Here we are again, folks. As if the first Joker wasn’t enough of an overindulgent therapy session for the fragile male ego, Joker: Folie à Deux graces our screens with the same tired, dreary narrative we’ve seen a million times. Yes, another movie starring a white male lead—directed by yet another white male director—telling the story of, you guessed it, a sad, self-perceived victim white man. We’re expected to sympathize with his pain as he embarks on a violent spree against society. Groundbreaking, right?
Is this really what Hollywood thinks we need? More movies glorifying the descent of another white male anti-hero while the rest of us, including audiences who are ready for something new and diverse, are left rolling our eyes?
White Male Leads—Haven’t We Had Enough?
Let’s be real. When will it be enough? At this point, Hollywood’s obsession with white male protagonists feels like a cultural hangover from the days of unchecked privilege. Haven’t we already seen this story? We get it. White men are misunderstood, angry at the world, and apparently one bad day away from putting on face paint and wreaking havoc. But really, in a time when audiences are craving more diversity and fresh perspectives, why are we still churning out these films?
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Do we need another movie where the main character is a victim of “society,” lashing out and making the world a worse place because he can’t handle his problems? We’ve heard it all before, from Fight Club to Breaking Bad, and yet Joker: Folie à Deux gives us the same tired narrative with an amazingly performed and thoroughly disconnected soundtrack. Maybe it’s time Hollywood stops coddling this demographic and starts producing films that reflect the world we live in today.
But…But… Joker: Folie à Deux is Art! Or Is It?
Of course, the fans of Joker: Folie à Deux will shout from the rooftops about its “artistic merit,” because nothing says art like a bunch of overdone psychological babble framed around a sad clown committing crimes. But where’s the innovation? Where’s the daring creativity we were promised? Instead, we get a glorified pity party that once again tries to justify a man’s descent into madness as though society owes him something for merely existing. It’s like someone decided the world needed a sequel to the world’s most pretentious college thesis on nihilism.
We’ve already seen Hollywood try to redeem these kinds of “troubled” white male characters, desperately seeking sympathy for them in every frame. The constant celebration of their “complex” inner turmoil as they explode in violent rage feels like a stale re-run of the same toxic masculinity narratives we should’ve moved past years ago.
Director Todd Phillips: Another White Male Calling the Shots
Is it any surprise that Joker: Folie à Deux is directed by Todd Phillips? Once again, we have a white male behind the camera, dictating the narrative in yet another movie that panders to the same crowd. Phillips, who clearly hasn’t moved past his frat-bro Hangover days, now thinks he’s Scorsese, offering up gritty films that masquerade as deep dives into the human condition.
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Yet beneath the Joker: Folie à Deux’s pseudo-intellectual gloss, we’re really just witnessing the same old tale of male rage. Maybe it’s time for Hollywood to rethink who’s allowed to hold the megaphone. Maybe it’s time to stop rehashing the same tired perspectives over and over. Phillips is proving to not be one of the good ones. I say he be given the same opportunity and consideration Cathy Yan and Nia DaCosta, considering his terrible box office return.
Joker Bombs at the Box Office, Is Anyone Surprised?
Given its tepid box office performance, maybe Joker: Folie à Deux is another sign that audiences are tired of these self-indulgent white male-driven narratives. After all, if you’ve seen one sad clown scream at the world, you’ve seen them all. Plus over 100 years of white stories has pretty much covered all the variations. Despite the studio’s insistence on propping up these films like they’re revolutionary, the numbers tell a different story. Audiences want more, and they want different. The era of the white male playing victim and dictating the culture is fading, and it’s about time.
Time for Something New
We get it, Hollywood: the white male protagonist is sad. He’s angry. Society doesn’t understand him, and now he’s going to wreak havoc to show us how unfair life is. But maybe—just maybe—it’s time to stop recycling this narrative. We don’t need more films centering around the destructive whims of yet another white guy with a grudge. How about amplifying voices that haven’t had the chance to tell their stories for a change?
In a world as diverse and rich as ours, why are we still stuck watching the same old white male fantasy of destruction and self-pity? Isn’t it time Hollywood grew up? Because the rest of us already have.
— The End of White Male Angst, Please and Thank You.
Joker: Folie À Deux is now playing in theaters.
*EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a satirical piece with honest sentiment. Using actual questions and talking points ranking members in prestigious organizations of entertainment have asked/discuessed with me. I just think the hypocritical outrage the whiny fans get when their energy is matched is hilarious. Plus I know this piece has too many words for them, so they’re not going to get to this section.
While I’m hitting the white card pretty hard, I personally believe Joker: Folie à Deux failed because Todd Phillips did not want to make the film, so he gave them what they paid for. This piece is mainly click-bait and a middle finger to the whiny fans that attack films because it doesn’t feature stereotypical white leads. Read and weep dweebs, though I know the former is difficult for most of them.
About Joker: Folie à Deux
Release date: October 4, 2024
Director: Todd Phillips
Writers: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
Production and Distribution: Warner Bros. Pictures
Cinematographer: Lawrence Sher
Production: Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios
Distribution: Warner Bros. Pictures
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, Harry Lawtey, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland
Synopsis
“Joker: Folie À Deux” finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.
Did you like Joker: Folie À Deux? Are you also tired of white stories? Do you happen to actually think Joker is a role model? Share your thoughts with us on social media, or @me if you got something to say.
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