‘Joker: Folie á Deux’ Is An Ambitious Yet Misguided Musical That Works Thanks To Lady Gaga – Review

When director Todd Philipps announced that the sequel to the box-office champion Joker was going to be a musical, many of the film’s fans were skeptical of what to expect from Joker: Folie á Deux.

Sure, the announcement of Lady Gaga’s addition to the cast as Harley Quinn generated even more buzz for the film — but fans were doubtful of what to expect. Because not only did it have big shoes to fill, but pivoting away from the original direction of its predecessor was bound to incite even stronger reactions this time around.

With the film having been released in its entirety, I can confirm that viewers and audiences worldwide were right to be wary of such expectations. Because if you loved Joker, then perhaps Joker: Folie à Deux is not for you.

This highly anticipated sequel does little to service the loud and subversive fanbase who have come to glorify Joaquin Phoenix’s (immaculately acted yet ultimately pathetic) Arthur Fleck, as it sheds light on the character as less than an anarchist symbol, but more as a mentally-challenged individual who’s fallen victim to circumstance.

Being a musical of sorts, the aspect of music serves as the primary backbone of the film in unraveling the layers of Phoenix’s Joker character and is often utilized in moments of catharsis, connection, and charismatic expression. Lady Gaga’s portrayal of the iconic Harley Quinn fits right at home with this concept, as her natural star power and impressive vocal prowess elevate the film’s musical sensibilities with an authenticity that makes it (surprisingly) work quite well. A star in her own right, it is Gaga who anchors the duo into a demented duet that fuels the film’s narrative and delusions.

Phoenix’s vocal talents may not be on the same level as that of the multi-Grammy Award winner, though he still makes up for it with every impassioned performance that perfectly translates the struggles and expressiveness of his character. And no matter the setting (whether in a burning asylum, a courtroom, or in an imaginary television show), his duets with Gaga’s Harley Quinn brighten up the film to some of its very best moments.

Their renditions of classic anthems such as “That’s Life,” “Get Happy,” “For Once In My Life,” “Cheek To Cheek,” and a whole lot more took the film’s narrative to a lot of unexpected directions, which can easily divide the varied set of audiences who are likely to watch this, especially if you’re not too fond of show tunes or musical elements. Yet if you try to look at it closely (and perhaps even deeper), you can easily note that Phillips’ choice was for the best, both artistically and in terms of storytelling.

Still, that isn’t to say that the film isn’t without its flaws, as it drags across its two-hour and twenty-minute runtime at a glacial pace. The balance between the film’s more exciting and musical moments counteract several asylum-set sequences that saw Phoenix’s Joker moving aimlessly around, only backed by his ticks of laughter that aim to unnerve viewers (even if it sometimes feels like it’s overdone).

Even its original score composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir falls a little flat in comparison to her Academy Award-winning work in the first film, as it offers just a few memorable cues that merely serve as ambient noise to the scenery that unfolds on screen.

Joker: Folie á Deux takes a lot of risks, especially with its musical nature, which is sure to alienate a lot of people and keep them from even stepping in the theatre. Yet one has to admire how it tries to do something a whole lot different from its predecessor, even if I’m pretty sure a lot of people are going to be angered by its end result. 

With how the film utilizes music as a means of dissecting the titular character, it shatters the notions of what the Joker symbolizes — and perhaps that’s for the better. 

Catch Joker: Folie á Deux in cinemas nationwide beginning this October 2, 2024, here.

Listen to Lady Gaga’s companion album to Joker: Folie á Deux’s soundtrack, Harlequin, below: