“Joker: Folie à Deux” is a movie directed by Todd Phillips starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. With Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Harry Lawtey.
Todd Phillips set out to create a film that defies traditional genres, leaving viewers in a state of emotional turmoil similar to that of Arthur Fleck: teetering on the brink of despair and always flirting with utter degradation. He achieves this, but the outcome is not always pleasant or easy to digest.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” shines brightly at times: it is technically well-crafted, with complete creative freedom, and carries a message that is as profound as it is cynical and overwhelming. This film will neither appeal to everyone nor has it been well-received by the majority, as “Joker: Folie à Deux” is not intended to be an enjoyable experience; it aims to degrade Arthur in Arkham to his ultimate downfall.
Plot
It is the trial of the century: multiple murders, and finally, the trial against Arthur Fleck. Outside the courthouse, the crowd demands freedom for the man who brings chaos and anarchy, while inside, Arthur meets Harley, a beautiful woman with whom he falls hopelessly in love and begins to fantasize about.
About the Film
“Joker: Folie à Deux” is, at times, brilliant, particularly in terms of its technical execution and performances. Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role, and he is as compelling, if not more so, than in the first installment, for which he received an Oscar. Lady Gaga proves herself to be both a talented actress and an exceptional singer, with ample opportunities to showcase both talents. Her role is dark and truly malevolent because, in this film, Harley is the genuine “villain.”
Visually, the film is meticulously crafted: perfect framing, vibrant colors, and a depiction of Arkham, the psychiatric institution where the protagonist is confined, that is both realistic and magical. The script is of high quality, although it perhaps makes too many references to the first film and relies heavily on its predecessor, which might detract from the interest in the developments of this second movie.
Nonetheless, everything is creative, brilliant, and of exceedingly high production quality. However, it is a film that is infinitely darker than the first, and whenever a glimmer of hope appears, reality asserts itself over the spectacle, leading to the personal tragedy of real life.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” is relentless in its effort to degrade Fleck’s character to the utmost. It succeeds, and it does so exceptionally well, perhaps too well, with an even more bitter added metaphor: the character transcends the person, and we only serve the fiction as long as we are part of it. When we cease to be useful, when we try to reveal the person behind the character, society and the media will vilify us and cast us aside.
Our Opinion
“Joker: Folie à Deux” is a film that aims to obliterate all hope and any possibility of redemption by degrading its main character to the extreme. It achieves this, in a manner that is both brilliant and utterly heart-wrenching.
