David Farnor | On 10, Nov 2024

Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Certificate: 15

“How about you, Arthur? Do you still think you’re a star?” security guard Jackie (Brendan Gleeson) asks Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) in Joker: Folie a Deux. The sequel to 2019’s Joker picks up after the events of the dark supervillain thriller, which found a chilling resonance in its portrayal of a society so broken and unequal that desperate people would hail a violent outsider as someone to revere. Arthur Fleck, struggling with trauma and unsupported by the mental healthcare system, embraced his newfound celebrity, disappearing into his alter-ego, the Joker.

We now found him heavily sedated in Arkham State Hospital and facing the looming prospect of a murder trial. His lawyer, Maryanne (Catherine Keener), intends to use an insanity plea for his defence – but it hinges upon drawing a line between Arthur and the Joker, something that he’s increasingly keen not to do. Joker, after all, has given him a sense of acceptance and purpose, something that he’s reminded of by the adoring attention of fellow Arkham patient Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga).

The original film found a visceral, queasy horror in the juxtaposition between Arthur’s delusion and the real world, stopping short of fully adopting Arthur’s perspective. This ambitious sequel is similarly bold in its genre influences, this time leaning into the Hollywood musical to accompany Arthur in and out of his misguided perception of himself and everyone around him. Lee’s influence upon him – a different dynamic to the typical Joker and Harley Quinn relationships found in other comics and screen adaptations – sees her take a prominent place in these musical interludes too, sometimes a loyal sidekick, at others stealing the mic and spotlight for herself.

It’s a fascinating idea, and Todd Phillips’ direction is gorgeous to look at, building on Joker’s stunning stylistic choices by fusing them with bright colours, a smoky jazz bar atmosphere and some gorgeous costumes. The songs include That’s Entertainment, Bewitched and – most moving of all – For One in My Life. Joaquin Phoenix belts the latter out with a blissful grin in a rainy courtyard, while Lady Gaga breathes an intoxicating affection into (They Long to Be) Close to You.

The cast are excellent, with Phoenix heartfelt and vulnerable enough to make Arthur a living, breathing figure beyond the cartoonish enigma the Joker could have been. His ability to jump between smirking performance and internalised pain makes him a thrillingly unpredictable force, capable of psychopathic flourishes that are genuinely unsettling. Lady Gaga, meanwhile, brings layers to a role that doesn’t give her much to do, but nails every musical number with an impeccable ability to inhabit Lee’s manipulative personality through every note she sings.

The result is a refreshingly original and unique entry in the comic book movie landscape. The script, though, doesn’t find much substance beneath the inspired surface. It’s a witty exploration of Arthur’s internal state, but doesn’t tell us anything new after the rollercoaster darkness of the first movie. An inspired opening – inspired by Looney Tunes – and an ingenious final act give the story a throughline that questions how one person’s example, amplified by mass media and controlled by dishonest forces, can feed into a self-perpetuating cycle of rejecting civilisation and morals. But the slow-paced song-and-dance medley in the middle leaves us wanting more from those strands. This incarnation of the Joker remains a star attraction – but you can’t help but feel he could have been much more.

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