‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Movie Review: Todd Phillips’ Sequel Is A Dull Companion Piece To The First Film Without Much Of Anything To Say
Photo from Warner Bros.
From Joe Peltzer
Building off of the success of 2019’s Joker, a nominee for Best Picture at that year’s Oscars where star Joaquin Phoenix claimed the Best Actor prize, was always a fool’s errand, in my opinion. Whereas the first film explored a storied character in a realistic and grounded manner rife with complex analysis of mental illness and economic inequality, the latter fails to add much new. Instead, Joker: Folie à Deux presents a muted titular character alongside a criminally underdeveloped (and underused) Harley Quinn adaptation, resulting in a sluggish and tedious, musically-infused cinematic failure.
Two years after the events of the first film, Joker: Folie à Deux finds Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) locked up in a psych ward, accused of numerous murders and inciting city riots. As he speeds towards a highly-anticipated trial, he encounters and quickly becomes enraptured with Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Gaga), an obsessive enigma who sees a future with the Clown Prince of Crime. A tale as old as time, the dynamic of Joker and Harley should have lent itself to a natural canvas upon which writer/director Todd Phillips could have taken things to the next level. Instead the filmmaker seems content with a meandering narrative that fails to capitalize on the tonal shock of the first film and the talented cast of the second. Joker: Folie à Deux reeks of an auteur so fed up with the sandbox he is playing in, perhaps never expecting the success Joker led to, that he crafts a project void of purpose, entangled in disappointment.
The bright spots of Joker: Folie à Deux exist thanks to the talented cast, led by Phoenix and supported by the talents of Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Harry Lawtey. As the sometimes friendly, mostly corrupt guard at Arkham Asylum, The Banshees of Inisherin’s Gleeson shows that he knows how to let the comedy flow as opposed to the more serious fare he is synonymous with. Keener for her part is dynamic as Fleck’s attorney, consistently offering a sympathetic take to the potential mental health struggles of the character and serving as a sort of grounding presence for both the titular character and the film itself. Lawtey, too, makes his presence known with a strong, confident portrayal of a young Harvey Dent from the District Attorney’s office, the man who will go on to become Two Face. Add in appearances by the returning Zazie Beetz and Leigh Gill (Sophie and Gary, respectively) and you have a committed cast ready to play ball. Sadly, there is no pitcher.
Visually Joker: Folie à Deux picks up right where the 2019 entry left all, once again showcasing an artistically muted, yet visually apt understanding of the source material. Cinematographer Lawrence Sher once again is flawless in creating an immersive design that sends the images pulsing through your body, the film’s tone felt strongly. It’s just that it ends up being all for not thanks to the shoddy narrative. Hildur Guðnadóttir has also returned, echoing her past score with a moody presence that again elevates the craft, though her work is unnecessarily and unfortunately wedged between uninspired fantasy musical numbers. Yes, this is in fact a musical, but not the fun kind. The song selections simply did not work, an older catalog fished for congruency but ultimately coming up short. Gaga’s voice is remarkable, her vocal contributions notably brilliant, however misplaced. Phoenix’s singing adds an authenticity to the charade, but the moments ultimately weaken the character’s essence.
Whereas the first film was robustly tough and over-the-top, the second plays it frustratingly safe at every turn, never taking the shackles off of its two stars. Phoenix’s portrayal comes off duplicative of the 2019 outing while Gaga is rearing to go in every scene, just in a vehicle heading nowhere; the ‘Harlequin’ songstress clocks a very short on-screen presence. The presence of Lee is ultimately a placeholder of wasted time, flashy distraction from a directionless film that ends on perhaps the most interesting (albeit controversial) note. The courtroom drama had flashes home potential intrigue that soon dragged into tiring nothingness. Without getting into spoilers, the final moments did feel like a commentary on a broken system of rehabilitation, mixed with recognition of the potential for inspirational impact, both good and bad. An ending a la Romeo & Juliet would have made more sense.
It’s exhausting to see a sequel fall flat on its face after the initial film was such a divisive, yet commercially and awards-related successful standout. Joker: Folie à Deux has nothing new to say, nothing inspiring its existence; Phillips is going through the motions without skin in the game, a true shame for Phoenix and Gaga. I guess the joke is on us, though, for expecting lightning to hit twice.
Rating: 1.5/5
Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters on Friday.
