Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital. Upon his release, the two of them embark on a doomed romantic misadventure.

My Take – Released in 2019, Joker, a standalone feature loosely based on Batman’s arguably most popular antagonist, was unlike any other superhero fare. Mainly as it worked as a character study, in the vein of filmmaker Scorsese’s The King of Comedy (1982) and Taxi Driver (1976), explored complex themes of mental illness and criticized the world we are actually living in today in ways that few films do.

By giving its infamous central character a chillingly plausible origin story that served as a brilliant showcase for its star lead star Joaquin Phoenix, the film ended up finding massive box office success by grossing over $1 billion, the first R-rated film to do so at the time, and garnering several awards, including Best Actor and Best Original Score at the 92nd Academy Awards.

Simply told, the Todd Phillips directorial was a raw, dark film that didn’t need gimmicks or unnecessary changes to make a statement. Something that is not the case with the sequel, which despite a lot of potential, falls short of expectations. Once again, proving that not every successful film need a sequel.

While Joaquin Phoenix delivers another captivating portrayal of the troubled Arthur Fleck, the film’s narrative and creative choices ultimately disappoint. Especially, the ambitious choice to transform the sequel into a musical, which although bold, never manages to be interesting.

Though the first film won us over with its psychological depth and its powerful social criticism, this second installment struggles to find its own identity. As the choices made here seem like a desperate attempt to be different without respecting the core of what made the original so compelling. Particularly, as the musical numbers, while ambitious, feel jarring and disrupt the flow of the narrative, creating an uneven and inconsistent experience tonally.

Sure, it has its moments, as we get a very likable new Harley Quinn in Lady Gaga, but even the much highlighted central relationship between her and Arthur, fails to convince, leaving us feeling underwhelmed.

Taking place two years after the events of the first film, the story once again follows Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), who has been locked up in Gotham City’s Arkham Asylum. His daily routine involves being awoken by gruff prison guards who demand jokes from him while he empties his latrine. He no longer speaks very much and certainly no longer smiles.

All set to stand trial for all his crimes with the death penalty being championed by Harvey Dent (Harry Lawtey), the newly elected assistant district attorney, that is unless his lawyer Maryanne Stewart (Catherine Keener) can convince the jury that he is suffering from multiple personality disorder.

He’s pretty much given up on life that is until, prison guard Jackie Sullivan (Brendan Gleeson) volunteers him for an inmate musical therapy class. Where he ends up meeting and instantly connecting with Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga), a new inmate who happens to be a big fan of his work.

Her sympathy and love, the one thing he has always wanted, seem to break him out of his misery. And as the trial gets underway, Arthur’s frayed psyche blurs the line between fantasy and reality making him realize that Joker is who he wants, and needs, to be.

Spending most of its runtime rehashing the original through court scenes and interviews, rather than pushing the story forward, Todd Phillips and Scott Silver‘s screenplay lacks the depth and complexity of the original, often relying on shock value rather than meaningful exploration of its themes.

Here, the film’s attempts at social commentary feel heavy-handed and lack the subtlety that made the 2019 film so impactful. Ironically, the film also feels its best when it alludes to the iconic scenes and atmosphere of the first film, rather than when it tries to experiment with new elements.

The call backs to Arthur’s lonely and disturbed journey in the original film evoke the same eerie tension and emotional weight that made it so powerful.

However, the misplaced musical sequences ultimately detract from the story’s flow, feeling more like diversions than meaningful additions. Both real and imagined songs are scattered throughout the 138 minute runtime. Sadly, none of these are particularly catchy, and one of them, in which Phoenix and Gaga sing about mountains, is downright embarrassing, but at least the production looks good.

The introduction of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn initially sparks intrigue, but their dynamic fails to fully ignite, leaving their relationship feeling underdeveloped. As much of it is sidelined during the film’s lengthy courtroom scenes, which promise chaos when Arthur begins representing himself. Unfortunately, the delirium of Phoenix smearing on the grease paint to play both attorney and defendant isn’t quite delivered.

Yes, quite a few scenes in this film captivated me. The aesthetics, score and aura of these scenes had my full attention, but they were sparse. Director Phillips’s inability to string scenes together made for lackluster storytelling.

Despite its shortcomings, the performances are excellent across the board. Joaquin Phoenix‘s performance is a tour de force, once again showcasing his incredible range and commitment to the character. Lady Gaga also brings depth to her role as Harley Quinn, adding a new dynamic to Arthur’s story.

The chemistry between Phoenix and Gaga adds a fascinating layer to the film, but unfortunately, these moments are too few and far between.

In supporting roles, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Harry Lawtey, Jacob Lofland and Zazie Beetz are solid. On the whole, ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is a disappointing sequel whose frantic, disjointed attempt to outdo its predecessor ultimately underwhelms.