The unfortunate tale of the saddest clown continues with ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, the sequel to Todd Phillips’ 2019 film ‘Joker’. Following its release, the movie has faced lacklustre box office performance and a wave of negative feedback from both fans and critics.
The story picks up with Arthur Fleck (played by Joaquin Phoenix) as he navigates the aftermath of his criminal escapades, only to have his life further complicated by the arrival of Lee Quinzel (portrayed by Lady Gaga). Quinzel, an intelligent yet morally twisted woman, becomes infatuated with Fleck’s notorious antics, but their budding relationship strains under the weight of Fleck’s ongoing identity crisis linked to his Joker persona.
Image Courtesy: People
While ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ isn’t the first doomed romance to grace the Hollywood landscape, it stands out due to its unique focus on the troubled connection between the melancholic clown, Fleck, and the flamboyant Quinzel. This theme of a tragic love story isn’t new to either of its talented stars; Lady Gaga has explored complex relationships in films like ‘House of Gucci’ and ‘A Star Is Born’, while Joaquin Phoenix’s recent work in ‘Napoleon’, directed by Ridley Scott, also delves into intricate romances.
However, despite this intriguing premise, ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ doesn’t even hold the title for the best film centred on a murderous clown’s tragic love story. That distinction belongs to Álex de la Iglesia’s brilliant 2010 dark comedy thriller, ‘The Last Circus’, which remains the quintessential film in this genre.
–Farheen Ali