Reviewing the highly anticipated Joker: Folie à Deux

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Todd Phillips’s Joker: Folie à Deux is a sequel that, from the outset, was almost guaranteed given the success of its predecessor. After all, the 2019 Joker took the world by storm, earning over $1 billion at the box office and securing Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar for “Best Actor.” 

Yet, the direction this sequel would take was anything but certain. In the risk-averse landscape of 2024 Hollywood, many might have expected a straightforward continuation of Joker’s reign as Gotham City’s most notorious agent of chaos. 

But Phillips, alongside stars Phoenix and Lady Gaga, proves that this film is anything but conventional, embracing an ambitious — and at times, frustrating — blend of romance, show tunes, and bleak nihilism.

For better or worse, Joker: Folie à Deux offers a unique cinematic experience that mixes musical elements with law and disorder, leaning into its identity as possibly the most grim and disorienting jukebox musical ever made. But the key question remains — is this bold risk worth the reward?

Opening with a 1950s Looney Tunes-style recap of the Joker’s infamous murder of talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) on live television, the film immediately sets the tone for a story that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. The sequel finds Arthur Fleck, now incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital, awaiting trial for his crimes. 

However, his monotonous life of captivity is soon disrupted when he encounters Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga), an inmate who becomes infatuated with him. Their mutual obsession blooms into a twisted romance, punctuated by musical numbers that attempt to capture the emotional undercurrents of their disturbed minds.

The use of songs like “That’s Entertainment” from the 1953 musical The Band Wagon underlines this theme, emphasizing the blurred boundaries between Joker’s delusions and the media’s portrayal of his villainous persona. The film flirts with ambition, taking on themes of obsession, delusion, and betrayal. At times, it feels like a twisted version of Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz, filtered through a dark and grim funhouse mirror. 

While the film’s ambition is commendable, it often stumbles in its execution. The numerous musical numbers feel jammed into the story, diluting the impact of what could have been a clever narrative device. 

Though the performances are intimate, the songs tend to be too on the nose, like when Gaga performs “(They Long to Be) Close to You” during a prison visit with a thick Plexiglas panel separating her from Fleck. It’s a symbolic moment, but the weight of it is lost amid the lackluster delivery.

Phoenix, once again, transforms himself into Fleck, his emaciated frame and hunched posture reflecting years of abuse and torment at the hands of his mother. When he dons the Joker’s garish suits and makeup, his entire demeanor shifts, embodying the character’s psychological split. Phoenix’s commitment to the role is nothing short of remarkable, creating two distinct personalities within one character.

However, despite this depth, the film underused Gaga. Quinzel’s initial curiosity about Fleck’s rebellious folk-hero persona makes her a compelling character in the film’s first hour, even invoking shades of a cult follower with her growing fascination. 

Unfortunately, her role diminishes as the focus shifts to Fleck’s antics, particularly during the courtroom scenes where her presence fades. Gaga’s portrayal of Quinzel had the potential to be one of the film’s standout elements, but, instead, she feels sidelined, leaving the audience wanting more from her character.

In the end, Joker: Folie à Deux may be an ambitious and visually arresting project, but its scattered storytelling and uneven execution blunt the power and danger of its title character. While some may appreciate its risk-taking and experimental nature, others will find it difficult to engage with a film that, despite its potential, feels like a chaotic collage of ideas rather than a coherent piece of cinema. Whether the risk was worth the reward will depend on the viewer, but one thing is certain — Folie à Deux is not a film anyone will easily forget.