Joker: Folie à Deux
2024
****
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey, Leigh Gill, Ken Leung, Jacob Lofland, Connor Storrie, Bill Smitrovich
Arthur Fleck awaits trial at Arkham State Hospital, where he falls in love with Harleen "Lee" Quinzel. While Arthur's lawyer argues that his split personality is responsible for the crimes, Lee encourages him to fully embrace his Joker persona. Todd Phillips' bleak but thoroughly gripping Joker was the surprise hit of 2019, which ended up grossing more than 1 billion dollars and winning two Academy Awards. The sequel maintains the same grim tone, but it is a very different beast as Arthur and Lee repeatedly break into song and dance, which put off many people who enjoyed the original. Although there are maybe a few too many musical numbers, they are short and poignant, and they work well in the context of the story. Like Arthur and Lee, the rioting masses in clown masks have become alienated from reality and prefer to escape to fantasy. Joaquin Phoenix gives another mesmerising lead performance.
