Folie à deux (French for ‘madness of two’) also called shared psychosis/shared delusional disorder (SDD): a psychiatric syndrome in which symptoms of a delusional belief are “transmitted” from one individual to another.
Joker: Folie à Deux, directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, was a visually stunning movie. Phillips gives a masterclass in creating a beautiful, immersive set. The aesthetic, camera movements and composition are the strongest elements of this movie for me. I also loved the cartoon sequence in the beginning.
Joaquin Phoenix remains fantastic as Arthur Fleck and his performance is incredible. However, I did not appreciate the fact that Arthur’s character arc did not evolve but the script was more focused on a retrospective look at Arthur. Lady Gaga delivers a wonderful performance as well. The actors did the best they could with the given script. I thought the storytelling was a lot less innovative than its predecessor. The narrative structure was linear and predictable while the first movie was more open-for-interpretation.
I am conflicted about Joker: Folie à Deux as I loved the first Joker film very much. Simply put, I am not a fan of the musical portion of this film. The musical numbers did not feel integrated into the storyline, and it did not elevate the experience. I also feel very conflicted with the last scene.
As for the symbolism – the first film was about how Joker symbolized the struggles of common people, while in the sequel, his title was stripped from him. What I mean is – the first film allowed escapism into fantastical delusion however the sequel was focused on realism and exposes Arthur’s psychological suffering.
Overall, Folie à Deux isn’t as horrible as some people say, but the first movie is far better. This film has great performances, state-of-the-art set design, a multidimensional soundscape, stunning imagery and a masterclass in cinematography and lighting – but the script was lackluster. I still think it’s worthy of a watch if you are a fan. Check it out and let me know what you think!
