Joker: Folie à Deux: A Musical Mess That Never Strikes The Right Note

Most of us remember when the first Joker film came out in 2019, say what you will, it was a huge moment. I remember the iconic trailers that burrowed their way into many group chats I was in, all my friends saying it looked crazy and totally different for a superhero movie if it could even be called that. Then, once the actual film came out, it felt like everyone had a different opinion. A masterpiece? A disaster? A problematic film that will incite violence? Well for me, it was really none of those things. To me, it was a confused film that did not know quite what it was saying but did that in a vastly entertaining way that enthralled me. Some of the scenes, such as the climax on the talk show or the bathroom dance, were undeniably well put together. So, going into this sequel, I was hoping for at least the same. A film that gets lost in the theming and point but sticks the landing when it comes to creating an intense thriller. Well, it shames me to say, this film gets very lost in every way, and it honestly was just a snore. 

Now what is this film about? Arthur, or the Joker, played by Joaquin Pheonix is in prison for what he did in the first film and now must answer for his crimes. Much of the film is a courtroom “drama” where he must defend himself and convince the jury that he is an insane man who can be cured, not a sane man who should die for his crimes. Along the way, he falls in love with another inmate, Lee, played by Lady Gaga, who helps inspire delusions that his fantasy of the Joker is something that is good and that he can control. 

Now, much has been said about the decision to make this a musical, that was one of the first things we heard about this movie and it was crazy news to hear. Well I am going to tell you that the decision itself is not a bad one. I can see the vision. This is a film about Auther creating a fantasy for himself to justify who he has become. So, using music to create a fantasy is honestly a great idea. That sort of vibe was something that honestly interested me. And for the first few musical numbers, it almost worked. The very first time Aurther sang, it was so strange and different that I could tell the whole theater was locked in. Then, the first number with Gaga was really well done. It felt like if the film kept this strange and off-kilter vibe that really leaned into the fantasy, we could have something very special on our hands. Well, this leads to the first big issue, the tone of this movie. It never finds an honest tone to stick to. It feels like it never commits fully to the musical aspect. Every song (and there are a lot of them) begins unconfidently with no real pop. Usually, Arther shakily begins to sing some high notes and awkwardly jams his way through a musical number. Few of the songs really go for it. If this movie fully dived for it, running head first into the fantasy, we would be looking at something that was at least entertaining. I thought the songs themselves were fine but honestly, they all sounded the same to me. It is hard to tell you one that really sticks out compared to the rest. They all flowed into each other, and few of them had a real impact. Also, this is mean, but I don’t think that Joaquin Phoenix had a great singing voice. He's really trying, though, so its not so bad. 

I think the worst part of this movie is the pacing. Much has been said about this so I won't spill too much ink over it, but it just simply is boring. The middle hour feels like nothing happens with a court drama, and it is so meaningless and boring that it just puts us right out of the story. At that point, whenever they would start singing, I felt the theater itself sigh in annoyance. We just wanted the movie to end and get to the point. This movie did not need to be this long, for what it is I feel like this could have cut almost an hour and it would have hit the same, but at least I would make it to the ending without wanting to take a nap. And that is the biggest crime the film commits: being boring. 

Are there any aspects that could save this? I enjoyed the look of this movie, even if I wish it had done more. Much like the first film, the lighting and framing were pretty great. It was never ugly to me, and the use of colors was admirable. I do think that this film never really creates the sort of dramatic set pieces that made the first so enjoyable. None of the big moments really stick the landing, even if it's pretty to look at. I think Phoenix is doing a performance that is on par with what he did before for the first, but the script is not giving him what he needs to really make it work. So many scenes with him feel like a parody of the original. Horribly goofy with nothing to hold onto. The first movie was strange and a bit goofy, but it was grounded enough that it worked. Since this movie does not commit to goofy or grounded, it just puts the audience in an awkward, off-balanced place. So even Phoenix can not save this movie. Gaga, the other big selling point here, is trying so hard but was given a character that never fully comes together and is not used nearly enough. The ending with her character was so underused and unimportant. The ending felt so out of left field and like it was from another movie. I left completely confused about what the point was, and I could feel the theater sign in relief when it was all over. 

This film is a solid flop to me. There are interesting elements, such as the performances, lighting, some of the songs, etc., but none are used in an interesting way and come together for no real shared meaning. This was one of the biggest disappointments of the year for me. It was just lame.