2020-2029, Film Review

Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)

Posted on October 6, 2024October 6, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Warner Bros Pictures and DC Studios**

Joker: Folie à Deux – Film Review

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Leigh Gill

Director: Todd Phillips

Synopsis: Two years after the events of the first film, as he prepares to go on trial for murder, Arthur Fleck meets fellow Arkham inmate Harleen ‘Lee’ Quinzel…

Review: In what was an incredible year for film, there were fewer films released in 2019 which caused a frenzied debate as Todd Phillips’s Joker. The winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and yet, the controversy which surrounded the film in the run-up to its release was thunderous and widespread, amid fears that it would spark violence and unrest. Despite its very apparent nods to the filmography of Martin Scorsese, the film rode out those fears, taking over a billion dollars at the box office and becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time (a record it held until only very recently) and bagging two Academy Awards. Amid the very divisive reactions, ultimately this version of the Clown Prince of Crime had the last laugh. At least he would have done, had the filmmakers resisted the urge to return to this dreary interpretation of Gotham and make a markedly inferior sequel.

It has been two years since failed comedian Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) violently killed several people, including three Wall Street businessmen, a co-worker, and a prominent talk show host, the latter taking place live on national television, all while adopting the mantle of the Joker. Now imprisoned at Arkham State Hospital, Arthur is awaiting to stand trial for his crimes and at the mercy of Arkham’s guards, who take great joy in taunting him. He soon meets Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Gaga), and the two begin a bad romance, (rah-ah-ah-ah!) with Lee telling Arthur that they will build a great life for themselves once he is free. Meanwhile, in preparation for his trial, Arthur’s legal counsel Maryanne Stewart (Keener) is aiming to convince him that he has dissociative identity disorder and that it was this Joker character that committed these murders, all this is interwoven with musical numbers which attempt to explore Arthur’s mindset, because apparently a song and dance is a better outlet than talking about it?

How do you solve a problem like Joker? This is presumably the question on the minds of Phillips and Scott Silver when they set about writing this follow-up. The short answer is you leave it the hell alone as not every film needs a sequel, but clearly money (especially $1bn) talks. While at least this does away with the very overt references to a superior filmmaker’s work, the decision to go down the musical route for such serious discussions about mental health and the state of Arthur’s mind is unquestionably bold. However, boldness counts for nothing if you don’t fully commit to this and go for broke and commit to batshit musical numbers. Even with a singer as talented as Gaga, the musical numbers are flat and unremarkable, and offer nothing substantive as a means of dissecting Arthur’s supposed identity crisis and both his and Lee’s mental state. Folie à Deux (or shared delusion/madness) is an apt subtitle as these are two souls whose delusion knows no bounds, but it’s a shame that the substance of the script is about as shallow as it could possibly get, and its exploration of mental health is superficial if we’re being kind, and bordering on lazy if we’re not, which we absolutely should not.

For all of the script’s many faults, with another being a courtroom drama that should be gripping and intense as Arthur is held accountable for his actions, even if that is half-baked and farcical in its execution. At least Joaquin Phoenix delivers another compelling performance, even though the material he’s been given is far beneath an actor of his immense capabilities. Gaga has proven she has the acting chops to go toe to toe with some of the biggest names in the business, and she does so again here. Her take on this iconic character is much more softly spoken and warmer than some of her immediate predecessors. However, she doesn’t get enough screen time to truly excel and leave a lasting impression. To underutilise her musical talents, in particular, is an especially egregious sin, among the many many sins committed through a two-hour and twenty-minute run time, with severe drags in the pacing.

What is considerably less sinful is the sterling work of returning cinematographer and composer Lawrence Sher and Hildur Guðnadóttir, the latter of whom won an Oscar for the first film. The scenes in Arkham are aptly dim and grey, to reflect such a miserable place. They stand as a perfect contrast to the vibrantly lit musical moments, while Guðnadóttir again deploys a haunting string-heavy to capture the gloominess of Arthur’s predicament when he’s not having a musical interlude, which ultimately feels like a waste of Guðnadóttir’s talents. Phoenix’s phenomenal performance helped to elevate the first film from its obvious influences to provide audiences with a portrayal of one of cinema’s iconic villains that for better or for worse, got people talking. However, this hollow sequel offers absolutely nothing substantial and has absolutely nothing to say. No one is laughing anymore, and it is time for this clown to exit the stage once and for all.

