Joker: Folie à Deux is the inevitable sequel to Todd Phillips' hugely successful Joker, continuing the story of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix). Institutionalized in the precarious Arkham psychiatric hospital, he must deal with the consequences of his crimes, facing a highly publicized trial and the death penalty. Meanwhile, he falls in love with another mysterious Arkham patient, Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga), who reignites his desire to live as his true self. The film has been somewhat controversial due to its musical nature, and while many of these sequences don’t feel particularly organic, they are well shot and can even be entertaining. However, the major issue with Folie à Deux is that, despite distinguishing itself from its predecessor as a musical, its plot fails to stand on its own: everything in it lives and dies by the events of the first film, to the extent that it feels like a prolonged epilogue. There are other controversial details worth discussing and analyzing, but suffice it to say that you will enjoy it more if you were a fan of the first.
This is the fourth remake of the 1930s film, which has previously starred Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand in the lead role. This time, the protagonist is Ally, played by Lady Gaga, a waitress who dreams of a star life until one day she meets Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), a famous singer. From then on, "A Star Is Born" builds, first, a story of overcoming, of pursuit of stardom, and of love. Secondly, the feature brings the tension of Ally's stardom into the relationship of both, involving us in a whirlwind of emotions. An exquisite job by Gaga, who had already acted in productions like "American Horror Story". Cooper is also great - especially when we look at that he is producing, directing, co-starring, and even singing (well). The soundtrack, as it could not be otherwise, is great and deserves special mention to the photography, signed by Matthew Libatique ("Black Swan").
