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