Even with the incredible talents of the production design and technical team, their efforts and excellent performances from Phoenix and Gaga, are all in service of dull musical numbers and a script devoid of anything meaningful to say.

2020-2029, Film Review

House of Gucci (2021)

Posted on December 11, 2021November 15, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© MGM, Bron Creative and Scott Free Productions**

House of Gucci – Film Review

Cast: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek

Director: Ridley Scott

Synopsis: Telling the true story of the family behind the iconic fashion brand, and their bitter power struggle as to who will have control over the company…

Review: When it comes to the world of fashion, several names immediately leap to mind that everyone will know as the most iconic. Names such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, Versace, and Fendi, to name but a few. When it comes to these fashion houses, there’s likely a fascinating backstory about how they came to be the iconic labels they are today. This is certainly applicable to the brand Gucci, which, as of 2021, is estimated to be worth around $15 billion. With his second film of the year, Ridley Scott tackles that fascinating backstory of the Gucci brand, and the family behind the business, with decidedly mixed results.

Patrizia Reggiani (Gaga), who works for her father’s business, meets Maurizio (Driver) at a party. As they strike up a conversation and get to know each other, their romance blossoms. However, it isn’t until Patrizia learns about Maurizio’s status as the heir to one of the biggest names in fashion that changes everything. Maurizio and Patrizia marry, but Maurizio’s father Rodolfo (Irons) doesn’t take kindly to Patrizia, as he deduces that Patrizia doesn’t love Maurizio for who he is as a person, but is solely after Maurizio’s money. But Maurizio’s uncle Aldo (Pacino) welcomes Patrizia into the family and takes them under his wing. As Patrizia’s influence grows, a bitter power struggle ensues as to who will ultimately take control of the brand, which will have dire consequences.

Adapted from the book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour and Greed, by Sara Gay Forden, the title gives you an accurate indication of the shenanigans that are about to go down. A film that depicts all of the above, in the hands of a director with the calibre and experience of Ridley Scott had so much potential. Factor in an extremely talented cast, filled with Oscar nominees and winners, and yet the film falls well short of living up to its potential. As Patrizia and Maurizio meet and fall in love, it starts off fairly strongly, as the chemistry between Lady Gaga and Driver sizzles. Following on from her breakout performance in A Star Is Born, this role gives Gaga a chance to really flex her acting chops. To her credit, she easily gives the best performance in the whole film, which is no mean feat given the calibre of the actors around her.

As she marries Maurizio, she begins to exert her influence over the Gucci brand, whilst making moves to consolidate her power and influence on the Gucci brand. The film could (and perhaps should given the director) have soared from here, but instead, it is where the film really loses its way and never recovers. With all the scheming and backstabbing that goes on as individuals duel for controlling stake in the Gucci brand, like a Game of Thrones-style thriller, but instead of swords, dragons, and a battle for a throne, you have a battle for who will gain control over billions of dollars and dominion of high-end fashion. These moments have the odd spark that provides some entertainment, but they are not nearly enough to sustain the film’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime.

The screenplay from Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna seems to be two films that have been mixed into one. It flirts between wanting to be that serious crime drama and a much less serious film, with the camp factor dialled up to the maximum. This is an opportune moment to mention the enigma that is Jared Leto. Unrecognisable under a substantial amount of make-up as Paolo Gucci, his performance is mystifying, to say the least. With an accent that is so over-the-top and exaggerated, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was auditioning for a role in a new Mario video game. These moments of campy soap opera-like drama, and all of their over-the-topness, are so out of place here, they undercut the very serious crime drama that the film could and probably should have focused on. While Leto is by far and away, the worst offender with the accents, the rest of the cast are not much better. The poor accents are also not helpful when trying to convey the serious nature of the crime drama that that aspect of the film is trying to tell.

