Madness Shared by Two: A High Five Review of “Joker: Folie A Deux”

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“Folie à deux” is a shared psychiatric disorder coined by French physician Charles Lasègue and psychiatrist Jules Falret, which literally translates to “madness shared by two.” This term aptly captures the sequel film to Joker (2019), as it introduces a new element to the equation to share the madness—Harleen “Lee” Quinzel.

Joker: Folie à Deux follows Arthur Fleck, a mentally ill criminal staying at the Arkham State Hospital as he awaits trial for the events of the previous film. As Arthur deals with the repercussions of his actions as the “Joker,” a wrench is thrown into the works when fellow patient Harleen Quinzel takes a deadly interest in him.

Join us as we dive into the High Five highlights of Joker: Folie à Deux. Spoilers ahead so be warned.

Star-Studded Cast

Joaquin Phoenix reprises his Academy-award winning role of a lifetime, Arthur Fleck / Joker. Joining him are the returning Zazie Beetz as Arthur’s neighbor, Sophie Dumond, and Leigh Gill as his former friend, Gary Puddles, both of whom put on memorable performances in the previous movie.

New to the lineup of heavy hitters is mother monster herself, Lady Gaga, as Harleen “Lee” Quinzel; Brendan Gleeson as Jackie Sullivan, the abusive head guard of Arkham; Steve Coogan as Paddy Meyers, Arthur’s interviewer during the trial; Catherine Keener as Maryanne Stewart, Arthur’s lawyer; and Harry Lawtey as Harvey Dent, the newly elected district attorney who faces tragedy after scarring half his face.

With this cast of stars, audiences will surely find the Joker: Folie á Deux well-acted, with skillful performances from everyone involved as one of the film’s highlights.

Sonic Storytelling Front and Center

 

The moment Joker and Lee meet, a needle drop plays in the background. The flow of the soundtrack in the film can be seen as a conversation that expresses the characters’ obsession for one another. As the movie progresses, the songs get more and more intense—only Arthur and Lee sing to each other, showing how only they understand one another and how their relationship is progressing. 

As the musical numbers pile on and on, we’re left asking ourselves if this will end in a climactic resolution, or something else entirely? The songs are cerebral and—spoiler alert—mostly occur in their own minds, conveying what the dialogue and story alone don’t. Whether it’s successful or not is up to you to decide, but this unique approach is definitely something worth taking note of.

A Bold Portrayal of Mental Illness

Mental illness has mostly been portrayed in popular media as a trait of villains—from the mad or evil doctors of classic cinema to the unhinged psychopaths of comic book fame. While that is also the same with the Joker duology, it paints a more realistic picture of how we treat people suffering from mental illness.

While the first film showed how the healthcare system and society at large failed a man who had multiple psychiatric syndromes, Joker: Folie á Deux showed the world views mental disorders—as something to be villainized. This commentary is most present during the trial, and is addressed by Arthur’s defense attorney (Catherine Keener), who advocated for Arthur to plead for insanity under the dissociative identity disorder (DID) label so he could be institutionalized instead of imprisoned. In the end though, after a traumatic run in with his jailers and the death of a fellow prisoner, Arthur chose to put his “Joker” persona aside, showing that the film believes it is possible to triumph even over hardships such as this.

Scenic Cinematography

Like its predecessor, Joker: Folie á Deux was filmed with the acclaimed Arri Alexa 65 camera, known for its high-end color space and tonal range that can elevate any motion picture. Each scene gives off an electric feeling, with colors popping out of the screen. It’s also effective in contrasting the real world and Arthur’s fantasy world, where the colors get much brighter and more vibrant compared to his tragic situation in real life. 

With the Joker’s iconic magenta suit and Lee’s orange colors, their clashing and complementary personalities are further highlighted on screen, and making scenes like the iconic duet scene and the scene with the bridge overlooking the horizon stand out as scenic masterpieces.

Chaotic Narrative

The film blurs the lines between reality and fiction, making for a messy yet intriguing narrative. While the narrative drives forward with typical exposition, these are interspersed with musical numbers galore, animated scenes paying homage to old school cartoons, and fantasy sequences that you’re not quite sure did actually happen or not.

While this was a bold choice worthy of praise in itself, the film also struggles to find its footing following this decision. Instead of having Arthur plead insanity with dissociative identity disorder, the movie did a complete 180—where Arthur represented himself in court as Joker, leading to an infamous series of events that culminated with his untimely “death.” By thematically following the logic of an unstructured mind, the plot lost its weight and the payoffs did not feel earned.

Despite the public criticism leveled at Joker: Folie á Deux and its bombing in the box office, it’s interesting to see unique elements combine to make a movie that doesn’t quite equate to more than the sum of its parts. While this movie is definitely a visually stunning technical marvel, the filmmaker’s bold choices do not pay off and we are left wanting more from a film with such potential. SEA Wave gives Joker: Folie á Deux a 3 out of 5 waves.

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