JOKER: FOLIE a DEUX

US, 2024, 138 minutes, Colour.

Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawty, Leigh Gill, Ken Leung, Jacob Lofland, Bill Smitrovich.

Directed by Todd Phillips.

Unexpected – to say the least. Disconcerting… Intriguing…

In 2019, the reworking of the Joker story, many memories of Batman films, was hugely successful, a blend of action and psychological probing of the character of Arthur Fleck, Joker. And, Joaquin Phoenix one the Oscar for Best Actor.

Five years later. Great expectations. A sequel with the intriguing title, Folie a Deux, meaning a shared madness, a psychological description, raising the question of whether the madness of two is the shared madness of Joker and Arthur Fleck or, with the casting of Lady Gaga as Harleen Qninzel, the emerging Harley Quinn, the madness is of the relationship between Joker/Arthur and Harley Quinn.

But, the immediate response to the film on release was highly hostile. Words like “disappointing”, “disaster”, “boring…” resounded through social media, and critics not so enthusiastic either.

This review will be for the affirmative, for Joker Folie a Deux being an intriguing experience of unexpected filmmaking.

Its plot is the aftermath of the original film startlingly recaptured in an opening 3 minute Loony Tunes cartoon. The film is something of an epilogue in terms of the more modest scale of the action. We have seen Joker/Arthur Fleck killing people. Now he is in prison. In fact, quite an amount of the action takes place in the prison, unsympathetic and brutal guards (led by very Irish Brendan Gleeson), some of the inmates supportive, a young quizzical inmate watching Arthur intently and definitely making a final statement about his perspective on Arthur.

Otherwise, the action takes place in the courtroom, his lawyer, Catherine Keener, hoping that Arthur will prove to the court that he is mentally ill. By contrast, lawyer Harvey Dent (Harry Lawty from Industry) more than a touch of the smug, wants to convict Arthur and for Arthur to convicted himself. Fairly straightforward scenario.

But, the other star of the show is Lady Gaga, a presence who creates a limelight around her. And, of course, she sings.

Some promotion discussion has arisen about whether the film should be called a musical or not. From this reviewer’s point of view, it is a musical. There is a huge range of songs listed in the final credits, many of the hits of musical theatre that we are familiar with, think If My Friends could see Me Now, What the World Needs now…, And, finally, poignantly and to the point, Jacques Brell’s If I Go Away…

Already in prison, Arthur Fleck bursts into song, Joaquin Phoenix’s voice distinctive, and, throughout the film, dancing, with Lady Gaga, eventually even a tap dance. And, as in musical theatre, many of the dancers are dream sequences, songs and routines in the fantasies of both Arthur and Harley Quinn. The lyrics, many of which we know so well, are inserted to highlight the mentality of the characters, what they are experiencing.

Which raises the key question of this film: is Arthur Fleck mentally ill? Is he schizophrenic? Is Joker part of his personality or, as it is literally, a mask, a projection? This is discussed in the court case with a number of experts being cross-examined. And it emerges in the court case when Arthur decides to sack his lawyer and do his own defence. Does he defend himself? How does Arthur see the Joker? And who committed the crimes, the mad Joker or the Arthur who grew up in poverty, unloved, a vicious mother…?

It would seem that the very strong finale, the close-up of Arthur himself, of his eyes, does provide an answer.

This is the kind of film which we have seen in the past, reviled on release, reconsidered, eventually becoming something of a cult film as it is understood more and more. With its blend of realism, fantasy, song and dancing, it is something of an arthouse/ comic book creation.

1. Sequel, expectations from the original?
2. Audience response, low, MD rating, the bloggers, audiences wanting their money back…? Hostility?
3. Reimagining of Arthur Fleck and Joker, the title, the folly and madness, of two, Arthur and Joker, in himself? The madness of Arthur/Joker and his relationship with Harley Quinn?
4. The immediate tone, the animation, Loony Tunes in the tradition, the cartoon about Joker, recapping the issues of the original film, the murders, the confrontation on television?
5. The film is a musical, Arthur and his ambitions, Joaquin Phoenix and his singing and dancing? The songs, in his head, Arthur singing? Dancing? His imagination, the lyrics and the relationship to the themes of the narrative? The popular songs on audience familiarity? Lady Gaga, reputation, singer, the songs in her imagination, with Arthur, song and pants?
6. A prison film, the conventions, the harsh prison, the exteriors, interiors, the cells, the television room, the yard? Grim? A court film, the trial, the courtroom, those attending, the judge on the bench?
7. The issue of Arthur as Joker, real, make up in mask, after identifying with Joker? His background as a child, abusive mother, orphanage, growing up alone, sensitive, reaction and the killings, ambition for television, the killing of the compere? Age, expectation, hopes? In prison, awaiting trial?
8. The guards, conventional, the Irish atmosphere, the stories, wanting a joke from Joker, the brutality, yet happy to have the celebrity?
9. Arthur’s lawyer, the discussions, her aims, to prove that Arthur was killed, her performance in court, being sacked?
10. Harvey dent, smug, young, style, behaviour in court, the cross examinations, attacking Arthur?
11. The judge, handling the situation, his decisions, Arthur imagining bashing the judge and Harvey dent?
12. Harley Quinn, her story, her actual name, her version of her story, compared with the reality, her madness within herself, her parents, her actual name, the committee herself, seeing Arthur, the infatuation, wanting to be with him, relate to him, the discussions, the screening of The Bandwagon, That’s Entertainment? Setting the fire? The escape, together, back to jail? The bond, real and imaginary? Her presence in court, intense looking at Arthur? Outside the court?
13. The fans, outside, in the court room, the make up, so many as Joker, the reactions, identifying with him? Support?
14. The witnesses, serious, doctors, psychologists, the cross-examination, some of their interviews with Arthur, the credibility?
15. Arthur, firing his lawyer, defending himself, his manner in the court, the stories, his challenge?
16. The confrontation, who the Joker really is, the Joker in action? Or Arthur in action, accepting responsibility, the jury of their findings, the hostile reaction to the findings?
17. The bomb, the damage, Arthur, the escape, the fans, in the street, those helping, supporting, the effect on Arthur and his being overwhelmed?
18. In jail, the young prisoner and always supporting Arthur? The hostile prisoner, his expectations, the confrontation, killing Arthur? Carving the green on his face?
19. Audience shock, the death of Arthur, the destruction of Joker? The brutal song, If you go away, Arthur dying, the close-up on his eye?
20. The impact of the film and expectations from the audience? The possibility of audiences understanding this arthouse kind of film, the possibility of being a cult film?