That's Entertainment

That's Entertainment

Folie a deux is actually a masterpiece. It's all in the name, a delusion shared by two people. Arthur Flecks life is a mess, he knows he messed up, he knows he is going away for a long time. He disassociates, he doesn't live in the real world anymore. He is cooped up in his own world, he is disillusioned with the real world. No one treats him like a human being in the real world. He finds an escape in a girl who idolize's "Joker". His shadow finds an outlet and expresses itself. "Joker" manifests himself in the real world, he finds a stage and for the first time in a while, Arthur feels alive again. His "Joker" persona makes him feel alive and it makes sense too, when he is Arthur, he is dark and disillusioned with life but as "Joker", he has on a colorful costume and make-up. "Joker" is who he wishes he can be but he doesn't acknowledge that he is "Joker", it's all an act for him - entertainment. He doesn't see and understand "Jokers" darkness, this makes him a stranger to himself. For him being "Joker" is an escape, he is stuck in a rut, he is depressed, he still hates himself because that doesn't go away and "Joker" makes him daydream about life. When he puts on his costume and make-up, he can put on a show, the world is a stage, he can do anything, he can be anyone but that's a delusion because we still live in a real world and he is trialed for murdering 5 people, 1 on live TV and 6 if you add his mother. When he fires his lawyer and defends himself as "Joker", he doesn't see the gravity of the situation, he puts on a show, the world is a stage, he is so delusional. Who could blame him? His love interest perpetuates and enhances this delusion, she enables Arthur, she gives him an escape, an avenue for "Joker" to express himself, she also dons her costume and make-up so she too can be "Joker". Arthur thinks this girl is there for him but she is only there for "Joker". When Arthur denounces "Joker", the delusion stops and she goes away. She was never real. Arthur denies his shadow and it ends up murdering him because he can't see it. It's a delusion of two, Folie a deux but this is also a sequel.

The biggest criticism of the movie is that it's a musical but that's entertainment. It's a creative decision and it's still a psychological thriller. How else are you going to depict Arthur's delusion and state of mind. He is literally locked-up, he is disillusioned with the world and it wants to kill him. He can only daydream about a better existence. A musical shows us his frame of mind. "Critically acclaimed" is usually jargon for realistic and accurate - the first movie was that in abundance. It chronicled Arthur's life in a way that was believable and his dissent to hell made sense observing his character arc. The sequel explores his state of mind, his shadow is not something that is hidden anymore, it's in the open and Arthur gives it a platform. The shadow is not logical, that's why a musical is perfect. Musicals have illogical time frames and they are delusional in nature because they don't happen in real life. Folie a deux = delusion shared by two people, it's also a sequel (2) and Arthur is murdered by his shadow (his second self). This was clearly thought out, if this is not genius, I don't know what is. Maybe the sequel was a money grab, you could certainly make a point and say it didn't warrant one but that's entertainment, the world demanded it! I do understand the backlash because I was initially one of the guys who pushed back. I didn't understand, I needed to suspend my judgment and finish the damn movie but I was scared they would tarnish the legacy of the first movie and they didn't. This is definitely a polarizing movie but as a student of Jung, I will defend this sequel to my last breath.

The box office and awards are not always everything, the product must have soul and integrity. It cannot pander to widespread perceptions about what it should be. The vision is the vision. The Director is also the writer and producer, he understands the source material better than anyone, he created it. It's literally his story-world, to think it could have been done better is arrogant. Sometimes the media catches on and the audience loves it garnering you acclaim, awards and fortune and sometimes its a miss. Win or lose, the product still has to have soul and integrity. The story continues on Folie a deux and it is told in the best possible way. If you don't see it, you don't understand the premise of the movie. This was always shadow work that's why Joker has mass appeal.