Joker: Folie a Deux is the type of movie you get when you take a comic book movie designed to be a stand-alone film, but it does so well at the box office that a sequel is all but inevitable. That is, it’s a movie that doesn’t seem to have much of plan, or even much of a story to offer. It’s not a terrible movie, but it’s a far cry from the original and may leave some fans confused and/or angry. And oh yeah, it’s a musical.
The movie picks up not too long after the original. Arthur Fleck is rotting away in Arkham but seems to be a well-behaved inmate. One night in a music therapy session, he meets Harley Quinn. She’s a Joker fan, and the two start up something of a crazy romance. This causes Arthur to stop taking his meds and we see the Joker persona starting to emerge. Now, with Harley as his support system, he heads to trial for his crimes, with the outcome seemingly hinging on whether Arthur and Joker are two different personalities.
Truthfully, there’s not much here in terms of plot. It’s essentially the aftermath of the events in Joker. Half is his time in prison, with the other half being something of a courtroom drama. Both have their moments, but nether is particularly compelling. If you thought that Joker was a villain’s origin story, and that Folie a Deux was going to carry that forward, you’re in for a surprise. This is not the clown prince of Gotham beginning his reign on the city. Instead, it is a subdued look at a disturbed individual.
Making a sequel to Joker as a musical is a bold choice. The musical sequences are used both as a language, allowing both Arthur and Harley to express their emotions, and as escapism for Arthur. They’re good, but they never advance the plot. At best, they give some insight into Arthur’s psyche. They’re not needed though, and before long become tedious. An extended number with tap dancing does not help the storytelling. Within the context of the movie the music numbers don’t add much, and it may not be long before you’re longing for one of Arthur’s bad standup routines instead.
Of course, what makes this sequel worth watching is Joaquin Phoenix. It’s another great performance. He throws himself into the character full force. You may not like how the character is portrayed this time out, but his performance is not the issue. Lady Gaga is also pretty good. She brings a grounded reality to Harley Quinn, and she is the best part of the musical numbers. Leigh Gill also deserves some praise as even though he is in only one scene, he steals the show with a moving testimony as part of Arthur’s trial. This is a movie that is truly about the performances.
Visually, the film is wonderful too. The cinematography captures Gotham as dull and grimy, almost as if the sun never truly shines there. Conversely, many of the musical number are vibrant and colourful, almost something out of a fever dream. It provides a great juxtaposition of Arthur ’s reality versus an imaginary world he prefers.
However, even with the things it gets right, Folie a Deux never achieves the same visceral feel of Joker. And it certainly seems to be lacking a message. That seems to be by design, but it certainly lessens the impact of the movie. Folie a Deux pulls back on the mayhem as the movie isn’t about the Joker, but then, neither was the original movie. It’s always been about Arthur, a broken man failed by a broken system. But Arthur’s story was already complete and therefore, there’s no reason for the sequel to exist. Director Todd Phillips seems to know that, and as such, is using the opportunity to try a different type of storytelling rather than trying to advance a story. For fans wanting more Joker, it will be disappointing, but I’m not sure it should be that surprising.
Joker: Folie a Deux takes some chances, and while I commend the effort, the execution leaves something to be desired. The performances and cinematography are terrific, but the lack of a compelling story and out of place musical sequences keep the movie from being a cohesive unit. This is bound to be another divisive one. Some will claim it’s a work of genius, while other will rage at the gods for delivering this upon them. As for me, I’m somewhere in the middle. It’s fine for what it was, but I still felt disappointed.
Have you seen Joker: Folie A Deux? Are you planning to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.