More of Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn could’ve saved ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’

CEBU, Philippines — If the first “Joker” film released in 2019 didn’t make it clear, Arthur Fleck is not the Joker we all grew to fear. Or is he? That’s what its 2024 follow-up aims to explore but with murky results.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” takes place two years after the events of the first film, where Arthur (Joaquin Phoenix) faces charges for a series of murders, including the killing of a late-night host (Robert De Niro) on live television.

While at Arkham, he meets fellow patient Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga), nicknamed Lee, a supporter who finally meets his match. Through a mix of show tunes and courtroom drama, the film explores Arthur’s impact in Gotham City, the Joker as a symbol of rebellion in a time when Bruce Wayne has yet to don a Batman suit, and why someone like Lee would be so fascinated by a deranged criminal.

Disclaimer: I wasn’t a fan of the first movie despite its critical acclaim. Released during a time when school shootings in the U.S. were on the rise and “incel” culture was gaining attention, I had reservations about director Todd Phillips’ portrayal of the villain, especially if his mental health is going to be tackled. I was concerned the film might unintentionally send a message that could encourage those identifying as “incels” to look up to the character as their idol.

Most of the reasons I decided to watch the sequel was Gaga alone as I am a “Little Monster” myself. Ironically, this is my first time watching my favorite pop star on the big screen as I have yet to see “A Star is Born” and “House of Gucci” as of writing. That said, I have mixed feelings about Lee. Without bias, Gaga shows off great chops as an actress, but her character, despite ample screen time, lacks depth.

If “Folie à Deux” aimed to explore why the Joker attracted so much support in Gotham, the story would have benefited from showcasing more of Lee’s perspective. Her fascination with Joker, not Fleck, should’ve carried this movie.

Beyond Arthur's joy at finding a soulmate in Lee, the film reveals little about him that’s new. He spends much of the movie either in Arkham or in court, feeling misunderstood and surrounded by unsympathetic people. The story spends most of its time revisiting his crimes from the first film without adding fresh layers to his character.

Phillips could’ve made up for this by developing Lee further. This version of Harley Quinn deviates so much from the original that the character has the potential for an intriguing re-interpretation.

Unfortunately, it’s unclear why Lee is so drawn to Arthur or why she’s willing to endure so much trouble for him. Who is she, other than a psychologist who is obsessed with the criminal? For someone who is the de-facto leader of Joker’s supporters in Gotham, the film leaves her motivations and their cause frustratingly fuzzy.

The reason I praise Gaga’s performance is that she seems to understand her character better than the director-writer who crafted this version of Harley Quinn. I felt like I got more of a sense of Lee through Gaga’s companion soundtrack, “Harlequin” (available for streaming on music platforms), which features “vintage pop” tracks that mirror the film’s show-tune vibe. The album is Gaga’s personal interpretation of her character outside of the film that in a way is more compelling in lyrics that she sang than a faulty screenplay from Phillips’ hands.

In contrast, the actual musical numbers in the film drag the pacing. While it’s expected that these sequences would take place in Arthur’s and Lee’s heads to tie in with the film’s subtitle (“Folie à deux”, which means delusion shared by two people), some numbers inexplicably occur in reality, with other characters acknowledging the singing. This is one of many moments where the script expects viewers to suspend disbelief for the sake of plot convenience.

The worst part is that the musical numbers barely add anything to the characters. Their purpose is to showcase the relationship dynamic between Arthur and Lee, but reveal very little about who they are outside of this relationship.

The silver lining is the raw vocal performances from Phoenix and Gaga. Neither sings with a polished, studio-recorded sound, but this adds authenticity to their characters. It almost feels like a way to compensate for the lack of substantial character development outside the musical scenes.

Despite his character’s lack of compelling development, Phoenix delivers another strong portrayal of Arthur Fleck, which is expected from the actor. His chemistry with Gaga suits the odd dynamic between the two villains in ways Margot Robbie’s pairing with Jared Leto in 2016’s “Suicide Squad” didn’t.

Even then, it’s hard to see either Phoenix or Gaga landing Oscar nominations given their limited character growth and the film’s poor critical reception. Adding to the film’s woes is its underwhelming box office receipts, a far cry from its predecessor’s billion-dollar performance.

“Folie à Deux” serves as a reminder that “Joker” was conceived as a standalone story, and should have remained that way. Phillips rehashed much of the first film without injecting new ideas. It’s like someone asking the same question repeatedly and getting the same answer: Arthur Fleck is not the Joker. It shouldn’t take two films to answer this question.

For a film that seemed confident it would be an Oscar contender, it instead comes across as a cash grab, trying to profit off the iconic DC villain as the comic book studio gears up for its main universe reboot with James Gunn’s “Superman” next year. (Note: “Folie à Deux” doesn’t carry the DC Studios logo as the Phoenix Joker movies exist in a separate universe.)

For a director-writer known to have one good “Hangover” movie and its unnecessary sequels, it’s no surprise that “Folie à Deux” would also be classified as an unnecessary sequel. If it had to exist, the film should have either expanded Arthur Fleck’s character or shifted its focus to Lee as its lead. But in its final form, it just doesn’t deliver. Two stars out of five. — (FREEMAN)