21/19

Plus, Gaga discusses how she got into and stayed in her dark character

Chronology

Struggling with his dual identity, failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital.. Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, and director-writer Todd Phillips share what scared them most about tackling the musical sequel. The film's subtitle "Folie a Deux" means "Madness of Two" in French. This initially led to speculation about Harley Quinn's appearance in the film, which was shortly thereafter confirmed.

It is also known as Lasègue-Falret syndrome

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 that share the same madness or delusion. The jury foreperson speaks of the "People of New York" instead of Gotham City. This is because the State of New York is the plaintiff in a criminal trial, and this version of Gotham City is evidently located in New York state (most versions place Gotham in New Jersey)..

Merrily We Roll AlongWritten by Eddie Cantor, Murray Mencher, and Charles Tobias

Arthur Fleck: [Written as a spiteful autograph with a sad smiley face] I HOPE YOU GET CANCER. The film opens with a Looney Tunes title sequence, featuring the Warner Bros logo surrounded by rings and the Joker's face.. Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: The Wicked Discovery of a Lifetime (2022). This feels more like a spin-off than a true sequel, spending most of its runtime rehashing the original through court scenes and interviews, rather than pushing the story forward.

Unfortunately, these sequences can't sustain the film's momentum

The writing is serviceable at best, often relying on thin threads to loosely tie one musical dream sequence to the next. Joaquin Phoenix's performance is fine, but it lacks the raw intensity that defined his portrayal in the original. Lady Gaga, on the other hand, seemed to intentionally tone down her usual flamboyance, likely to avoid overshadowing him, which, while understandable, feels like a missed opportunity for a more dynamic performance.The musical numbers, full of energy and spectacle, are easily the highlight of the film, with the singing and dancing offering moments of reprieve from the otherwise sluggish narrative. The lack of a substantial plot causes the movie to feel overlong, dragging on for more than two hours, making it feel unnecessarily stretched.

Check out our list of exciting new movies from this year's film festivals, including Venice, TIFF, the New York Film Festival, and more

Without the gripping psychological tension of its predecessor, the film struggles to find its footing, leaving it more of an indulgent showcase for musical theatrics than a coherent, engaging continuation of the story..