Disturbing, dark, emotional, and unlike anything I imagined it would be — these are some phrases uttered after the screening of Joker: Folie à Deux. This follow-up to 2019’s Joker is a loud cry for “sympathy for the Devil.” Are the minds of audiences around the world to be thus polluted delivering sympathy towards the Evil One?
Director Todd Phillips attempts to humanize the Joker to a larger extent in this sequel. Forget about the lack of acknowledgment and responsibility for just a moment, because he’s in love, and Arkham guards are the worst. This “jukebox musical” is a big risk that I am not sure many will appreciate. But boy, was it entertaining.
You just can’t look away.
Joker: Folie à Deux is Warner Bros’ latest film, produced by Warner Bros Pictures and DC Studios, based on a screenplay co-written by Phillips and Scott Silver. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, who reprises his role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, and Lady Gaga, who introduces us to her version of Harleen “Lee” Quinzel / Harley Quinn. Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener also star. Joker: Folie à Deux picks up two years after the events of Joker (2019). Arthur is now a patient, incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital, where he falls in love with Lee. The duo experience musical madness and it’s a chaotic, slightly romantic adventure.
In an exclusive interview with Director Todd Phillips, he assured us that Arthur will not become the “Clown Prince of Crime.” Joker: Folie à Deux is a hyper focused story that showcases the fragility and fractured state of Arthur, the man behind the growing symbolic clown paint. The audience is brought into Arkham as if we were patients/inmates there, too. The film provides a space for the audience to build empathy and sympathy for a villain/vigilante through Arthur’s encounters with others in this tight space. The film is so busy trying to make us feel sorry for or excuse Arthur’s actions from the first film, that it forgets that other characters need attention. Gotham is such a rich, complex world; it’s a shame we don’t see more of it or the development of characters within it.
After winning the Golden Lion at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, Joker grossed over $1 billion worldwide and led the 2020 Oscars with 11 nominations. Joaquin Phoenix earned the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck/Joker. His performance in Joker: Folie à Deux continues to amaze. Through the use of his physical gestures, singing, and maniacal laughter, his character has developed into something otherworldly. The physicality and emotion that Phoenix emits on screen mark him as one of the best actors out there. He continues to be scary good at his craft.
The musical elements of the film were phenomenal. A significant risk was taken, and something masterful was achieved. As a film nerd, I appreciated the use of classic musical numbers. As a lover of musicals, I enjoyed the use of songs to highlight and move the story along. These characters didn’t break out into song for the heck of it. If anything, the addition of musical elements puts a spotlight on their mental health and how disturbed and terrifying their actions are. Gaga’s musical performance was incredible. Phoenix sounded as I would expect a patient with his state of mind to sound. The film’s score was brilliant as well. It added another layer of intensity, sinister vibes, and precise pacing. Music can either keep you in a scene or remind you that you are indeed watching a movie. The score for Joker: Folie à Deux kept me engaged, on the edge of my seat, and sometimes biting my nails.
As the only woman in my Joker: Folie à Deux screening, I felt a sense of empowerment and responsibility. But, I exited the screening feeling that it was shameful that I did not care for any of the female characters in this film. The movie is called Joker. I get it. It’s about Joker, the man. But let’s talk about Harleen “Lee” Quinzel for a second. I was not a fan of her character or the use of her character in this story. Historically, fans of this couple know that Joker and Harley’s romance is toxic, but I was given this uneasy feeling that the moral of the story is that women are the problem. There was no sympathy for his female lawyer; no sympathy for the female doctor who testified on his behalf; no sympathy for the woman who loved him and wanted to be there for him no matter what. But, by all means, let’s give sympathy to the man who killed six people and ignited a riot.
We got bits and pieces here and there of who Lee is, but the story never provides the character development needed to show how she became obsessed with Arthur. Director Todd Phillips noted how this version of the Harley character is manipulative, amoral, and “more grounded.” I can forgive the deliberate omission of the classic Harley mannerisms and style to fit into the world created in the first Joker film. But to strip her of her “flexible” morality without context made her character insufferable. There are also plot holes as to why she had so much access to Arthur inside Arkham.
Plot holes, minimal character development, and toxic masculinity aside, Joker: Folie à Deux is a complicated, intense, and entertaining film. It’s not as shocking as the first, but the Joker is still a terrifying character in this universe.
Joker: Folie à Deux is set to have its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2024, and will hit US theaters on October 4, 2024.
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