Film Review: Joker: Folie à Deux

I don’t want to go as far as to say that I’m a Joker: Folie à Deux defender, I wouldn’t say the film totally works overall, but I do think it is a far more interesting film than the first, which I notably did not like at all. I felt like it was nothing more than a hollow pastiche that was nowhere near deserving of the controversy and scrutiny it had build prior to it even coming out. I found the notion of that movie being provocative and dangerous to be a laughable one, and my feelings haven’t changed one bit.

However, I was – to my surprise – intrigued by the ideas that were being presented with this sequel, mainly with it being a musical, which is a pretty bold choice. But also, it seemed like Todd Phillips and his returning co-writer, Scott Silver, are no longer latching themselves to a specific formula and style. One of my biggest critiques of the first film was that is was a very superficial mashup of Taxi Driver and The King Of Comedy, two Martin Scorsese classics, and this time, while there are definitely influences at play, it feels like they are more free to do whatever they want in terms of story, and that had my curiosity.

But I still ended up not liking the movie all that much anyway.

I will say, though…it is more interesting to me, and I was a little more engaged by it. I very much prefer this one over the first, even though the script of the first one was a bit more tight and had more momentum with its plotting. This is definitely more loosey-goosey, it doesn’t really find a good rhythm and balance with its story, and once again, I don’t think it has much of anything interesting to say. If anything, I think it kind of does away with most of the themes that were so apparent and seemingly essential with the first film. It is absolutely a messy film, but it hit certain buttons for me that I didn’t expect.

I personally have a strong fascination with films that are actively antagonistic towards its own audience. I tend to find them to be a lot of fun, and really compelling from the perspective of an artist and their relationship with said art. That is a big theme with this new one, reckoning with the repercussions of the first film. In universe, there is even a popular TV movie – which we unfortunately never get to see – that covered the events of the first film that only heightened the notoriety of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) as he awaits his trial, building a big and rabid supporter base, which feels very close to the way certain fans of the original film often act, especially in online spaces.

The film is very overtly calling out these people for being weirdos who are trying to turn a mentally ill man into some kind of folk hero and disruptor, projecting their anti-social frustrations onto him, putting him up on this pedestal when it is something he never truly asked for. It seems like Phillips was not happy that certain people weren’t “getting” his film, and felt the need to spell everything out more clearly, and quite aggressively too, especially in the courtroom sequences where we’re basically recapping events from the first film. The whole vibe is somehow both apologetic and deeply resentful, as if it hates the fact that it even exists, being forced to make this point, and that anyone who sees Fleck as anyone other than a sick and sad guy is a freak who contributes absolutely nothing to the world, only serving their own selfish desires.

So, while all that is pretty cool to me, the film sadly doesn’t hold together really well. The musical elements are awkwardly interwoven, working fine enough as standalone pieces, captured well by cinematographer Lawrence Sher, but not totally connecting with the ideas that the movie is trying to explore. The relationship between Arthur and Harleen “Lee” Quinn (Lady Gaga), another patient at Arkham Asylum isn’t as fleshed out as it could be. The pacing is all over the place, and there’s still some silly attempts at incorporating Batman/Gotham lore.

Had Joker: Folie à Deux been a bit more refined on a script level, I think I would actually like this movie quite a bit. I do think on a fundamental level, this was bound to be an upsetting and purposefully antagonizing experience for the kind of fans who have attached themselves to the first film in an unhealthy way, so it was always going to prove divisive, but at the very least, it could have been more tactical in the way it approached these ideas as opposed to the somewhat disorganized manner at which is currently operates. That said, I was actually not bored, I was consistently fascinated to see where it would go, and how it would resolve certain dynamics. And where the film ultimately ended up, I think it was fairly earned and appropriate given what the film is trying to say about systemic apathy towards marginalized communities and toxic idolatry. Even though I don’t think this totally works, I really admired this one. It only took turning against its fan base and its own existence to finally be as provocative as it has always claimed.

Joker: Folie à Deux is now out in theaters.

And in case you haven’t read my recent announcement, please read this.