Review - Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)

        Hey guys, Chuck here. Is it possible to follow up a Oscar winning 2019 blockbuster with a massive letdown of a sequel that no one was craving? Well, it looks like Todd Phillips gave us another one with Joker: Folie à Deux, the recently released sequel to the 2019 film Joker. This movie stars Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleason, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, and Harry Lawtey. 

       So, the movie follows Arthur Fleck/Joker, and in particular the aftermath of the lives he took during the events of the first Joker film. In addition to seeing Arthur on trial, we also see him in the Arkham State Hospital in Gotham City. While there, Arthur forms a bond with another patient named Harleen "Lee" Quinzel, and the two undergo a whirlwind romance. Or, perhaps, it's all in Arthur's mind. Who knows...

      Okay, so there are a few positive points I have in regards to Joker: Folie à Deux. First, the performances were all, for the most part, pretty decent. Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur, Lady Gaga as Harley, Harry Lawtey as Harvey Dent, and the rest of the cast were all pretty good. The more intimate and dramatic elements of the movie were all pretty decent, and the courtroom drama element of the movie was pretty good. The music score by Hildur Guðnadóttir was phenomenal. Overall, I applaud director Todd Phillips for the story he intended to tell. Not superior to the first film, but a mostly decent follow-up. 

       Unfortunately, there is one element about this movie that brings it down for me, and a number of fans of the first film. And that is the fact that Joker: Folie à Deux is a musical movie. Now, while I overall had no issue with a couple of the musical numbers in the movie, and especially enjoyed Lady Gaga's singing, the musical numbers really added nothing to the movie, and actually caused the film's overall momentum to slow to a lumbering crawl. Honestly, had Todd Phillips just told a courtroom drama film for a sequel to Joker, I would have been okay with the movie. But, the mixed bag of a courtroom drama and a romantic musical, combined with possibly the most divisive ending I've seen in any film, and you have a movie that I was thoroughly looking forward to, but was ultimately disappointed by. So, I'm giving Joker: Folie à Deux a rating of 1/5. Honestly, I really can't recommend this one. Sorry. 

        Anyway guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time. 

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