All in all, I must say Joker: Folie a Deux does make a good case against its existence, Joker 2 was disappointing, to say the least. One nearly senses any reluctance director and co-writer Todd Phillips might have had while developing the film. I thought Joker was very different from the typical DC comic movie, but now that thinking makes more sense. To say Joker was a two-hour movie is an understatement, it was a singular story, the first and last of its kind in that regard. Joker: Folie a Deux is more of a short story rather than a sequel, the plot serves solely as a bridge connecting the separate universes: the endless chase of the Botsford nut and tracing back several beats from the first film. It may also be worth mentioning that in the sequel, some parts of Phoenix’s performance borders on the line of comedy which is strange considering how well he played Joker in the first film.
I have to hand it to Phillips for at least not going down the expected route with Folie a Deux. Outside of the several musical interludes i.e. 20th century standards, which is a rather enjoyable feature, this is a downer. The first one was also in a way, but there was some core reason to focus on Joker and the arc was however strange, and very interesting. This depicts Arthur Fleck’s (Phoenix) life in prison during the first half of the movie and how he, in the latter half, recreates his own Brothers Menendez-type drama in the overhyped “Trial of the Century”. The biggest letdown was the fact that the early part of the film did not do justice to the hype of the mid-film romance of Arthur Fleck with fellow Arkham asylum resident Lee Quinzel who is Harley Quinn, Lady Gaga. When I say far too much, I mean a generic eventless procedural drama with almost no developments – and events packed.
Making Joker: Folie a Deux a raging quasi-musical is an act of desperation. A key challenge Phillips faces is that now in Joker he has finished Fleck’s character arc. The songs (and dancing) do serve a purpose. The story is from Fleck’s point of view and Fleck is not the most trustworthy person. He has delusions. In general, one finds musicals to be strange things in the first place but Phillips finds a way of making this element work. Rather, it is almost everything else that does not.
One thing I can appreciate (perhaps the only thing) is Lady Gaga. Harley Quinn as depicted by Lady Gaga barely relates to Margo Robbie’s performances. This is virtually a different person and it does not take Gaga more than a couple of scenes to claim Ms Lee Quinzel as her own. The character eventually starts as Fleck’s confidante who turns out to be his muse and lover, and then ends up differently. Although Lee does not have much of a width and depth, Gaga is all there enjoying the performance. She is a daughter of the arm, the mother more than the wife.
Phoenix easily revives Fleck however many of the idiosyncrasies and character traits that made the character seem deranged in the Joker are no longer effective. It’s almost as if the actor is now playing a caricature of the role he previously essayed instead of a heightened version of that maniac. Blame the Box Office Sequel Necessity principal. Otherwise, there is no way I will see this film’s conclusion being satisfying for the overwhelming majority of viewers; it seems to me at least as if it were a cop although I think I understand what Phillips is doing (or at least trying to do).
As seen in the trailer, Phoenix’s Phoenix feels rather bland and uninspiring in his final portrayal, lacking the depth and intent of complex heart characters in his many great performances, This shouldn’t have been an issue as the film filled one the final puzzle pieces that was missing about Jokers history. That was more than enough for me to place Joker on last year’s Top 10 list ending the year. They should have set it in stone that no sequel would be moving forward as this new one didn’t come anywhere close to what Joker was. Not that I would call it an insult to the original, But that would be an over-reach, The banality comes through for every second that it is on screen, As an allegory, it’s ok, As a character piece it’s uneven at best. Maybe the songs in the musical parts were elements of something great in some music videos. In the end, all thoughts that rolled through my mind were that the movie was an over-ambitious multi-hyperrealistic blend.
It is worth asking if this was just a mockery worth multibillion dollars created by Phillips and Phoenix. Remember that Warner Brothers was begging for a follow up so they told them yes and then put together a nasty pitch that would alienate everyone from the average cinema-goer to the die-hard supporter. The prospects for word-of-mouth on Folie a Deux could not get poorer, nor could the film be expected to have any “legs” so to speak. A fast death is predicted and would be highly earned.
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