedroom, a half-eaten plate of

  food is next to her on the bed.

  23.

  23

  INT. LIVING ROOM, MOM'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

  23

  Joker sits on the couch. The TV is on, but the sound is off.

  He holds the .38 SNUB-NOSE REVOLVER Randall gave him in his

  hand. He's never held a gun before, looks uncomfortable with

  it, the weight of it in his hand...

  He points it at the TV, hand trembling a bit... Points it at

  *

  the cat... Points it at his head.

  Looks closely at the grip. The barrel. The cylinder. Now he

  casually pulls the trigger--

  BLAMMMMMMM!

  He jumps up off the couch. What the fuck!? He looks around in

  a panic. His hands shaking.

  He shot a hole in the wall.

  MOM (OS)

  (awoken by the shot)

  HAPPY!? What was that?

  JOKER

  What?!

  He quickly turns up the TV volume. REALLY LOUD. Shoves the

  still smoking gun under the couch cushions.

  MOM (OS)

  THAT NOISE! DID YOU HEAR THAT

  NOISE?

  He's inspecting the hole in the wall. Shouts back over the TV

  noise--

  JOKER

  I'M WATCHING AN OLD WAR MOVIE.

  MOM (OS)

  TURN IT DOWN!

  He heads for his mother's bedroom.

  24

  INT. MOM'S BEDROOM, DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS

  24

  Joker looks in on his mom in her dark bedroom, can make out

  the outline of her body sitting up.

  MOM

  It's so loud.

  24.

  JOKER

  I know. The Americans are really

  giving it to the Japs.

  He walks over to her in the darkness. Kisses her on the

  forehead.

  JOKER

  (softly)

  I'm sorry. I'll turn it down.

  25

  INT. KITCHEN, MOM'S APARTMENT - LATE NIGHT

  25

  Joker is writing in his journal. He speaks softly to himself

  as he writes...

  JOKER

  Why didn't Randall tell me the gun

  was loaded? He's my friend. With my

  luck, I could have killed someone.

  (beat)

  I could have killed myself.

  CLOSE ON THE LAST LINE, he crosses out "could"...

  Writes... "should".

  JOKER

  (still to himself)

  I should have killed myself.

  CLOSE ON JOKER as he crosses out something again...

  JOKER

  (louder to himself)

  I should kill myself.

  Beat.

  26

  EXT. STREET, LOWER EAST SIDE - MORNING

  26

  HANDHELD POV, see the run-down building where Joker lives

  from across the street.

  REVEAL, Joker is watching his own building on the far side of

  a parked truck. Red hood pulled up, covering his head. He

  waits. Watches.

  Now we see Sophie exiting the building with her daughter

  GiGi. Sophie's dressed more conservatively than when we

  previously met her.

  25.

  Joker starts following them.

  27

  EXT. PUBLIC SCHOOL - MORNING

  27

  Sophie drops GiGi off at school. Joker's still watching.

  Following.

  28

  EXT. ELEVATED SUBWAY PLATFORM - MORNING

  28

  Sophie waits on the platform. Lights a cigarette.

  We see Joker, hidden behind a steel support beam-- watching

  her from a distance.

  29

  INT. SUBWAY (MOVING) - MORNING

  29

  Joker stands at the window between two subway cars. Just

  watching Sophie as she reads a book in the next car.

  The train comes to a stop and she exits. Joker exits as well.

  30

  EXT. STREET, UPPER EAST SIDE - MORNING

  30

  Nicer part of Gotham. Joker follows Sophie from a distance,

  watches as she walks into Gotham First National Bank.

  Sees her say hello to the guard. This is where she works.

  Joker just watches and waits.

  31

  INT. GOTHAM FIRST NATIONAL - LATER

  31

  A large, mid-level bank. Sophie is one of THREE BANK TELLERS

  working behind the plexiglass windows.

  Joker pulls the hood back off his head, takes a deep breath

  before he walks up to her window. She is looking down,

  counting her drawer.

  Takes another deep breath. Then--

  JOKER

  Hello. I'd like to open an account.

  She looks up.

  SOPHIE

  (surprised)

  Hey, what are you doing up here?

  26.

  JOKER

  Oh, hi. That's weird.

  (pausing to see if he's

  gonna laugh; he's good)

  I didn't know you worked at a bank.

  SOPHIE

  Pretty glamorous, right?

  Not getting the sarcasm, Joker nods. Looks around.

  JOKER

  Very glamorous. Look at this place.

  She laughs.

  He stands there awkwardly for a moment looking around to see

  what she's laughing about.

  Realizes she thought he was making a joke.

  Beat.

  JOKER

  I'm a comedian. I do stand-up

  comedy.

  SOPHIE

  Really? I had no idea.

  JOKER

  Yeah. You know, I'm always making

  funny observations. Always on the

  look out for my next bit-- so it

  makes sense.

  SOPHIE

  Right. Anyway, is there something I

  could help you with?

  Beat.

