by Anthony O'Connor
Worth: $9.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Harry Lawtey, Steve Coogan
Intro:
This is at times a thunderously dull film, listlessly limping its way through a leaden script that never quite commits to a reason for its existence.
The lead up to the release of the original Joker in 2019 was a weird time to be in the film reviewing caper. Legions of earnest entertainment journos, who had perhaps spent a tad too much time online, described the flick as “dangerous” and implied it could signal the beginnings of an incel revolution, where a horde of enraged, rootless wonders were going to invade society like a bunch of clammy, chinless vikings. It didn’t happen, of course. And the film was actually pretty decent. Oh sure, it homaged films like Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy to an almost embarrassing degree, but it also featured a stunning lead performance from Joaquin Phoenix, solid direction from Todd Phillips (The Hangover, War Dogs) and dealt with weighty themes of isolation and mental illness. It also resonated with audiences the world over, raking in over a billion US dollars, which made a sequel pretty much inevitable. Well, the sequel is now here in the form of Joker: Folie à Deux and uh… yeah.
It’s a bit of a mess, just quietly.
Joker: Folie à Deux continues the tragic tale of Arthur Fleck/Joker (Joaquin Phoenix) who, after the killing spree of the first film, now languishes in Arkham Asylum, Gotham’s grimmest booby hatch. Things take a turn for the better, however, when he meets Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga) and the pair form an instant connection. And Arthur, who had been listless and disconnected for a while now, learns to once again put on a happy face…
If that little snippet of the story sounds good then, yeah, you’re right. It does sound good. Yet in execution, Joker: Folie à Deux seems determined to make every moment end with a listless anticlimax. The epic love story between Joker and Harley? Despite superb performances from both Phoenix and Gaga, spends most of its screen time going nowhere. The court case that takes up much of the second act and is presided over by Harvey Dent (Harry Lawtey)? It’s just a dreary retelling of the first film until its final ridiculous moments. The promise of epic, old school Hollywood musical numbers? Well, the first couple of times they’re cute, but ultimately, they feel like empty exercises in style over substance, never furthering the story or adding character depth the way a good musical should.
It’s not a total disaster, mind you, there are decent elements at play. Along with the two stellar lead performances, you’ve got capable work from Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener. Plus, the film is undeniably gorgeous looking, grimy and dank and fecund with misery.
What it isn’t? Entertaining. This is at times a thunderously dull film, listlessly limping its way through a leaden script that never quite commits to a reason for its existence. It also runs a chunky 138 minutes, which stretches the thin story told to an almost ridiculous degree.
The original Joker was a very fine film, and its sequel may spark joy amongst a few fans, but for most of you, Joker: Folie à Deux will be a genuinely baffling exercise, a strange assemblage of misjudged creative decisions and perplexingly tedious moments.
