Joker: Folie á Deux Dir: Todd Phillips (13th Floor Film Review)

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The Joker is back! Despite intentions to the contrary, the 2019 film has a sequel. That’s what happens when a film makes over $1 billion. Everyone wants more.

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan

So, C’mon, get happy…get ready for Judgement Day!

That’s what Arthur Fleck/The Joker (Joaquin Phoenix)  is doing during most of this film, waiting to be sentenced for the crimes he committed is the previous film.

They say the waiting is the hardest part and it is, until Arthur meets Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) in the Arkham State Hospital and the two share a certain “joie de vivre”.

Folie a Deux is French for “Madness For Two” and Harley (or Lee) is mad for Arthur, while Arthur is just plain mad.

Together they make beautiful music today, singing and dancing their way through old standards such as That’s Life, Get Happy, For Once In My Life and That’s Entertainment.

This film is part courtroom drama/ part musical and, while I’m generally more inclined to enjoy a good courtroom drama, in this case its the song and dance sequences that make this film bearable.

While Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck is moody and miserable throughout, Gaga’s Harley lights up the screen whenever she’s on.

Other supporting players such as Catherine Keener as lawyer Maryanne Stewart, Steve Coogan as TV host Paddy Meyers and Zazie Beetz  who returns as Sophie Dumond are fleeting at best.

Eventually it becomes apparent that the “message” of the film is about how the news, current affairs and high-profile televised court cases (see Depp vs Heard) have become nothing more that entertainment…content to keep the masses sated.

This is character-driven more than plot driven and, unfortunately, we learn little more about Arthur’s character…fortunately we have Gaga’s Harley Quinn to entertain us.

So, look for her in the next sequel, especially if this one makes a bundle for the studio.

Marty Duda

Joker: Folie á Deux opens in cinemas today. Click here for tickets and showtimes. 

 

 

 

Marty Duda
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