Ever since Joker began breaking box office records back in October, fans have been debating one key details about Todd Phillips’ popular film. There’s a growing theory amongst viewers that the majority of the things that take place in the movie aren’t actually real, but rather a figment of Arthur Fleck’s twisted mind. That would certainly make sense, given the behaviors Arthur demonstrates throughout the film, but some feel it could take away from the experience if that were the case. Whether you find yourself for or against the theory, a new piece of evidence is being brought to the table that might go a long way towards proving that it was a dream after all.
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The biggest thing that fans point to when arguing in favor of the dream theory is the film’s final scene, in which Arthur is being questioned in an institution. Since he has a tendency to hallucinate and imagine things that aren’t real, his conversation with the doctor, and subsequent murder of said doctor, is thought by many to be in his head. This scene calls back to an earlier moment in the film when Arthur tells his therapist about a time when he was previously kept in an institution, and it looks eerily similar to the one at the end of the movie.
So the long and short of it is this: Arthur is locked up and dreaming/making up the things he does on the real world. Now that the film is out on Blu-ray, fans are going back through and looking for clues. One such fan has taken to Reddit with their findings, claiming that the clock on the wall of the white room where Arthur was locked up provides an important clue.
Take a look at the Reddit post below. As the Redditor points out, the clock on the wall in the white room and the clock on the wall in the therapist’s office both read 11:11. Another user points out in the comments that every clock in entire movie is set to that exact time.
In “Joker” (2019), as Arthur tells his social worker about when he was locked up in a hospital, there’s a quick cut to Arthur wearing what looks like a straight jacket and he’s banging his head against a window. The clock in both his cell and in the social worker’s office are the same time. from r/MovieDetails
This could easily help show that all of the film’s events are taking place in Arthur’s head, as the time is the same everywhere. Then again, it could also mean nothing at all, and simply act as a fun Easter egg from the production team.
11:11 is often thought of as the time for people to make a wish. Could breaking free and turning Gotham upside down have simply been Arthur’s wish, rather than his reality?
Let us know what you think in the comments!
