2019’s Joker was a major success — for director Todd Phillips, star Joaquin Phoenix, composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, and for the comic book movie in general. Five years later, Joker: Folie à Deux arrived. With more or less the same production team as the first film, this sequel was set to follow in the footsteps of the 2019 drama as a huge hit. However, Folie à Deux ended up as one of the biggest box office bombs of the year.
While critics were more mixed — the film got positive reviews from Empire and Sight and Sound — audiences were unanimously outraged at what was considered by some to be a total betrayal of the first movie’s fans. But is it possible that millions of people may have misunderstood it? Could Folie à Deux actually be a secret masterpiece? It’s undoubtedly one of the biggest comic book movie failures in recent years (even Madame Web got a higher rating from CinemaScore), but it actually does a number of extremely clever and subversive things and demonstrates a level of bravery that most blockbusters can’t muster.

Joker: Folie à Deux continues the story of Arthur “Joker” Fleck, a mentally unwell man who, as the film opens, has spent several years in Arkham Asylum for his crimes from the 2019 movie. However, Folie à Deux is also about the original film itself. Lady Gaga’s character, Harleen Frances Quinzel (a reimagining of Harley Quinn), develops a fascination with Arthur, obsessed with his “Joker” persona, treating him as some sort of revolutionary in a fight against the system. How did Lee find out about Joker? She watched a “TV movie”.

Related

Quentin Tarantino Hits Back At Fanboy Outrage Over His Love Of ‘Joker 2’

The legendary director was one of the rare public defenders of the ‘Joker’ sequel.

Yes, that’s right. The 2019 Joker film essentially exists within the narrative of its own sequel. Lee represents the fans who wanted to see Arthur become a criminal mastermind, but had lost sight of the first movie’s central point — that he is a man in need of help who is being unfairly treated by a societal system which doesn’t care about the little guy. Throughout Folie à Deux, Arthur battles with whether this “Joker” persona is really him or a split personality. The crowds of people chanting for the Joker resemble the moviegoers who wanted to see Joker’s rise in the criminal underworld. But that isn’t what Todd Phillips wanted to portray.
The Audience Shares Arthur’s Madness

While Arthur himself has significantly less agency in this sequel than in the original movie, this is deliberate. The point made in the first film about a system which ignores or exploits people who haven’t got a voice is continued in a radical way. Now that Arthur has received a level of fame, his entire court case is televised for all of Gotham — all of America, even — to see.
People are profiting from Arthur’s mental state, and he’s still not getting any better, just as studios profited significantly from Joker without most people actually getting the point. Folie à Deux encourages audiences to re-examine their approach to Joker, subverting their expectations about this character and who he should become. Audiences don’t want him to get better; they want him to be a mass-murdering villain. That’s not who Arthur is, and that was never the intended story direction.

Related

10 Big Differences Between Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker and Heath Ledger’s

Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix may both be the Joker, but they play two very different versions of the character.

In a sense, the title itself points to this. Folie à Deux is a psychiatric term for a shared delusion, meaning “madness of two.” It’s as if Phillips is saying that Arhur’s mental health issues have spread to the audience, who are sharing in his delusions. The sequel is the director’s attempt to cure the madness, even if it means former fans have to hate and reject the films. It’s a brave choice for a filmmaker, and one that has to be applauded.
The Phenomenal Performances of ‘Joker 2’

At the center of Joker: Folie à Deux is the same Joaquin Phoenix who won the Oscar for his portrayal of Arthur in the 2019 movie. He is in even finer form here, giving so much emotion and so much character depth through facial expressions and body language alone, given that he has far less dialogue in this sequel. Arthur is knocked around by pretty much everybody in this movie, and Phoenix is utterly spellbinding as a man who is mistreated by everyone around him. He may be a murderer, but Arthur was always a victim — and that is felt more in this film than ever.

Related

John Waters Calls ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ One of the Best Films of 2024: “Stupid Critics”

It’s one of the lowest rated films of the year, but the Pope of Trash loved it.

The supporting cast is equally outstanding, in particular Brendan Gleeson as Jackie Sullivan, an Arkham security guard who frequently abuses the inmates. The way that he switches from imitating a whistling, smiling, happy man to a disturbingly cold and uncaring abuser is utterly chilling, and bound to set the audience on edge. Throughout everything else is Lady Gaga’s Lee. Gaga was probably the perfect choice for this character, communicating Lee’s mental health conditions well without ever leaning into caricature or parody. Her love for Joker feels genuine — as does her pity for Arthur.
Lights On, Music Up

Something that sets Folie à Deux apart from its predecessor is that it’s a musical. The musical numbers are far more varied than many critics have noted — some are diegetic and take place within the narrative (similar to Arthur’s rendition of “That’s Life” at the end of the first Joker), while others take place within Arthur and Lee’s fantasy space, imagined on a Broadway stage or evoking old Hollywood.
These songs punctuate the film and feel well-placed. Most of the tunes are used to showcase the relationship between Arthur and Lee as it rises and falls, and both actors are masterful in their treatment of the material. There’s also an audience-antagonizing element to some of the music, which distorts certain well-known classics into more off-key or foreboding musical numbers.

Related

15 Musicals You Can Stream Right Now

These musicals available for streaming right now allow viewers to sing along to the songs from the comfort of their homes.

Additionally, lighting and color are used to wonderful effect throughout this movie. Arthur’s cell, and most of Arkham’s “C ward” are monochrome, lit darkly, and exist almost as though watching in black-and-white. By contrast, as soon as Arthur arrives at the “B ward” to meet Lee, a warmth is brought to the screen, with vibrant color trying to burst out. This translates into the costume designs as well, Arthur switching between the brown and beige tones of his regular attire for the court and the vibrancy of his Joker outfit. It’s a gloriously subtle use of color that serves as an indication of what Arthur is thinking — the world of Joker is brighter, more exciting, but also loud and brash.
Overall, it’s disappointing that so many viewers of Folie à Deux were so intent on disliking it for subverting their expectations. Phillips was very clear throughout the movie what his true message was. After all, as Arthur says: “I don’t think we’re giving the audience what they want.”

Your changes have been saved

Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips’ critically acclaimed comic book thriller Joker. Reprising his Academy Award-winning performance as the failed comedian Arthur Fleck, Joaquin Phoenix revisits the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga, who makes her debut as Joker’s lover Harley Quinn in this standalone continuity of the DC Universe.

Release Date

October 4, 2024

Runtime

138 Minutes

Cast

Joaquin Phoenix
, Lady Gaga
, Brendan Gleeson
, Catherine Keener
, Zazie Beetz
, Steve Coogan
, Harry Lawtey
, Leigh Gill
, Jacob Lofland
, Sharon Washington
, Troy Fromin
, Bill Smitrovich
, John Lacy
, Ken Leung

Expand