2019’s Joker was meant to be a standalone film. Director Todd Phillips spoke out about having no plans for a sequel. The first film’s plot felt like it wrapped up nicely, that’s why many were surprised when Phillips posted on Instagram an announcement of the film’s sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux” starring Lady Gaga. As surprising as the announcement was, it’s equally as believable that Warner Bros. Pictures, the production company, would want to recreate the success of the first film, which grossed over $1 billion and became the first R-rated film to do so.
The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, reprising his role from the first film as Arthur Fleck/the Joker. With him, singer-songwriter Lady Gaga plays Harleen “Lee” Quinzel. Gaga’s performance was incredible yet she is held back by weak characterization and little screen time. Audiences will be disappointed with how underused she is in the film.
The first film left off with Arthur Fleck, the Joker, imprisoned in Arkham State Hospital for several murders. The sequel takes place two years after the first film and follows Arthur who is faced with his court trial after the crimes committed in the first film. As the title suggests, folie à deux means the shared madness of two, the Joker will find his Harley Quinn. In Arkham State Hospital, he meets Lee, a fellow inmate and a fan of the Joker, who encourages him to continue being the Joker in court. The film is so uneventful compared to the first; it feels like it could be an epilogue as opposed to a whole sequel. The plot has significantly less going on than the original; without the inclusion of musical sequences, the runtime of the film would fall around an hour.
This film, unlike the first, is a jukebox musical. Jukebox musicals are musicals that feature pre-existing songs as opposed to songs composed for the film. Both stars of the film, Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga have experience with music, prominently Gaga, but Phoenix is clearly lacking in musical talent when paired with Gaga. The shift in the genre was surprising yet not unbelievable as the first film featured several dancing sequences. Though I enjoyed the musical aspect of the film, many viewers will be off-put by the odd combination of genres.
The movie’s song selection is mostly composed of traditional musical theater songs and old popular songs from the early to mid-1900s. The song selection plays well into the plot but sometimes feels like they can take away from the scene itself. Songs from the film include “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “That’s Entertainment,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” and a mashup of “Slap That Bass,” “Get Happy,” and “What the World Needs Now is Love.” Some musical numbers don’t even take place in the scene and instead take place in Arthur and Lee’s delusion. These scenes outside of the actual plot contrast with the tone of most of the other scenes, mainly the intense court scenes. Phoenix’s Joker even tap dances to Gaga’s rendition of “Gonna Build a Mountain.”
Though the film has many negatives, one positive was the cinematography. The film is beautifully shot with vibrant dance sequents. Some scenes, such as the dream sequences, feel like they pop more than others and it helps to distinguish what is real and impactful to the plot versus what is just in Arthur and Lee’s heads. Though “Joker: Folie à Deux” has flaws, there are still positives that many reviewers will enjoy. The film’s vibrant cinematography and drastic genre shift to being a musical will leave viewers with a distinct and unforgettable film. The film is an abstract take on the Joker, but it is not as disappointing as many critics are saying.