Written by Isabella Halteman. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
“Joker: Folie à Deaux” screened at Trustees Theater on Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. It is the sequel to Todd Philips’ 2019 film “Joker.” Both movies co-written by Philips and Scott Silver, “Joker: Folie à Deaux” picks up after the events of its precursor. If you don’t remember much of what happened in “Joker,” don’t worry, because “Folie à Deaux” spends more than enough time mulling over the events from multiple perspectives.
Arthur Fleck/Joker (Joaquin Phoenix) is first seen in Arkham Asylum Hospital, a grimy institution for the criminally insane isolated a distance away from Gotham City (home to who many know as the Caped Crusader). The other inmates and some guards see him as a weird kind of celebrity, fawning over him and grilling him with questions about his actions. One of them is Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga); she shares that she watched the TV movie that was made about him 20 times and that the reason she herself was in Arkham was to get closer to him. That sparks an infatuation between the two in the classic toxic Joker-Harley Quinn style. The main events of the movie surround Arthur being put on trial for his murders and crimes, as Gotham Assistant District Attorney Harvey Dent is gunning for the death penalty. Harvey Dent is later known in Batman comics as the villain Two Face; the movie makes some strides to hint at Two Face making an appearance later, but who knows?
The musical element that quite a few were outraged about before the movie even came out is a large part of the film. Like the first movie’s specific use of music and a brilliant soundtrack that received high acclaim, its sequel put even more work and emphasis on the music. Songs from The Great American Songbook and more ‘60s pop music are used either in full-blown music numbers performed by Phoenix and Gaga or in smaller quantities inside of scenes as more of a theme or character choice. It’s clear that these musical numbers are immersing the audience in the fantastical mess that is Arthur’s mind, but they do distract from the storyline. Musicals can get away with distracting their audience from an underdeveloped story with pretty music, lights and colors and “Joker: Folie à Deaux” did just that. One of the most underdeveloped parts of the film is Gaga’s character, Lee, who is suddenly able to attend Arthur’s trial as a civilian after she is released from Arkham under some confusing circumstances. Another underdeveloped aspect would be the ending, where (no spoilers) something very clear happens, but there aren’t enough details to piece together a cohesive meaning.
If “Joker” was an homage to Martin Scorsese’s movies “Taxi driver” and “The King of Comedy,” then “Joker: Folie à Deaux” was honoring Scorsese’s “New York, New York,” a 1977 musical/romance film with Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro. Philips took heavy inspiration from Scorsese’s ‘70s and ‘80s depictions of New York City for his depiction of the fictional Gotham City.
“Joker: Folie à Deaux” is driven by the dedicated performances of both Phoenix and Gaga. Without these actors, the movie would have gotten even worse reviews. Their clear dedication and performance ability is entrancing, as well as their chemistry and infatuation with one another. Aesthetically it is a gorgeous film with very hard work from their art department, but the film as a whole doesn’t really function as a movie. But, since it is a musical, it didn’t need to follow all the same rules.
Isabella Halteman is a sophomore Performing Arts major with minors in Creative Writing and Vocal Performance. She is a Copy Editor for District, editing and publishing articles on our website. She also enjoys writing poetry and creative personal essays. Outside of school, you can find her singing in her car, baking and cooking, and watching old movies.
