Joker: Folie à Deux review: Lady Gaga is underutilised in a boring, uninspiring sequel

There is a moment early in Todd Philips' latest film Joker: Folie à Deux featuring the leads Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga that summarises the film well. It is the first courtroom scene in the film and Phoenix's Joker is desperately looking at the door waiting for Lee or Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) to walk into the court. Joker or Arthur Flec is on trial for killing six people including a popular chat show host live on television. While the tension in the room is palpable, Arthur keeps looking at the door. Lee enters and the two lovers exchange a smile. As Lee settles in, Arthur looks at her and pretends to stifle a yawn- referring to how boring the legal proceedings and the room is. The moment accurately captures the mood of the film. 

Written by Philips and Scott Silver, Joker: Folie à Deux is a sequel to the 2019 film Joker. The American psychological musical drama has Joaquin Phoenix returning as the troubled DC villain Joker, a role that earned him an Oscar in 2019. Giving him company in part 2 is Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, a fellow inmate that Arthur meets at the asylum and who matches his crazy with her set of crazy. 

The story of Joker: Folie à Deux  

The film starts from where Joker had ended. Arthur is lodged in a correction center/asylum in Gotham City after killing Murray Franklin live on television. While district attorney Harvey Dent is pushing for capital punishment for Arthur, his lawyer is keen to plea in court and ask for mercy considering his mental health. 

Arthur, a quiet and feeble man is now more keen to live a life with Lee who wants to 'build a mountain' with him once he is freed. But the court proceedings are long and complex and Arthur often finds himself in a fix, having issues trusting what's being fed to him. 

While Joker gave a solid back story to Arthur Fleck and the reasons for his downfall, Joker: Folie à Deux concentrates a bit much on court scenes. Nothing comes of it. It is poised as a love story and I was quite excited at the prospect of Gaga taking up the role of crazy but iconic Harley Quinn in a Todd Philips version of Joker. Unfortunately, Gaga is only utilized for the music. Both Phoenix and Gaga showcase their talent as singers and exude chemistry when being dramatic and putting up a show.

Also see: Lady Gaga debuts red hair at LA premiere of Joker: Folie à Deux

Lady Gaga is underutilised 

Gaga, however, has limited scope as an actor in the film. Most courtroom scenes -and they are in plenty- feature her but she has no dialogue in them. Gaga only comes in - ever so often- to sing. These sequences are mostly imaginative and shot and executed well but after a point, it becomes repetitive. At one point, as Arthur asks an important question about their future together, Lee breaks into yet another song and Arthur instead of indulging, says 'Please stop, don't sing'. 

It is a poignant moment and echoes the sentiments of the viewers too who by now are tired of the song and theatrical routine that does nothing to take the story forward. 

Phoenix is in top form as usual. The variations he brings- even though dramatic- to his character are praiseworthy. He has once again undergone a drastic physical transformation for the film and with limited dialogues and a lot of physical acting, the actor nails his part. 

Lady Gaga, Joaquin Phoenix bring Venice to a halt with star power: Joker 2 premiere

Joker: Folie à Deux however is a dull, uninspiring sequel. I found the first film disturbing and slightly problematic because of its message. The sequel does not evoke such strong reactions but instead, tests your patience to a great extent. Gaga is underutilized, the sequences are long drawn and the overall pace of the film is sluggish. Not the sort of sequel one would expect after the brilliance of Joker.