A Joker in love
Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) was left in Arkham Asylum, where he was held awaiting trial for the murders of five people, including talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro). live on television. While he is allowed to take a singing lesson, he catches the eye of Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga). This young patient confides in him that she is a big fan, since she has seen the TV movie devoted to the psychopath 20 times. Naturally, the two become closer and, in their shared madness, a passionate love story begins… Lee seeking to awaken in Arthur the little music of the Joker that seduced her so much. Just like the hundreds of supporters who will be present at the upcoming trial, for which his brilliant lawyer (Catherine Keener) is preparing Arthur…
Joaquin Phoenix simply masterful as fragile Joker in Todd Philips’ film
In 2019, Todd Phillips surprised with Joker. Coming from the world of comedy (Road Tripthe trilogy Very Bad Tripbut also War Dogs), the American director signed a real comics author, a dark film paying homage to New York cinema of the 1970s and 1980s with, as ultimate reference, The puppet ball by Scorsese (from which he copied De Niro). Difficult to surprise again in a sequel, produced by Bradley Cooper (who revealed Lady Gaga as an actress in A Star is Born in 2018). The director succeeds, however, by signing everything except the expected film. Even if it means disappointing fans of Joker.
And Joker was a political fable resonating with the ills of contemporary neoliberal society – it is no coincidence that, at the time, we saw masks of the Joker flourishing in demonstrations all over the world -, Joker: Folie à deux will be a romantic and musical drama.
Joker ou Arthur Fleck ?
Todd Philipps opens his film with a Warner Bros. cartoon-style cartoon: The Joker and his shadow. This is the subject that this sequel explores: what is the deep identity of Arthur Fleck? Is he crazy, suffering from dissociative identity disorder which reveals the Joker? This is the question that will be asked throughout the trial.
For her first film, Lady Gaga dazzles… “A Star is Born”
Considering the Gotham courtroom as a theater stage, Fleck wants at all costs to seduce Lee and his fans by playing the role of the Joker again. But is it really him? Or is Arthur just a poor fellow who was martyred in his childhood and who invented an imaginary double?
Not the expected film
While remaining faithful to the aesthetic of JokerTodd Phillips this time multiplies the nods to the Hollywood musical, in the singing and dancing numbers. With in particular a beautiful English version of Don’t leave me by Jacques Brel, sung by Joaquin Phoenix…
Returning to his tortured role, the American star, more gaunt than ever, delivers a performance as lively as ever in the role of Arthur Fleck, bordering on grandiloquence, like the direction of Todd Phillips. Whereas, giving a glimpse of the very popular DC Comics character Harley Quinn, Lady Gaga no longer needs to prove that she is a real actress, and not only when she sings…
By taking the opposite view of the character and refusing to offer the spectator what he expects, Todd Phillips creates a very interesting film, but undoubtedly frustrating for part of the public. Not sure, then, that he will repeat the same success at the box office…
Joker: Folie à deux Author’s comics Of Todd Phillips Screenplay Todd Phillips and Scott Silver (based on DC Comics characters) Photography Lawrence Sher Musique Hildur Guðnadóttir Montage Jeff Groth With Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan… Duration 2h18