If nothing else, we gotta give director/co-writer Todd Phillips props for displaying some epic bravery. The prudent, less financially risky move would’ve been to assemble a follow-up that simply delivered more of what made Joker such a massive hit, even if its characters, story and themes wouldn’t be quite as fresh (like most sequels). Conversely, and somewhat notoriously at this point, Joker: Folie á Deux defiantly flies in the face of expectations…for better or worse.
It begins brilliantly, with an animated opening prologue that not-only evokes classic Looney Tunes, it effectively foreshadows the film’s driving theme, that Arthur Fleck/Joker (Joaquin Phoenix) suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, which caused him to murder five people in the first film (six, if you include his mother). That’s the defense his beleaguered attorney plans to use in Fleck’s trial, which comprises a majority of the story and one of the major reasons this film falls short (for some viewers, way short) of the original. I think the last thing viewers expected (or wanted) was for Joker to be stuck in a courtroom for half the film.
The other half is Fleck’s relationship with Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga), whom he meets while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital. This budding romance is built on her obsession with Joker, not Fleck himself. As the defacto antagonist, she’s the catalyst for Fleck to re-embrace his Joker identity in court. Much of their relationship is depicted through musical numbers, with the two main characters performing old standards, sometimes accompanied by elaborate choreography and production design. Cemented by strong performances from Phoenix and Gaga, this is the most intriguing aspect of the entire film.
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| "Shoulda paid for that bagel, Fleck." |
Narratively, not a hell of a lot actually happens over 138 minutes. The courtroom scenes move from point A to B, mostly just recapping events from Joker before the inevitable verdict. Other conflicts, notably those involving Fleck and sadistic prison guard Jackie Sullivan (Brendan Gleeson), are given ample screen time but never resolved. Even most of the sympathy/empathy we’ve developed for the titular character stems from how he was presented in the original film. For a large portion of this one, he’s just along for the ride, which culminates in an unnecessarily dour conclusion.
Still, Joker: Folie á Deux does maintain interest, if for no other reason than the brave attempt to try something different with a sequel, expectations be damned. There’s something admirable about that approach, though I can certainly understand why some people hated it.
EXTRA KIBBLES
EVERYTHING MUST GO - This is a multi-chapter behind-the-scenes chronicle of the production, featuring plenty of interviews with the cast and crew.
FEATURETTES - The Character of Music is about the musical set-pieces; Crafted with Class covers set design; Colors of Madness focuses of the varying uses of color; Live! With Joker showcases the opening animated sequence (created by The Triplets of Belleville director, Sylvain Chomet.
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