The Joker and Lady Gaga play Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their love dreams. And that’s what it sounds like.Bild: www.imago-images.de
Review
Director Todd Philipps and Joaquin Phoenix once again focus on the dark psyche of their constantly rainy hero. But the greatest thing about the film is Lady Gaga.
The providence
Joaquin Phoenix played Johnny Cash (2005). And Jesus (2018). And the Joker (2019). And Napoleon (2023). So what does singing plus martyr complex plus megalomania plus profoundly evil anarcho-incel add up to? Exactly! Joker, the musical. So “Joker: Folie à Deux”. It was, in a sense, inevitable.
The weather
As always, it’s bad in Gotham. Rain. Nothing else. But of course it looks good. And it’s sad in an existentialist way. Like the life of the Joker, who has been in prison since the last film. You can see that Phoenix, this crazy guy, has lost over 20 kilos again.
Well, a few bones were certainly emphasized here, but Joaquin Phoenix is still shockingly thin. Bild: www.imago-images.de
The recipe
Take Lady Gaga, an absolute force of nature as a singer and performer. Stunning every second as a sound leaves her lips. Also great as an actress, raw, direct and painful like a fresh wound. She plays Harley Quinzel, a Harley Quinn adaptation, the Harlequin woman from the “Batman” universe, the beautiful clown. And now the Joker groupie par excellence, who becomes his true love. Both deceive and disappoint each other, love as an escape and curse, pretty good, the relationship dynamic between the two is both romantic and broken.
And take Phoenix, a force of nature in its own way. And let them love and sing to each other, like you do in the movies. Luckily not in life. The most heartbreaking music number: The Joker sings the English version of “Ne me quitte pas” into the phone for Harley, sings that he wants to be the shadow of her dog, it doesn’t get any lower than that in love.
Is she really who she says she is? N/a? Lady Gaga as Harley Quinzel.Image: Warner Bros.
The problem
This may be the thinnest Joker story ever. Everything from part one is discussed again, his crimes, his trauma, his mother complex, his search for a father in a prominent TV character and finally his murder, a classic patricide. And the question of what is more valuable, life or stage, reality or dream, and whether both are not one and the same is explored in ever new facets. Apart from love, nothing new is added. And love rages and rages and rages in song numbers. Constantly. They are all beautifully staged, eccentrically performed and bombastically sung. But you also want a bit of history in between.
No matter where, there is always time for a little (singing and dancing) number.Bild: www.imago-images.de
The most important furniture
Is the television. Yes! This ancient thing, which many people no longer know how to use properly today because the word “linear” is foreign to them, celebrates and celebrates and celebrates its non-existential, but existential, meaning here. After all, we are not in today, but in the 80s. For Arthur Fleck aka Joker, “Live on TV” is the most desirable aggregate state of all. He committed his greatest crime “Live on TV”, his trial is now to take place “Live on TV”, cameras, stages, a seemingly endlessly multiplying audience give his sick little existence meaning.
Always these questions! Will this TV interview go smoothly? Yes? No? Perhaps?Image: Warner Bros.
The conclusion
Gaga fans have to go to the cinema immediately, TV nerds can look forward to nostalgic moments, those who don’t like musicals should definitely stay at home and Joker fans? It’s hard to say whether they’ll feel terribly disappointed or disappointed in the end. But that’s how it is with love.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” will be in cinemas from October 3rd.
More about films with Joaquin Phoenix
Related News :