  JOKER

  I said hi to my mom.

  SOPHIE

  Excuse me?

  JOKER

  Last week. You said to say hi to my

  mom. I did. Made her day.

  They are interrupted by the BRANCH MANAGER (50's), white,

  heavy-set, who has come up behind Sophie--

  27.

  BRANCH MANAGER

  Everything okay here?

  He puts his heavy hand on Sophie's shoulder. She practically

  shudders from his touch.

  SOPHIE

  Everything is fine Mr. Slotnick.

  Now he leans down and whispers something in her ear-- Joker

  just watches through the glass.

  SOPHIE

  (shakes her head; to her

  manager)

  No. He's not. He's interested in

  opening an account.

  BRANCH MANAGER

  (to Joker)

  Great. You just need to fill out a

  form. They are back there-- against

  the wall.

  As the manager talks, Sophie makes wide eyes at Joker, like

  "I almost got in trouble."

  JOKER

  (covering; trying to act

  cool)

  Okay. Thank you, sir. And thank you

&nb
sp; as well, Miss.

  Joker walks back to the wall by the forms.

  He fumbles around for a minute, clearly not there to open an

  account. He begins filling out a form. Then--

  JOKER

  (shouts out, to no one in

  particular)

  YOU KNOW WHAT?! I FORGOT MY ID!

  I'LL BE BACK. THANK YOU.

  He walks out of the bank. Head in the clouds.

  32

  INT. GOTHAM COMEDY CLUB, CHINATOWN - NIGHT

  32

  *

  Joker sitting in the middle of a dark, crowded comedy club.

  *

  People on dates. Groups of friends. All here to watch the

  stand-up. He sits at a small table by himself, watching the

  act on stage.

  28.

  The comic on stage is killing it. The whole room is laughing

  and applauding. Everyone except Joker.

  He's watching. Studying. Diligently jotting down notes in his

  notebook.

  33

  EXT. GOTHAM COMEDY CLUB, STREET - CHINATOWN - NIGHT

  33

  *

  People are piling out of the club, onto the narrow street,

  *

  jumble of lit-up signs, most glowing yellow or red. Joker

  *

  walks out alone, carrying his notebook. He sees a FLYER taped *

  to the entrance of the club.

  *

  CLOSE ON THE FLYER, "Open mic night. Thursdays. 10pm."

  He rips the flyer off the wall.

  34

  INT. HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING, LOCKER ROOM - DAY

  34

  Joker is working on his "Mr. Jingles" clown look, using the small mirror in his locker. Behind him a couple of other

  clowns are eating their lunch at a small table, not paying

  Joker any attention.

  Joker pauses half-finished, and stares at himself for a beat.

  He starts to examine the two small scars on the corners of

  his mouth, we really notice how they form a smile. Joker

  hooks the corners of his mouth down with his index fingers,

  turning his smile into a frown--

  He lets go and his smile returns.

  Does it again, up and down, up and down, his face a living

  comedy/tragedy mask.

  And then he pulls his fingers wider, stretching his smile

  into a grotesque parody, pulling his mouth so wide tears come

  to his eyes--

  AND WE HEAR JOKER SINGING "If You're Happy and You Know It"

  at his next gig.

  JOKER (PRE-LAP)

  (singing)

  --if you're happy and you know it

  and you really want to show it, if

  you're happy and you know it clap

  your hands.

  29.

  35

  INT. GOTHAM GENERAL - CHILDREN'S WARD - EVENING

  35

  Joker is performing for a ward full of sick children, wearing

  an oversized white lab coat over his "Mr. Jingles" clown costume. A few nurses and doctors watch as well.

  His white clown face, mouth outlined in black and filled in

  with red, his green wig frizzy and worn out. Joker plays a

  UKULELE along with the song.

  JOKER

  If you're happy and you know it,

  stomp your feet.

  Joker and the kids stomp and sing along.

  JOKER

  If you're happy and you know it,

  stomp your feet.

  (stomp, stomp)

  If you're happy and you know it and

  you really want to show it, if

  you're happy and you know it stomp

  your feet.

  As the song winds down, the KIDS and NURSES clap.

  Joker takes an exaggerated and ridiculous bow--

  And as he does, his .38 SNUB-NOSE REVOLVER slips out of his

  pants and slides across the floor.

  Everyone stops. Looks at the gun on the floor.

  36

  INT. LOBBY, GOTHAM GENERAL - LATER

  36

  Joker is on a payphone in the lobby of the hospital. He's in

  his street clothes, wig in his hand, clown-face still painted

  on.

  JOKER

  (into phone)

  Hoyt, let me explain.

  HOYT (OVER PHONE)

  Oh, this'll be good. Please tell me

  why you brought a gun into a sick

  kid's ward?

  JOKER

  (into phone)

  It was, it was a prop gun. It's

  part of my act now.

  30.

  HOYT (OVER PHONE)

  Bullshit. Jingles would never carry

  a fucking gun. Besides, Randall

  told me you tried to buy a .38 off

  him last week.

