Folie à Deux is nice, truly

I’m not the largest fan of Todd Phillip’s Joker. I feel it’s okay, but it surely’s nothing groundbreaking. Its complete shtick was finished higher within the Scorsese films that it so clearly owes a lot of its construction to. I additionally don’t assume it was an excellent dive into the comedian ebook character of the Joker. So consider me after I say, I used to be by no means actually that desirous about Joker: Folie à Deux.

Over time, director Phillips has reaffirmed my perception that he isn’t actually desirous about adapting a comic book ebook. And feedback from Phillips resembling, “I think Arthur would be in awe of the alpha male that is Batman. I really do. I think Arthur would look up and appreciate it,” didn’t actually make me any extra optimistic about this film.

However I can’t deny, once they introduced a sequel that may be a musical, I used to be instantly hooked. It seemed like the proper type of film to bounce off of and refute every part I didn’t actually take pleasure in about Joker. And in some ways, I bought my want with Joker: Folie à Deux.

Launch date, ranking, and runtime

Joker: Folie à Deux opens in theaters on October 4. Similar to its predecessor, Joker: Folie à Deux is rated R. Joker: Folie à Deux comprises sturdy language, sexual themes, depictions of violence, and many smoking. I watched this film in common 2D, however it’s also obtainable in IMAX and 4DX.

What I appreciated about Joker: Folie à Deux

An odd sequel with a powerful message

Joker: Folie à Deux takes place not too lengthy after the occasions of 2019’s Joker. The film primarily follows the trial of Arthur Fleck and his budding romance with Gaga’s Harley Quinn, shortened to Lee in Joker: Folie à Deux. Gaga and Phoenix carry a stunning degree of chemistry with each other all through the movie, and the musical set items are good, if not a bit too disjointed for their very own good.

At its core, Joker: Folie à Deux is a film about how a lot it sucks to be the Joker. From begin to end, this film completely tears down any semblance of “actually me” that Fleck might’ve carried within the first film. And that may be a good factor. Whereas the ending of the unique Joker feels far too content material to finish on a triumphant Joker, Joker: Folie à Deux feels rather more like a splash of chilly water.

The Joker is a horrible individual, and he’s a horrible individual to be. Fleck is a product of abuse and years of systemic mistreatment. Somebody that has been that supremely let down by the world round them doesn’t are inclined to emerge victorious once they lash out. Joker: Folie à Deux seeks to drill that concept deep into your head. Every little thing that might go unhealthy for Fleck on this film does.

All through this film, Fleck continues to be alone and abused. His abuse is now by the hands of jail guards and his so-called followers. Regardless that he has Lee, he’s nonetheless deeply alone on this film. Lee and his different followers are usually not there for Fleck, they’re there for Joker. And the second Fleck absolutely rejects Joker on this film, every part goes away. Fleck’s actions because the Joker within the first film finally lead him to be extra susceptible and alone than he ever has been.

And what Joker: Folie à Deux does very heavy-handedly is present that if Fleck had truly confided within the those that have been genuinely making an attempt to assist him, even when that meant confronting the worst elements of himself, issues most likely would have been okay. Or, on the very least, higher than how they turned out. Unsurprisingly, Phoenix turns in one other stellar efficiency as Fleck. The grief you see the character undergo in Joker: Folie à Deux is palpable. There’s a really uncooked degree of emotion Phoenix shows inside this film that merely can’t be conveyed by phrases.

Reverse Phoenix, Gaga’s efficiency on this film can be phenomenal. Although her screentime does really feel a bit brief, particularly for a star as beloved as Gaga, she nonetheless does nice work within the time that she does have within the movie.

Joker: Folie à Deux additionally boasts an ideal supporting solid, with Brendan Gleeson handing over a stable efficiency as a nasty jail guard. Harry Lawtey additionally provides a enjoyable, if not one-sided efficiency as Harvey Dent.

Very like the primary movie, Joker: Folie à Deux has a haunting rating and leans closely on the Seventies aesthetic. Each of those points nonetheless really feel nice, and lend to a visually and audibly distinct film. As distinct as Joker and Joker: Folie à Deux really feel as movies, this degree of audio-visual concord helps to tie the 2 collectively.

What I didn’t like about Joker: Folie à Deux

Let’s be happy with musicals once more

Warner Bros.

