Ok, so this ‘Joker’ is a musical, but what’s the point?
(Oct. 11, 2024) — In my review for “Joker,” I pointed out that it was a fine film but wondered if it was even necessary. Did we really need a new take on the Joker character? Ultimately, I decided that it was worth the journey.
With Todd Phillips’ sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux,” I find myself asking again, did we need this film? This time, I don’t have quite as good an answer.
The best thing Phillips did was to make this film a musical (sort of). Yes, I gave a compliment to a musical. And yes, it mostly worked in this context.
Courtroom dramas are fine. But courtroom dramas about the Joker would be unwatchable. Phillips had no choice but to add something different to the plot. So Phillips got Lady Gaga and made a courtroom/prison musical.
Gaga as a “not-unhinged-enough” Harley Quinn singing songs makes perfect sense. She’s a generationally talented singer that is perfectly at ease breaking into song during a simple conversation. Joaquin Phoenix proves equally adept at the same. They have decent onscreen chemistry. Unfortunately, they do not share the screen enough.
After turning in an epic performance in the first “Joker,” Phoenix is mostly subdued in the sequel. He spends most of the film as Arthur Fleck. He’s either in prison under the thumb of brutal guards like Jackie Sullivan (a gleeful Brendan Gleeson), or in court fighting against the wishes of his earnest lawyer (Catherine Keener). Phoenix does not get much of a chance to stretch his range as the Joker this time around.
Credit to Phillips and Phoenix for making it really difficult right up to the end for the audience to know what was real and what was just in Fleck’s mind. There are obvious interludes to his fractured psyche, like when he imagines the courtroom has become his own stage. There are far more times when it is less obvious: Is the prison administration really letting Harley Quinn come spend all this time with Fleck?
One thing that is glaringly obvious is that this trial would never be allowed to take place anywhere near Gotham. Something so high profile would need a change of venue to be anywhere near fair.
I’ve heard this film tabbed as a “nervous musical,” a genre where the director decides to incorporate a lot of spontaneous songs but never fully commits to the song-and-dance numbers of a typical musical. I certainly am not doubting the choice. I am, however, questioning why we needed a Joker film where the title character has been so far removed from his element. C-
Fall TV recap
“Slow Horses.” (Apple+) Season 4 is a great as ever. Gary Oldman did not win the Emmy he should have won for playing slovenly Jackson Lamb, leader of Slough House. Still not a cohesively functioning unit, Slough House nevertheless looks after its own. They must band together to help Agent Cartwright (phenomenal job by Jack Lowden) overcome a serious family matter. Funny, suspenseful and always ending each episode on a high note, “Slow Horses” is consistently the best series out there.
“From.” (MGM+) Season 3 picks up right where last season left off. Tabitha is missing and possibly back in the real world. Boyd is even more unhinged because he feels he can’t keep everyone alive. The town is starving as the crops are dead and there aren’t enough animals to feed them all. The ghouls from the forest are as scary and deceiving as ever. This show has frights, pathos and a sense of timing often not found in this genre. Highly worth $7 a month for MGM+.
“The Ark.” (SyFy). Season 2 presents more serious sci-fi in space from the guys who brought us all the excellent “Stargate” shows. All that is left of humanity boarded a dozen or so ark ships and headed out for the stars. Ark 1 ran into a lot of troubles last season. Things pick up with them trying to get to their destination planet while still dealing with Ark 15. One of the best parts about this show is that even though they typically solve their weekly problem, there are always other problems bubbling up that they highlight at the ends of episodes.
I’m looking forward to the final season of “Superman & Lois.” The CW had a good thing going with all their Arrowverse superhero shows until they were sold to a company who does not understand television. I also can’t wait to finally watch the second season of “Rings of Power” on Amazon.
Jeff Mellinger
Jeff Mellinger is a screen writer and film buff. He holds a BA in Film Studies and an MFA in film production. He lives in Concord.