The nature of this story is such ripe material for a compelling piece of storytelling. Even though parts of the film dragged on, given the timescale of the story, a mini-series could have been the better avenue to bring this story to audiences. Ridley Scott’s status as a legend of Hollywood is assured, but having said that even with a director of Scott’s experience, the complete mismatch of tones is a baffling style choice and one that ultimately sinks the film. Consistency when it comes to his directorial output has been a recurring problem for Scott. In a year when the veteran director has provided audiences with an extremely compelling and timely drama, it is disappointing that he couldn’t have made it two for two.

With no expense spared for the production design or costumes, Lady Gaga gives it everything she has as Patrizia Reggiani. However, the tonal mismatch of the story and some of the acting proves to be the film’s undoing. Style over substance, quite literally.

2010-2019, Film Review

A Star is Born (2018)

Posted on October 7, 2018January 28, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Warner Bros. Pictures, Live Nation Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer**

A Star is Born – Film Review

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay

Director: Bradley Cooper

Synopsis: Renowned musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) meets and falls in love with aspiring singer Ally (Gaga). As their romance blossoms, her career starts to take off, while his begins to falter…

Review: Hollywood right now certainly isn’t shy of remaking a great many films over the years. While some remakes can miss the mark, there are instances in which a remake can achieve something remarkable. No matter what is being remade, one has to take whatever was made previously and make it feel new something new and fresh, a story that deserves to be introduced to a whole new generation, and that is precisely what writer/director/producer/star Bradley Cooper does.

Cooper is Jackson Maine, a singer who is no doubt talented at what he does. Yet right from when we meet him, it is clear that he is battling some intense personal demons, and is in the twilight of what seemed to be a glittering career. After one gig, he find a bar where Ally is performing, and almost instantaneously he is smitten by her and her incredible voice. The two begin a romance and during one show he invites her onto the stage to perform, and as the title of the film suggests, a star is most definitely born as Ally’s career begins a stratospheric rise to the top. Yet it is not all good for Ally, as Jackson’s demons begin to take a toll on him, which threatens to tear their relationship apart.

Cooper has shown his versatility in recent years with a diverse range of characters that has seen him pick up four Oscar nominations. Still, his portrayal of this troubled singer is potentially some of his best-ever work in the acting department. You can just feel his anger at various things that have happened to him in his life, and the intense personal battles he is currently fighting that are just wearing him down. But it is Lady Gaga who is the real acting revelation. Though she has graced the silver screen before, her performance is astonishing. She captures the anxiety of a woman who wants to pursue her dream but is unsure of whether she really has the ability to make a success of it.

Given their relationship is a central piece of the film, Gaga and Cooper have excellent chemistry together, Like many relationships, they endure testing times, but you really feel their love for one another, even though they both have some concerns. For Jackson, it’s the direction that Ally’s career goes in, and for Ally, it is Jackson’s battles with addiction and substance abuse. The film has quite a bit to say about the modern music industry, that seems to favour extremely well-polished and aesthetically pleasing artists, over those who harbour real musical talent. While Gaga has certainly had her controversial moments in the music business thus far, her talent as a singer cannot be disputed and along with Cooper, there is a plethora of raw and heartfelt emotion behind these beautiful songs.

There is a lot happening here but the screenplay by Cooper, along with Eric Roth and Will Fetters, does a tremendous job of balancing things out as for every euphoric moment of joy, comes a moment of melancholic sadness, but the film does not allow itself to get too bogged down in either for any significant amount of time. For a directorial debut, there is a lot to admire as to what Cooper brings to the table, most notably when it comes to the live performances. The camerawork and cinematography really make you feel like you are at these gigs watching these talented performers bring these songs to life in a superb manner.

Remakes so often can feel like there simply was not a need for them to have been made. However, the sterling work of Cooper and Gaga especially ensure that although this is the fourth version of this story to be told, it feels necessary for it to be retold to a new generation. With such raw emotion packed into its story and characters, A Star is Born will almost certainly be shining very brightly when we get to the business end of awards season.