Why did anyone think that the world needed a sequel to 2019’s Joker? It’s a fine enough movie in its own right, but on reflection, I think it is as good as it is based solely around Joaquin Phoenix’s performance and Arthur Fleck, the put-upon guy who becomes the Joker. At the time, I thought it was a good movie, but mostly it was using elements from some of Martin Scorsese’s best films with some Batman lore to tell a story that was good but not great. I likewise felt it was the one movie that got a Best Picture nomination that year that didn’t really deserve it. But it also made a lot of money, so a sequel was probably inevitable. But a musical one?
I got a really early Sunday morning ticket for the movie, and when I got to the theater, the place hadn’t opened yet and didn’t open until after the movie was supposed to start. Maybe that was a sign..
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is in Arkham State Hospital, trying to keep a low profile from the looks of things, all while waiting for his upcoming trial on five counts of murder from the first movie. He’s a sad and lonely man, and there isn’t much that would seem to be going right as the guards, led by Officer Jackie Sullivan (Brendan Gleeson), on their better days try to use Arthur for their own personal enjoyment. The Joker may have made an impact on Gotham and has a lot of followers, but Arthur Fleck, not so much. About the only person who seems to be nice to him is his defense attorney (Catherine Keener), but then something happens: a woman catches Arthur’s eye. She’s Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga), and she’s got something of a thing for Arthur.
It isn’t long before Arthur gets to join the musical therapy group that includes Lee, and the two hit it off over some songs. Lee is really into Arthur, or perhaps she’s really into Joker. Arthur’s legal defense seems to rest on the idea that “Arthur” and “Joker” are two separate people, and it’s questionable whether or not Arthur believes that himself, even as he starts to don the Joker make-up either in the real world or his various fantasies, strewn throughout the movie, where he and Lee get to perform for live, appreciative audiences. Arthur may have finally gotten what he wants from Lee. Will that keep the Joker at bay or bring him out for more?
Credit where it is due to co-writer/director Todd Phillips: he is trying to show what he can do. He made it clear that he didn’t want to direct more comedy due to how his brand of comedy is received in some circles or some such, and the first Joker is very far from his old wheelhouse. But if I were to point out that the Hangover movies follow a certain plot pattern, then I can also point out that this second Joker is very much like the first, only Arthur’s fantasy sequences are more about his singing with or without his Harley as opposed to becoming a popular comedian. The movie includes numerous scenes from the first movie, and the characters can be inconsistent. Gleeson’s Arkham guard is a prime example in that he sometimes seems to be friendly to Arthur and other times he is downright abusive, and that may depend entirely on the needs of the scene. I was even leaning towards a C or C+ grade before the last twenty minutes happened, and the movie really went downhill from there.
The odd thing is the movie actually has a lot going well for it. The performances, particularly from Phoenix and Gaga, are all top notch. There’s some really effective scenes, particularly a courtroom interrogation between Arthur and his former co-worker Gary Puddles (Leigh Gill). The problem is that this movie doesn’t have a reason exist beyond the fact that the first one was a financial success. In a way, it reminds me of something like a reverse Megalopolis. Megalopolis had something to say but didn’t seem to really know how to say it. Joker: Folie à Deux doesn’t really have anything to say while actually showing some occasionally impressive ways to say nothing.
Grade: C-
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