Joker: Folie à Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalised at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur (Joaquin Phoenix) not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that has always been inside of him.
First off, Joker: Folie à Deux is beautiful to look at. Boasting stunning cinematography and incredible movie sets, the film does a tremendous job in constructing a world that feels lived-in. Through a wonderfully animated opening sequence, the Joker sequel starts off strong with intrigue, setting up themes that it aspires to explore. After a memorable start, the movie quickly finds itself in a downward spiral, trapped in a dull narrative that struggles to fulfill its promises.
Reprising the role of Arthur Fleck/Joker, Phoenix delivers a masterful performance that’s bound to impress the audience. While the chemistry between the two leads is fascinating to watch, Lady Gaga’s Lee Quinzel feels hampered by poor characterisation. Despite the issues with her character, the famed entertainer’s superb vocals elevates some of the musical sequences to incredible heights. Despite its leads’ captivating performances, Joker: Folie à Deux is staggeringly underwhelming to watch.
The crux of Joker: Folie à Deux’s issues boil down to its writing. During the promotion of the movie, Gaga and Phillips revealed that the film’s script would be ripped to shreds and get restarted. And it shows. The original movie, while effective, was criticised for being derivative of the works of Martin Scorsese such as Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy. While the latest Joker film feels less like a Scorsese-clone, it struggles narratively to deliver anything of substance other than an assortment of “I’m 14 and this is deep” ideals cobbled into a 138-minute feature.
Despite the creative team’s vehement denial, Joker: Folie à Deux is a musical. It has the strengths of a musical, but also the weaknesses of one when it’s poorly constructed. At their best, the musical sequences are utilised effectively to emphasize the emotional state of the characters. Conversely, entire sequences could’ve been better off with just a couple of words of dialogue between characters. It’s worth noting that the musical duets between the leads are a delightful highlight in this movie.
At a glance, it seems like Joker: Folie à Deux is committed in deconstructing the psychology of the clown prince of crime. In truth, the film does very little to elaborate on the moral questions it boldly presents. Underneath the sluggish pacing and unfocused narrative, there’s a movie that attempts to shine a light on the culture of celebrity obsession, toxic masculinity, and systemic abuse. If Joker: Folie à Deux is a grand set up for a joke on a meta level, we’re still waiting for the punchline.
