“Joker: Folie à Deux” has sashayed into theaters, and it’s serving looks that are equal parts deranged and divine.
Todd Phillips, the visionary behind this sartorial fever dream, has painted a canvas so deliciously dark, it makes noir look positively pastel. Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as Arthur Fleck, the clown prince of crime, and darlings, his transformation is nothing short of couture. Phoenix’s emaciated frame draped in ill-fitting suits is a statement piece that screams “depravity chic.”
But the real showstopper? None other than our beloved Lady Gaga, making her grand entrance as Harley Quinn. Gaga, no stranger to avant-garde fashion, brings her signature edge to Arkham State Hospital. Her inmate ensemble? Think “Orange Is the New Black” meets “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” with a dash of Vivienne Westwood rebellion.
The film’s aesthetic is a masterclass in the art of juxtaposition. Pops of violent color punctuate the grimy backdrop of Gotham, creating a visual feast that would make even the most jaded fashion editor swoon. It’s as if Wes Anderson decided to art direct a nightmare, and honestly? We’re living for it.
Now, let’s talk about the musical numbers, because darlings, this isn’t just a movie—it’s a full-blown fashion show set to a killer soundtrack. Gaga belting out “If My Friends Could See Me Now” in what can only be described as deconstructed prison chic is a moment that will be etched in the annals of cinema history. And Phoenix? His rendition of “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” is giving us major “unhinged crooner” vibes, and we are here for every unsettling second.
The courtroom scenes in the latter half of the film serve as the perfect runway for power suits with a twist. Harry Lawtey as Harvey Dent is giving us “legal eagle meets bad boy,” and it’s a look we predict will be dominating boardrooms and bars alike in the coming season.
While some may call the plot thin, we say it’s streamlined, darling. Who needs narrative depth when you have Phoenix and Gaga crackling with electric chemistry in every frame? Their on-screen romance is the ultimate “ugly-beautiful” aesthetic brought to life—repulsive yet impossible to look away from.
In a world oversaturated with cookie-cutter superhero flicks, “Joker: Folie à Deux” stands out like a couture gown at a fast-fashion party. It’s excessive, it’s regressive, and it’s absolutely fabulous. Whether you love it or loathe it, one thing’s for certain: this film is the conversation piece of the season.
So, slip into your most outrageous ensemble, paint on a blood-red smile, and lose yourself in the madness. After all, in the words of the great Diana Vreeland, “Without emotion, there is no beauty.” And darlings, “Joker: Folie à Deux” is nothing if not an emotional rollercoaster dressed in cinema’s finest.
