JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Todd Phillips
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Steve Coogan, Zazie Beetz, Leigh Gill, Harry Lawtry, Bill Smitrovich, Jacob Lofland, Ken Leung.
Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for his complex and nuanced performance as the damaged Arthur Fleck (aka Joker) in Todd Phillips’ 2019 drama Joker, which transcended the usual tropes of the comic book adaptation as it provided an origins story for the character who eventually became one of Batman’s main enemies. In that film Fleck killed six people, including popular television talk show host Murray Franklin. In reprising his role for this largely disappointing and unnecessary sequel, Phoenix joins an elite list of actors who have also reprised their Oscar winning roles in follow up films – including Gene Hackman, John Wayne and Anthony Hopkins. But ultimately Joker: Folie A Deux adds little new insights into the character and can be viewed as a quick and cynical attempt to cash in.
Joker: Folie A Deux is set two years after Joker. The film begins with a short, animated film Me And My Shadow, from French animator Sylvain Chomet, featuring the character of the Joker and lots of slapstick humour.
When the film opens properly Arthur is incarcerated in the prison-like Arkham State Hospital awaiting trial. He fails to respond to the jibes from guards who repeatedly ask him for a joke. One guard, the seemingly good natured and sympathetic Jackie Sullivan (Brendan Gleeson, from In Bruges, etc) arranges for Arthur to attend a music class as a reward for good behaviour. Music classes are part of the therapy and rehabilitation program run by the institution. There he meets Harleen “Lee” Quinzell (singer/actor Lady Gaga, from the remake of A Star Is Born, etc) and he forms an immediate bond with her as she claims to have come from the same neighbourhood. The pair begin to live out a fantasy romance punctuated by some musical numbers and show tunes.
Meanwhile DA Harvey Dent (Harry Lawtry, from tv series Industry, etc) is arguing for the death penalty. Arthur’s lawyer Maryanne Stewart (Catherine Keener, from Capote, etc) is mounting her defence arguing a defence of diminished capacity, that because of a split personality he is not competent to stand trial. Lee disagrees with Maryanne’s strategy and urges Arthur to take control of his own defence.
The trial itself is being televised live to an anxious audience, and Arthur plays to the crowd, appearing in full clown makeup and colourful costume.
The script has been written by Phillips and Scott Silver, who both previously collaborated on Joker, and explores themes of love, identity, loneliness, mental illness and the allure of fame. It is a mix of bleak prison drama, courtroom drama, romantic drama and old-fashioned jukebox musical. But this film is a little clunky, has an uneven tone, and not every element works. With a generous running time of 138 minutes it is also a little long for what it has to say, and ultimately this psychological study of a broken man lacks the same sense of dramatic tension and unease as the original. Phillips’ handling of the troubling and complex issue of mental illness may at times be too confronting or down beat for mainstream audiences.
This is a moody film, it has a fairly bleak surface and in some way is darker and more claustrophobic than its predecessor. The muted colour palette from regular cinematographer Lawrence Sher perfectly suits the grim tone of the prison sequences. The musical numbers themselves seem to have been inspired by some of the classic Hollywood musicals of yesteryear and provide moments of colour and contribute to a more upbeat tone. Mark Freidberg’s gothic production design gives Arkham and the streets of Gotham City a bleak, decaying look, and imbues the courtroom sequences with a sense of grandeur and importance. Erik Aadahl’s rich sound design also adds to the uncomfortable mood as does the sombre piano driven score from Hildur Guonadottir (Tar, etc).
Phoenix again delivers a riveting performance in the lead role, capturing Arthur’s damaged and manic nature but also hinting at his vulnerabilities and insecurities. He also seems to have lost weight to play an emaciated Arthur in the opening scenes. Gaga certainly delivers with the musical numbers but her overall performance as Lee is less assured. However, the chemistry between the pair is lacking.
Phillips has assembled a solid ensemble supporting cast. Gleeson has a strong and intimidating presence and is good as the (not so) sympathetic Sullivan. Steve Coogan essentially plays it straight as Paddy Meyers, a tabloid television journalist who interviews Arthur while he is awaiting trial, but he still manages to carry traces of his more famous Alan Partridge character. Bill Smitrovich brings a touch of class to his small role as the officious and stern judge Rothwax, a character whose demeanour was supposedly inspired by legendary film director Martin Scorsese, whose films like Taxi Driver and The King Of Comedy provided strong inspiration for the look and feel of the first movie.
Like many sequels, Joker: Folie A Deux falls short of the expectations established by the original five years ago. The film is likely to prove divisive and less of a crowd pleaser, especially given its unexpected and downbeat ending.
★★☆
