Now that Joker: Folie à Deux is in theaters, it’s time to break down the story and what the ending means for the Joaquin Phoenix’s character.
Gotham City’s greatest villain has returned to the big screen with the release of director Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux. This sequel shows Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) meeting his partner-in-crime, Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga), in Arkham State Hospital as he stands trial for his string of murders two years prior.
This mix of musical theater and procedural crime drama has made for an unusual but exciting follow-up to one of DC’s most successful pictures. Though it may have received less-favorable reviews than its predecessor, it continues the Joker story while deconstructing Phoenix’s character in a clever and surprising way. Now that the film is in theaters, it’s time to break down the story and what the ending means for the supposed Clown Prince of Crime.The story
Following the murders he committed in the first film, the imprisoned Arthur is at risk of receiving the death penalty in court. Hoping to put Arthur into a proper psychiatric hospital, his lawyer, Maryanne (Catherine Keener), tries to convince the court that the Joker is a persona brought on by dissociative identity disorder resulting from his childhood trauma at the hands of his abusive mother.
