MOVIE REVIEW: JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX

 

Struggling with his dual identity, failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital.

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey

Release Date: October 4, 2024

Genre: Crime, Drama, Musical, Thriller

Rated R for some strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality, and brief full nudity.

Runtime: 2h 19m

Review:

Joker: Folie à Deux is a strange sequel that brings excellent production values and strong performances but its oddly listless and uneven throughout.  Todd Phillips brings back the oppressive sense of depression and desperation albeit in a more claustrophobic setting.  The visuals leave an immediate impression with its stark imaginary of the dank interiors of Arkham that an emaciated Arthur Fleck inhabits.  It connects easily with the first film's sensibilities until the musical numbers slowly start to kick in as delusional disconnects from reality.  They maintain a very 70s aesthetic which fits the film's real world setting but Phillips fails to take advantage of going full bore into fantasy.  As a result some sequences feel far more mundane than they should with a Sonny and Cher inspired sequence working best overall.  Joaquin Phoenix easily slips back into the central role with a physical transformation that echoes Christian Bale's in 2004 The Machinist.  Phoenix brings a tortured authenticity to the character with a measured turn that displays the depth of despair he lives in for large swathes of time.  He's always the most interesting performer onscreen even with the addition of Lady Gaga as Lee.  Gaga is equally impressive but her character is underserved by the script that gives her very little to do.  Its a huge missed opportunity since this iteration of Quinn seems ripe for exploration outside of being a serial killer groupie by way of the Manson Family.  The story overall deals with the dangers of martyrdom and demagoguery and movements that spring out of them but it never engages with the topic in a serious or meaningful manner.  This leaves Joker: Folie à Deux feel like a weird mashup of Natural Born Killers and Chicago with far less sequins.  

C

MOVIE REVIEW: APARTMENT 7A

 

An ambitious young dancer, Terry Gionoffrio, dreams of fame and fortune in New York City. But, after suffering a devastating injury, an older, wealthy couple welcomes her into their home in the luxury apartment building, the Bramford. 

Director: Natalie Erika James

Cast: Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest, Jim Sturgess, Kevin McNally

Release Date: September 27, 2024

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated R for some violent content and drug use.

Runtime: 1h 42m

Review:

Apartment 7A works better than it should as a companion piece to Rosemary's Baby, albeit unnecessary, thanks to competent and efficient direction and a strong turn from Julia Garner.  Natalie Erika James does her best to recreate the creepiness of the original while avoiding outright mimicry of Roman Polanski's original with a few fascinating flourishes that stand on their own.  She would have been better served to pave her own path more often throughout the film's brisk runtime in order for this entry to stand on its own.  There are just too many checkbox moments where the original's events or people are referenced even if it doesn't serve this particular story.   The set up is different enough to give this story a different angle but it never takes full advantage of it before it starts down its final, predetermined path.  It feels like a missed opportunity especially since the cast is more than up to the task.  Julia Garner brings a level of ambitious paired with trepidation to her character that makes her performance incredibly watchable throughout.  Garner's talent is on full display as her character goes through subtle, emotional turns as her plight gets more precarious.  It’s a solid performance that mostly avoids any Mia Farrow imitations outside of a late stage moment that the film could have done without.  Kevin McNally and Dianne Wiest turn in their best impressions of Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon as the Castevets.  McNally does a great job of capturing Blackmer's appearance and intonation in his line delivery.  Likewise, Wiest captures the distinctive voice from Ruth Gordon's Oscar winning turn as Minnie while giving her performance more of an outright menacing quality.  They'll never measure up to the original performance, but they are competent enough to work within the context of this film.  The same could be said for the film as whole since it’s well crafted and acted but never does enough to make it required viewing.

C+