“Giving the people what they want?” My Spoiler Review of Joker: Folie à Deux
Todd Phillips’ Joker released in 2019, on a moderate budget of $70 million dollars, grossed just shy of $1.1 billion dollars at the global box office. This held the record for highest grossing R rated release until it was recently dethroned by Deadpool & Wolverine. The phenomenon garnered 11 Academy Award nominations and took home two of the coveted gold statues. Its status as an almost cult classic was thus forever immortalised. On October 4th, 2024, five years to the date after its predecessor's release, Joker: Folie à Deux opened in theatres to dismal reviews, horrible word of mouth, frighteningly low box office return, and one jarring question: What the hell went wrong?
This box-office flop felt somewhat inevitable in the months coming up to its release. The writing on the wall seemingly predicted its abysmal fate, yet I’m sure the question on all of your minds… What does this random guy think about it?
I went into this film with little to no expectations. I enjoyed the first Joker - didn’t adore it but I thought it was a good film that did the job well. Whilst my expectations were low, I remained cautiously optimistic. I do tend to enjoy most Comic Book Movies, and I love a good musical, which this film certainly is, despite what its cast, director, and advertising might suggest. I suppose that’s the best place to start. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the film, is that the Joker sings. As the classic Broadway quote goes, “when words aren’t enough, you sing, and when singing isn’t enough, you sing and dance!”. Pretty self-explanatory, and a pretty good description of what a musical is. Now here’s a slightly larger quote from Lady Gaga during the press conference at the Venice Film Festival, “I wouldn’t necessarily say that this is actually a musical in a lot of ways. It’s very different. The way that music is used is to really give the characters a way to express what they needed to say because saying it is not enough.” The reason Gaga gives for Joker not being a musical, is essentially the definition of what a musical is.
Was this a directive from the studio as to not scare away those who hate musicals? Is it a subconscious shaming of the genre? I’ll look at that potential shame later, but for now, I can only comment on how I found the music.
Surprisingly, it was good, great at times, and a really unique way of exploring the relationship between Arthur Fleck (Joker) and Harleen Quinzel. The magical fantasy world in which musicals reside being a place where Arthur lets his fantasies run wild, and where the darker side of his personality, the Joker, resides is an excellent concept. Music as an escape is an almost universal experience and seeing it explored in this way was initially jarring, but I think that’s the beauty of it.
Perhaps the greatest number in the film was during one of the many courtroom scenes, where Arthur’s solicitor is mentioning the abuse he had experienced as a child. Upon reliving those memories, it quickly became too painful for Fleck, and the Joker had to step in and alleviate him of his pain. The music had to play; it was the only way to allow him escape. The musical number was run of the mill, nothing extraordinary, but I found it impactful because it moved his character progression along nicely. The number had a purpose, it made sense. Unfortunately, not all of the numbers made sense, oftentimes they were randomly placed, as if to merely reinstate the concept behind the music, a concept which as I’ve said I found to be clever. I didn’t like however, when I was being bashed in the head with it.
As the story revolves almost exclusively around the trial of Arthur Fleck, some of the numbers felt like excuses to buff out the run-time due to a lack of ideas on how to flesh out the courtroom drama, a genre which lends itself to impactful riveting dialogue and emotion (look at the final hour of Oppenheimer, or even all nine seasons of Suits). The film has glimpses of brilliance and moments of glory. It just so often fails to capitalise on its own strengths, no scene being more of a prime example than the Mr Puddles interrogation. The ideas explored here, showing Arthur’s humanity, after fully embracing his Joker persona, flickers with greatness, thanks in part to Leigh Gill’s performance as Mr Puddles, sharing real emotion in a surreal setting. It just could have been so much more. Get rid of one musical number and give this scene another three minutes, keep the same number of musical performances in it for all I care, just give this moment more time! The audience of loyal Joker fans surely should have been brewing with anger upon hearing of the humanity and weakness in their hero. Arthur’s slow dissent to realising who he really is, rather who he is capable of being, could have been demonstrated to a greater extent here.
Joker: Folie à Deux has been frustrating to think over. It’s been easy to think of how it could have been that bit greater, little things, like choosing not to be lazy with the explosion during the film’s climax, and maybe, just maybe, link it to someone in the story like Ricky who had been one of Joker’s admirers the entire film. It’s almost like Phillips had forgotten to write an ending and hastily crafted one on the spot in a panic remembering he had twenty minutes of screen time to film.
Joker: Folie à Deux seems ashamed of it being a musical. It seems scared to properly embrace it being a Comic Book Movie, only putting in references to satisfy Easter Egg YouTube videos. It suffers from an identity crisis which is painfully present. Why is it ashamed? Musicals when done well are popular and can make a whack load of money. Look at nearly every single Disney animated flick! My theory (a popular one) is that Todd Phillips isn’t ashamed of making a musical, he’s disappointed, embarrassed and ashamed of his audience. Joker garnered an intense cult-like following, and many people who saw the film, hold the same view of the citizens of Gotham, that Joker is a hero, a beacon of hope, rather than a mentally ill man who’s in desperate need of help, a sick loner in desperate need of help. I’m not trying to suggest that I’ve some great mind that can comprehend film better than the average Joe, but it does feel like Joker: Folie à Deux is a massive middle finger to anyone who held the original dear.
Comic Book Movies mean something to people. The world of Batman means something to people, and Phillips toys with that, not caring, and doing what he so pleases with the IP he has been granted.
With great power comes great responsibility, and in Joker: Folie à Deux that power was abused, and as the mixed-to-awful reviews will tell you, we didn’t get what we wanted, but maybe, just maybe, we got what we fucking deserved.
Final Score: 65%
