“Joker: Folie À Deux” Is A Critique On Stan Culture

“You get what you f***ing deserve”

This seemingly random line preceded what became the defining moment of Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning descent into chaos in 2019’s “Joker”.

However, the sequel, “Joker: Folie À Deux”, challenges the very notion of “deserving” in both life and cinema. While the 2019 film, although genre-defining, arguably got more praise than it deserved, its sequel gets the opposite treatment. Expectations surrounding it were high, making its reception more divisive.

In “Joker”, Todd Phillips presented a narrative in which a broken society is largely responsible for Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness, culminating in six murders and the emergence of a pop-culture antihero, both on and off-screen. Joker’s transformation felt justified in 2019, with audiences rooting for the Clown Prince of Crime.

Many anticipated that this momentum would continue in “Folie À Deux”, especially with Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn set to play a pivotal role in Arthur’s and Gotham’s decline. But Phillips and his team had other plans.

In the sequel, Arthur Fleck remains…well, Arthur Fleck. The line between man and clown is more pronounced, and the phrase “multi-personality disorder” is questioned rather than simply resorting to the “society made me do this” of the first film. The Looney Tunes-inspired opening scene hints at the chaos to come, showing Arthur struggling with his own shadow, dressed as the Joker, for control.

Torn between the gruesome halls of Gotham State Hospital, where he is incarcerated and awaiting trial for his murders—most famously that of Murray Franklin on live TV—and the courtroom drama, Arthur remains a desolate figure, not too different from his pre-clown self, albeit now with a twisted celebrity status.

Facing the death penalty and the disdain of prison guards—who treat him like a joke-dispensing machine for cigarette favors—Arthur finds moments of light when he meets Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga) during a music therapy session.

It’s insanity at first sight when they meet. Harley is the yin to Arthur’s yang… delulu-style. Unlike the thousands of fans swarming the courthouse for his trial, now dubbed “the trial of the century,” Harley is different. She is smart, calculated, and classy (Yes, classy!). In other words, don’t expect the vibrant, chaotic persona of Margot Robbie’s Harley.

At first, Arthur assumes she wants a taste of his craziness. Then a slice of him. And then something deeper—a connection that seemed more promising than his illusory relationship with Zazie Beetz’s character from the first film. Fueled by Harley’s presence, Arthur throws away the insanity plea his lawyer, Maryanne Stewart (Catherine Keener), insists is his only hope of saving his head, instead embracing his Joker destiny.

Ironically, there’s little to say about Phoenix and Gaga’s performances that hasn’t already been said. Phoenix kills it once again as Gotham’s worst, but don’t expect any Oscars this time around—the surprise factor that wowed viewers and the Academy in 2019 is absent. Gaga’s limited screen time means she never fully goes “gaga” as either a love interest or a sidekick. She never fully transforms into Harley Quinn, and while this may be intentional since it’s a Joker movie, not a Harley Quinn origin story, it still feels like a missed opportunity, especially considering Gaga’s reported $10 million paycheck.

Now, to address the musical aspect. Since his debut, the Joker has straddled the line between reality and fantasy, so transforming his delusions into grand musical spectacles makes a certain amount of sense. However, if you’re going to do a Joker musical, the numbers and genre should be more fitting (where’s James Gunn when you need him?). Pairing “The Great American Songbook” classics with “To Love Somebody” was not the best choice. At least the performances were decent—thanks to Gaga and Lawrence Sher’s striking visuals, which offered a much-needed break from Gotham’s grim atmosphere.

Joker: Folie À Deux is a bold, risky film. It takes a stand against the very fans who idolized the Joker in the first movie, offering a critique of stan culture. There’s less blood, fewer laughs, and, paradoxically, less Joker. Instead, it exposes the dark underbelly of Arthur’s fame: his supporters only root for him when he’s the untouchable Joker. The moment he shows vulnerability, both the fictional and real-world audiences turn away.

The sequel holds a mirror up to the fans who glorified a broken man, reminding them that underneath the chaos is still just a sad, violent criminal. It’s a sobering look at how pop culture can distort and elevate destructive figures while ignoring their real flaws.

Ultimately, Folie À Deux is a far cry from what most people expected. It’s a slower burn, a more introspective journey, and one that may not sit well with those looking for a straightforward continuation of the Joker’s chaos. Phillips took another risk here, but unlike the first film, this gamble may not pay off in the same way.

Had this film been titled “Arthur Fleck: Yadayada”, it might have been less divisive. But as a Joker film, “Folie À Deux” will likely be remembered as a classic case of “what I ordered vs. what I got.” Only here, the truth is more deserving of the latter than the former. Everyone gets their karma—man, clown, and audience alike—except for the movie itself and its negative press.

Release Date: October 4, 2024

Runtime: 2 hours and 18 minutes

Streaming Service: No, Cinematic Release

Director: Todd Phillps

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey, Leigh Gill, Ken Leung, Jacob Lofland, Bill Smitrovich, Sharon Washington.