  Joker's taken aback that Randall would do that to him.

  JOKER

  (into phone)

  Randall told you that?

  HOYT (OVER PHONE)

  He was with me when the call came

  in. You're a fuck up, Arthur. And a

  liar. You're fired.

  JOKER

  (into phone)

  Hoyt--

  HOYT (OVER PHONE)

  Say it, Arthur.

  (beat)

  Let me hear you say it.

  JOKER

  (into phone)

  Say what?

  HOYT (OVER PHONE)

  I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.

  Joker picks at his eyebrow.

  JOKER

  (into phone; low)

  --I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.

  HOYT (OVER PHONE)

  Louder.

  JOKER

  (into phone; louder)

  I'm a fuck up and I'm fired.

  HOYT (OVER PHONE)

  Yes. You are.

  Click. He hears Hoyt hang up.

  Beat.

  31.

  37

  INT. SUBWAY (MOVING) - NIGHT

  37

  JOKER SITS ON THE SUBWAY CONTEMPLATING WHAT JUST WENT DOWN,

  face still painted, his bag on the seat next to him, along

  with his wig.

  There's only one other person on the subway car, a YOUNG

  WOMAN (30's) sitting at the far end-- reading a book.

  The train comes to a stop and THREE WALL STREET GUYS enter.

  They are being loud and obnoxious, clearly drunk. One of them

  is eating some french fries out of a greasy McDonald's bag.

  He flops down on the bench across from the girl and checks

  her out. The other two guys start getting into it with each

  other--

  WALL STREET #1

  --I'm telling you, she wanted my

  number. We should have just stayed.

  The train starts moving again...

  WALL STREET #2

  You're dreaming, man. She wasn't

  interested-- at all.

  WALL STREET #1

  Are you nuts? Did you see how close

  we were dancing!? She was in love,

  bro.

  He starts dancing a bit with himself, mimicking what he

  remembers. Wall Street #2 takes a swig from the brown bag he

  is carrying.

  WALL STREET #2

  She couldn't wait to get away from

  you.

  Joker is watching them closely, impressed by their confidence

  and easy-going camaraderie.

  WALL STREET #1

  (to the third guy)

  Ryan, am I crazy? Tell him what you

  saw.

  But the third Wall Street guy isn't paying his friends any

  attention. He has his eyes set on the young woman sitting

  across from him, reading her book.

  WALL ST
REET #3

  (to the girl)

  Hey. You want some french fries?

  32.

  He holds out his McDonald's bag and shakes it to get her

  attention. The other two share a look. Joker watches from his

  seat.

  WALL STREET #3

  Hello? I'm talking to you. You want

  some fries?

  She looks up and shakes her head, polite smile.

  YOUNG WOMAN

  No thank you.

  The other two guys crack up at this apparent blow-off. The

  third Wall Street guy shakes his head, embarrassed, and

  starts softly flinging fries at the young woman.

  WALL STREET #3

  You sure? They're really good.

  She just buries her face deeper in her book--

  WALL STREET #2

  Don't ignore him. He's being nice

  to you.

  One of the french fries lands in her hair. She looks down

  toward Joker, looking to see if he's going to do something or

  say something--

  Joker just sits there nervous. Not sure what to do, or even

  if he wants to do anything at all.

  AND HE JUST BURSTS OUT LAUGHING. He covers his mouth with his

  hand as they continue to harass the woman.

  They all look over-- What the fuck is this clown laughing at?

  WALL STREET #1

  Something funny, asshole?

  With their attention diverted, the young woman rushes out

  through the door between subway cars, glancing back at Joker

  before she goes--

  WALL STREET #3

  (shouts after her)

  BITCH!

  Joker laughs even harder through his hand. The Wall Street

  guys turn to him sitting by himself at the end of the car--

  33.

  Joker sees them staring. Looks down at the ground, hand still

  covering his mouth, face turning red. Subway swaying, lights

  flickering on and off.

  Beat.

  One of the guys heads down the car toward Joker, starts

  singing "Send in the Clowns" as he approaches--

  WALL STREET #1

  (singing)

  Isn't it rich?

  Are we a pair?

  Me here, at last on the ground

  *

  You in mid-air

  Send in the clowns.

  *

  The others crack up and follow after him. The guy plops down

  next to Joker, puts his arm around his shoulder as he sings--

  JOKER

  (shakes his head, stifling

  the laughter)

  Please. Don't.

  WALL STREET #1

  (continues singing to him)

  Isn't it bliss?

  Don't you approve?

  One who keeps tearing around,

  One who can't move.

  Joker starts to get up-- The lead guy pulls him back down.

  WALL STREET #1

  Where are the clowns?

  There ought to be clowns.

  As he finishes the song, Joker's laughing fit is coming to an

  end. One of the other guys sits down on the other side of

  *

  him. He's now sandwiched in between them--

  *

  WALL STREET #2

 

‹ Prev