Joker Folie à Deux

So far, The Joker films have focused on how it all started for him. Jokers ‘origin story.’ Since this happens across two movies, I encourage everyone to watch the first movie again before seeing this one.

Director, producer, and co-writer Todd Phillips was wise to bring certain things back again from the first film that you want and need to be reminded of and connected to. Here, he gives you quite an excellent opening credit sequence!! It would be best if you watched the opening of the film.

Phillips, also responsible for the “Hangover” movies, puts the odd in Joker with this one. There’s an immense amount of character development. All actors are exceptional. There’s not a bad one in the bunch. Gary, played by Leigh Gill, will tug at the heartstrings when he’s on the stand in court. Lady Gaga is fabulous with her powerful singing voice and acting skills. She’s become polished since the last time we saw her. She’s growing quite a lot; however, she’s capable of much more than she’s given here. I would have liked to have seen more done with her role.

Phoenix did a decent enough job with his singing and body movements to weird you out. It’s a good thing, I assure you. He drilled deeply into character design, transforming into someone we didn’t recognize. He physically changed for this role, as well. I hope he ate some sandwiches after shooting.

What was very engaging was the idea of an insane mind falling so deeply into his psychosis that he creates his own perfect musical world. It was uncommon yet somewhat well thought out. But I must say that its execution could have been significantly better. It was a compelling idea, but it needed more effort. What ultimately doesn’t work is their desire to make the movie a musical when the attempt was barely made.

You’ll like the song he sings into the phone. It was “For Once in My Life.” It’s a song performed by Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Tony Bennett, and Frank Sinatra before the Joker sings it to his love. That love is Lee Quinzel (Gaga) because she makes him rare and distinctive. What works in the scene is that Phoenix sings the song more emotionally than the others. His heart is being torn out, and he makes you feel that. I loved it, the whole scene, and what it led to. You’ll be seduced by that entire bit if you give it a chance. I want to explain the title, “Folie à deux,” which is French for the madness of two people or shared psychosis, shared delusional disorder (SDD). It’s a syndrome in which symptoms of a delusional belief are transferred from one person to another. You can see if you love that person, how hard it would be if your love is not accepted.

Sadly, the film is slow in places, with some being entirely too repetitive. The filmmakers should have stuck with the idea of this being a Joker 2, going deeper into where they left off, instead of going for a musical of who he is here. It could have been so much better. In case you didn’t know, a second Joker film is something Phillips never wanted. However, he did make this edgy and dark. But… it would have been more so; had he been more excited about the project, the result would have thrilled. I do hope where it goes works for you, but if you are looking for great songs, let me disappoint you now. They’re not here.