There’s a lot improper with Joker: Folie à Deux. However, I don’t actually assume any of it’s too damning. My greatest gripe is the refusal on the advertising and marketing finish to name this film a musical. No, the characters aren’t singing in each scene. However, they do sing means an excessive amount of to name this film “not a musical.” And it’s okay. I perceive that there are some those that wouldn’t have seen this film in the event that they knew it was a musical entering into. Nevertheless, I’d argue {that a} shock musical is far more alienating. I’d additionally argue that the musical side isn’t even essentially the most alienating a part of Joker: Folie à Deux.

As I touched on earlier, Joker: Folie à Deux goes out of its means always to inform the viewers that the Joker sucks and that it is actually terrible to be the Joker. Joker: Folie à Deux virtually feels ashamed of the primary film. And it’s an fascinating feeling to grapple with. I personally loved that side, however I can even see why it could be alienating to a big portion of viewers.

Joker: Folie à Deux additionally falls sufferer to one thing that’s turn out to be increasingly more widespread with comedian ebook films within the final decade, which is placing issues within the trailer that aren’t within the film. This observe simply must cease. Essentially the most iconic shot of the trailers, the Joker and Harley stomping down the steps collectively, isn’t even within the film.

And with regards to comedian ebook films, Joker: Folie à Deux feels downright ashamed to be a comic book ebook film. Fleck continues to be not the Joker from the comedian books in any stretch of the creativeness. Fleck is a very distinctive character, and that’s fantastic. However it feels jarring when the film tries fairly arduous to offer a principally correct background to Gaga’s tackle Harley Quinn.

In Joker: Folie à Deux, Lee is a psychology grad pupil named Harleen Quinzell. Thus far, so good. She abandons her promising future for the possibility to fulfill and get near the Joker. Nonetheless, very stellar. However so far as sticking to the supply for Harley Quinn, that is the place the practice stops. This film’s interpretation of Quinn is laughably unhealthy when held as much as the excessive bar set by 2019’s Birds of Prey. Not that Gaga isn’t giving her all to this function. However, sadly, this function shouldn’t be giving it is all to Gaga. Lee is a really uninspired tackle the character that feels much less like Harley Quinn and extra like clown-themed Ted Bundy fan.

There are different points abound as nicely, such because the film having roughly zero curiosity within the setting of Gotham, which is plainly simply New York Metropolis on this film. There may be additionally Harvey Dent, who’s a feisty, younger assistant DA on this film. Lawtey does his greatest with the character, however that primarily simply means being a smug prosecutor that wishes Fleck sentenced to demise.

Similar to 2019’s Joker randomly throws in a scene close to the tip the place Thomas and Martha Wayne get shot, Joker: Folie à Deux goes out of its method to throw in a bit the place Dent will get half of his face burned. Joker and Joker: Folie à Deux’s aversion to the comedian books can be extra palatable with none scenes that really feel like they’re solely there to say, “fantastic, right here you go.”

And naturally, there are the musical numbers themselves. Gaga and Phoenix each give nice performances, however these musical set items really feel very half-baked at occasions. Whereas I disagree with not advertising and marketing this film as a musical, I can even say that if I had anticipated a sure degree of musical high quality, I might’ve been disenchanted.

Do you have to see Joker: Folie à Deux?

No less than as soon as, only for the sake of it

Warner Bros.

I whole-heartedly consider that Joker: Folie à Deux is a movie value seeing. It’s an odd expertise that simply feels ashamed throughout. This film feels ashamed to be a musical, ashamed to be a comic book ebook film, and most of all, it feels ashamed to be a sequel to Joker.

That disgrace permeates your complete watching expertise. In the event you felt a tinge of sympathy or “actually me” whereas watching Joker, Joker: Folie à Deux goals to completely pulverize that feeling out of your physique on a molecular degree.

Joker: Folie à Deux clashes the course and performing of the primary film with a tonally reverse story. Joker appears like essentially the most triumphant film of all time in comparison with Joker: Folie à Deux. Whereas I do want that the advertising and marketing of this film had been upfront about Joker: Folie à Deux being a musical, I’m glad that the very defeatist nature of this film was left to be found in theaters. It’s a intestine punch in the easiest way attainable.

And as unusual as the entire thing is, it compels me. I can not say something lower than that I beloved this film. Joker: Folie à Deux is unusual, confused, and ashamed, however it’s hell-bent on saying one thing. Even when that one thing isn’t something that anybody ought to’ve needed to say. Joker: Folie à Deux is totally value your time, on the very least simply as soon as.