A Recap Of The Movie ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’
Written by Michael Lee
*All Media used in this article is courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Official Trailer: 'Joker: Folie à Deux’
Video via Warner Bros. Pictures
Plot Synopsis: Joker: Folie à Deux
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
The film begins with an animated sequence not too dissimilar from old Looney Tune cartoons. Attending the premiere of a live show, the Joker drags along his own shadow, who is hesitant to go inside. The Joker arrives backstage and his shadow self takes over, as the shadow leaves Joker to go perform on stage, disguised as Joker. The real Joker rejoins his shadow live on camera, only for the shadow to abandon him in the middle of a song and dance number, leaving the Joker half undressed as three policemen beat him bloody.
The curtains then open to reveal the real life Arthur Flek, who has been imprisoned at Arkham Prison for the murders he committed in the previous film. It’s been two years since the events of the original film, and Arthur now has a lawyer named Maryanne Stewart. It is Stewart who decides to argue to the jury that Arthur Flek actually has a split personality, and it is The Joker personality who is responsible for the murders.
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Later, Flek is escorted back to his cell and happens upon a music class, which is where he meets Harrleen Quinzel, or simply “Lee”. She mimes shooting herself in the head and the two share a laugh. One of Arkham’s guards, Jackie Sullivan, calls in a favor and gets Arthur placed in that same music class as Lee. After the class finishes, the two talk outside. Lee tells Arthur that she’s a big fan of his, revealing that they actually grew up in the same neighborhood. She confesses that she too had an abusive father and mother, informing Arthur that her father perished in a plane crash. She tells Arthur that she’s imprisoned because she attempted to burn down her mother’s apartment building. She knows of Arthur because of the television film made about his life, which she has seen ‘over twenty-times’.
During a prison screening of an old movie, Lee attempts to create a distraction by igniting a fire. The two attempt to escape together, making their way to the gates of Arkham before being apprehended by the police. Because of his escape attempt, Arthur is placed in solitary confinement. Lee coerces one of the guards to visit Arthur, informing him that she has been released, as Arthur is a ‘bad influence’ on her. She does inform Arthur that she will be attending his trial, however. Lee then paints on Arthurs Joker with makeup she stole, with Lee saying “There, now I can see you”, the two have sex.
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Arthur is scheduled for an interview by his lawyer with a man named Paddy Meyers, a television personality famous in Gotham. During the interview, Arthur begins to loosen his grip, becoming more and more like the Joker and less like Arthur. To end the interview, Arthur, or Joker, croons an old love song directly to the camera, while Lee watches from in front of a television store, smitten.
At Arthur’s trial, we meet Harvey Dent, Assistant District Attorney for the state of New York. After greeting the jury, Dent calls his first witness, a medical doctor, who denies that Arthur Flek is insane or has a split personality. Arthur is slowly losing himself to Joker, and eventually his lawyer requests a break from the judge. The judge agrees, and during the break, Arthur complains that Lee’s not sitting close enough to him. Maryanne reveals that Lee is a fraud, though Arthur does not believe her. She informs him that she voluntarily admitted herself to Arkham, and that she’s actually from the Upper East Side. Her father is very much alive and is a successful medical doctor. When Arthur asks Lee about this, she confesses she’s lied, but ‘everyone does’. She then reveals to Arthur that she is pregnant with his child.
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Later, Arthur, now almost fully The Joker, dismisses Maryanne from his counsel, insisting that he represents himself. The defense calls Sophie Durmont, his former neighbor, and Gary Puddles, one of his former co-workers. Surprisingly, after Arthur interviews them both, Harvey Dent announces that the state rests their case. Arthur then forgoes his defense. As he’s making his speech to the courtroom, he speaks ill of Arkham and its guards. When he returns to Arkham, Jackie and two other guards beat and rape Arthur, leaving him unconscious in his cell. One of Arthur’s friends, who Arthur admires, assaults JAckie and he strangles him to death as Arthur listens on.
Arthur returns to his last day of court dressed as The Joker and Lee, dressed in her full Harrley Quinn regalia, sits and watches on. Arthur presents to the jury that he, Arthur, is fully responsible for the murders and that the Joker is just a persona. This angers Lee and she marches out. The jury take less than an hour to decide and as they are reading his conviction, a car bomb explodes right outside, killing many and also maiming half of Harvey Dent’s face, referencing his destiny as Two-Face. Arthur manages to escape, and with the help of two of his followers, arrives in his old neighborhood.
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Arthur wanders through the streets of Gotham City and finds Lee on the stairs leading to his apartment. She is furious at him for rejecting The Joker and wants nothing to do with him, Arthur. She also informs him that the pregnancy was a lie, but only through song. The police apprehend Arthur and he is taken back to prison.
The next day, Arthur is informed that he has a visitor. As he gets up to go, another patient asks if he would like to hear a joke. When the patient arrives at the punchline, he stabs Arthurr repeatedly in the stomach. Arthur falls to the floor, bleeding out, as the patient begins carving his mouth into a much wider smile, laughing hysterically.
