39/18
Struggling with his dual identity, failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while locked up at Arkham State Hospital. Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson and writer-director Todd Phillips share what scared them most about approaching the musical sequel. Plus, Gaga discusses how she got into and stayed in her dark persona. The film’s subtitle „Folie a Deux” means „The Madness of Two” in French. This initially led to speculation about Harley Quinn appearing in the film, which was confirmed shortly after. The name Folie a Deux comes from the 19th century French psychiatrists Charles Lasègue and Jules Falret. The term was coined to refer to two or more people who share the same insanity or delusion. It is also known as Lasègue-Falret syndrome. The foreman of the jury talks about „The People of New York” rather than Gotham City. This is because New York State is the plaintiff in a criminal case, and this version of Gotham City is obviously located in New York State (most versions place Gotham in New Jersey). Arthur Fleck: [Written as a spiteful autograph with a sad smiley face] I HOPE YOU HAVE CANCER. The film opens with a Looney Tunes title sequence featuring the Warner Bros. logo. surrounded by rings and the face of the Joker. Featured in AniMat’s Wicked Cartoon Cast: The Wicked Discovery of a Lifetime (2022). Merrily We Roll Along Written by Eddie Cantor, Murray Mencher and Charles Tobias. Before watching the movie, I avoided reading reviews or watching trailers because I had incredibly high expectations. With stars like Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, I expected an intense and deep portrayal of the Joker, a character known for his dark, complex and psychopathic nature. While Phoenix and Gaga deliver solid performances, the film fails to deliver the story we all wanted. Instead of diving deep into the Joker’s twisted psyche, we’re given a strange mix of musical numbers and dance sequences that feel out of place, often popping up every few minutes with no real purpose. The Joker’s torment, his darkness, his complexity – all of these are missing. What makes this worse is that we all know this isn’t the *real* Joker from the previous comics or movies. But even with this freedom, the film squanders the potential to explore the character’s more psychological and chaotic side. Instead, we’re left with a shallow version of what could have been a thrilling plunge into madness. Supporting characters such as Harley Quinn (played by Gaga) are similarly ill-served. Instead of playing into their notoriously toxic dynamic, her character feels one-dimensional, with little depth to their bond. The lack of meaningful interaction between the Joker and figures like Murray Franklin or even the inmates of Arkham drains the story of any tension or intrigue. It’s a shame because with the right direction, this could have easily been one of the best films of the year. Instead, it’s a disappointment. Save time and money – this one doesn’t live up to the hype. Check out our list of exciting new films from this year’s film festivals, including Venice, TIFF, the New York Film Festival and more.