Director: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson.
Selected Cinemas Now
Running time: 138mins
Folie à Deux – a delusional state shared by two people. In this case, a writer/director and co-writer. (Todd Phillips and Scott Silver). A third, opted out of a writing credit, after suggesting a Broadway-style musical idea. What a mishmash of an idea it all became.
I loved ‘The Joker’, even though I’m no fan of DC film adaptations. Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning performance was electrifying, and it seemed a real departure from the run-of-the -mill franchises. So, when I saw there was a matinee showing of the sequel on at my local, I shot down there in excited anticipation.
It was showing in the main auditorium, to only a handful of people. But, okay, I had my popcorn and Pepsi max, and plenty of room to spread out. I sat centre, and relished the thought of what was to come. I’d avoided reading reviews, so my mind was open to anything and everything the screen could throw at me.
It began with a Joker cartoon. Not great, but a fair tribute to the genre. Then, the boxed screen widened, beckoning us in, to the prison home of our anti-hero Joker. Here he was again. Looking broken yet mysteriously calm. “You got a joke for us today?” asks the warden. Trying to goad him out of his silent world. No, he’s not in the mood. His internal struggles with reality are what we see. Phoenix giving a masterclass again.
The Joker (Arthur Fleck) meets Lady Gaga’s Lee Quinzel at a prison therapy singing session. The delusional love story begins. As does the musical. Of sorts. She whispers and croaks a version of ‘Get Happy’ – Judy Garland must be revolving in her resting place! Shortly afterwards, he croaks his way through ‘For Once in My Life’. Both Phoenix and Gaga get away with their first renditions on a novelty level but, sadly, there’s a lot more off-key singing to come.
Still, at this point, their characters are strong, so I am still engrossed. Then, Steve Coogan appears. Looking like Steve Coogan. Playing a smarmy TV host cum journalist, with a dodgy American accent. Here’s where credibility lines are broken. Along with the endless broken croaking voices of our two protagonists. Song after song (I counted 16), they sing in excruciatingly sincere tuneless squawks. This is no Moulin Rouge. Perhaps, it was decided that the anti hero and his love would make an anti musical. If so, they succeeded.
From this point, the plot, the characters, despite some beautiful cinematography, and the occasional sequence reminiscent of the original, the whole jumble is thwarted by the musical content. Joaquin destroying Jaques Brel’s ‘If You Go Away’ towards the end was indeed the end. So many great songs did they do disservice to. It’s a good job many of the writers are long gone, or lawyers would be knocking on the producer’s door. Goes to show, no matter how beautiful a movie may look, if the sound hitting your ears is unbearable, it doesn’t work.
One thing, for sure, without giving too much away, Joaquin Phoenix, one of my favourite actors, will not be doing a third Joker film. But it is left open for a possible continuation. God help us!
Reviewer: Kevin Short 04/10/2024