by Tim Gordon
As Arthur Fleck awaits trial for his crimes, he discovers inspiration through love and the music inside him in Joker: Folie à Deux
Arthur Fleck is in Arkham Prison. He is serving time until his court hearing for the five murders he committed when he was the Joker. Sedated and medicated, Arthur is a shell of himself and almost completely devoid of his Joker persona. Until he passes by a chorus class attended by the lovely, Lee Quinzel. Qunizel shows her admiration for Joker and the two fall in love, singing merrily to each other. Can this jailhouse romance survive, especially with Fleck’s impending trial?
The screenplay for Joker: Folie à Deux is written by Scott Silver and Todd Phillips based upon classic characters created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Paul Dini, and Bruce Timm. It stars Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Zazie Beetz. The movie is directed by Todd Phillips.
Todd Phillips created a firestorm when he made the first movie in the Joker series. Many people loved the film and just as many did not. Phillips created a world where Batman didn’t exist and his enemies roamed free. Phillips insisted that the Joker was not the same as the one in the comic books, that this was an alternative universe and the movie was a stand-alone film. At least it was until they made this sequel.
Phillips trolls DC Comics lore even deeper with this film. He uses Arkham and introduces Lee Quinzel and Harvey Dent, two other prominent members of Batman lore, and then he bastardizes it even more.
Folie à Deux is a French term for a delusion between two people, a game of insane romance or attraction. By that term, Phillips’ movie makes perfect sense. It documents the crazy, illogical, and inconceivable romance between Arthur Fleck and Lee Quinzel and it is crazy, illogical, and insane.
First of all, when a person is being detained in jail, there is no contact between him and people who are serving time in prison, even if they are in the same facility. Somehow, Fleck who is awaiting trial is allowed to attend a chorus class with people who are serving time in minimum custody, including Quinzel. Second, male detainees are always kept apart from female prisoners. Somehow, Quinzel flounces throughout Arkham and the jail with guard approval. Other correctional inconsistencies plague the film.
The real problem is the music. Yes, Joker: Folie à Deux is a musical. Lee and Arthur sing to each other and themselves quite often. Gleeson and other members of the cast also get in a couple of ditties. The songs themselves are quite appropriate for the situation in which the people find themselves singing them. The themes of the songs should serve to push the story along and sometimes give insight into what the character is feeling. The problem is that every song is delivered at half tempo or slower without life or presentation. The songs essentially become lullabies, slowly rocking the audience into a state of catatonia, if not just plain sleep.
Rated R for some strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality, and brief full nudity, Joker: Folie à Deux is an ambitious, creative mess. Phillips has great intentions but with a flawed script and poor musical presentation, this movie falls flat. It could have been so much more.
Joker: Folie à Deux is in theaters starting October 4, 2024.
Grade: D+