30/31
meaning “Two Madnesses”; in french
Narrative
Struggling with his dual identity, the failed comedian meets the love of his life at Arkham State Hospital. Plus, Gaga discusses how she got into her dark character, and how she stays in it. This initially led to speculation about Harley Quinn’s appearance in the film, which was confirmed shortly after. The name Folie a Deux comes from the 19th century French psychiatrists Charles Lasègue and Jules Falret.
Instead of Gotham City
The term was coined for two or more people who share the same madness or delusion. Also known as Lasègue-Falret syndrome. This is because New York State is the plaintiff in a criminal case, and this version of Gotham City is obviously located in New York State (most versions place Gotham in New Jersey). Arthur Fleck: [A sad smiley face written as a thoughtful autograph] I HOPE YOU GET CANCER.
logo with rings and the Joker’s face
The film opens with the Looney Tunes title sequence surrounding the Warner Bros. Merrily We Roll Along Written by Eddie Cantor, Murray Mencher and Charles Tobias. If Joker 2 was supposed to expand Arthur Fleck’s tortured psyche, it only managed to expand my boredom. What made the first film so intriguing – the slow descent into madness – has been replaced by a frantic, disjointed attempt to outdo its predecessor without any real sense of direction.
nor are there any fun moments to latch on to
Fleck’s evolution (or lack thereof) feels more like a series of erratic, isolated scenes than a coherent narrative. The film has a hard time finding its voice, it oscillates between forced social commentary and a carnival of absurdity, neither of which leaves anything to think about. It’s as if the filmmakers thought that more chaos automatically meant more depth, but instead it feels like empty spectacle, with none of the philosophical subtlety that made the original resonate. Character development was shallow, almost as if they hoped we wouldn’t notice the lack of story beneath the avalanche of neon-lit chaos, and sinister laughs couldn’t save a script that felt more like a checklist of provocations than a real journey.
Skip that impression
Joker 2 is a poor imitation of its own predecessor, like it’s trying to laugh at the same joke twice – only this time it falls flat and you wonder why you found it funny in the first place. Judgment? Check out our exciting new films from this year’s film festivals, including Venice, TIFF, New York Film Festival and more.