5 Reasons Why You SHOULD Watch “Joker: Folie à Deux”

The long-awaited “Joker: Folie à Deux” is an unexpectedly gripping film that plays with audience expectations and confronts the source material (the first part) in a subtle way, as well as everything that has been attributed to the first “Joker” over the years in intertextual commentaries.

There was a stir at the Venice Film Festival – the premiere of Todd Phillips’ new work met with both criticism and praise from the gathered journalists. The classic phrase often used by novice film critics fits perfectly here: this is a film that you either hate or love with all your heart. In my case, it’s the latter: although I don’t fully understand all the directorial (and scriptwriting) choices, I was personally shocked (my friends sitting next to me can confirm) at how excellent and captivating a film the American director has presented us.

Here are five reasons why I recommend going to the cinema to see one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year!

“Joker: Folie à Deux” is not an obvious sequel

It’s more of a reinterpretation of the first film’s story than a direct continuation. I don’t want to reveal too much, because each sentence would be close to a spoiler, but this is a movie that plays with the audience’s expectations and the tone of the first part of this small diptych. Instead of continuing the “edgy” atmosphere of the 2019 “Joker“, Phillips decided to portray his protagonist in a completely different light and redefine the labels given to him by radical fans and extreme enthusiasts. This year, the killer joke belongs to Phillips, as he decided to poke fun at his own acclaimed film!

Phoenix still rocks

When an actor reprises a role, they often become less interesting to the audience – after all, we already know all the nuances of the character, or the various tricks the actor brings to the role. This was the case with Robert Downey Jr., for example, who, after the first “Iron Man”, was still a great Iron Man but no longer evoked the same amazement. It was still skilled, professional work, but it took several more Marvel films before the creators gave Tony Stark some freshness and started playing with his character.

In the case of this “Joker”, things are a bit different: Joaquin Phoenix not only returns to familiar territory (once again, every scene with him alternately provokes shivers of embarrassment or fear), but thanks to some narrative changes, his Arthur gains a whole new depth, which affects the perception of his entire performance. His maniacal laughter doesn’t just become a grotesque quirk but also takes on a tragic quality. Plus, Phoenix sings quite well (for an actor who probably took a few lessons for the role), and in one of the more classic musical scenes, his Joker starts tap dancing like Fred Astaire himself. Let’s repeat that: we’ve lived to see a time when Joker imitates Astaire. As they say – what a time to be alive!

The musical aspect doesn’t quite fit, but it’s still enjoyable

Let’s clear something up – this is not a musical, and the musical scenes are just a creative excuse for Phillips to experiment with the format and see what happens when it merges with the film’s core, which in this case is a drama (specifically a courtroom drama). Gaga and Phoenix dance and sing together, and while there’s not much depth to it, it’s a lot of fun and simply pleasing to watch.

It keeps you in suspense until the very end

At one point, Phillips poses the question of whether Phoenix’s character truly has that hidden “Joker” inside him or if it’s just a role Arthur Fleck plays for his performance. Practically until the very end, the director doesn’t reveal this open secret (for some viewers, it was obvious, while others were still pondering it even after the credits rolled). And that’s probably the main strength of this film, because it makes you think about it for a day or two after the screening (as I’m doing now). Even though the latest “Joker” is a product of typical contemporary Hollywood, geared towards formulaic stories and simple plots, the script of this production is actually quite nuanced in some ways. And for that alone, it’s worth seeing.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” doesn’t leave you feeling unsatisfied

I feared that Phillips would cash in and leave us again with a sense of uncertainty about our main (anti)hero’s fate. However, as it turns out, the director once again plays with his story (and its formula), suggesting that he doesn’t plan to make another sequel, but instead offers a condensed narrative with a meaningful beginning, development, and a rather memorable ending. In a world taken over by Marvel productions and other forcibly extended blockbusters, this kind of conclusion doesn’t leave a bad aftertaste.