Pop music icon and actress Lady Gaga has recently shared her thoughts on the critical reception of her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. In this sequel, Gaga took on the role of a more grounded version of the iconic DC villain, Harley Quinn, and complemented her performance with a companion album titled Harlequin. Despite the film's release last October, Gaga had remained silent on the matter until now, opening up in an interview with Elle about how she copes with negative feedback.
Gaga expressed a pragmatic view on the film's reception, stating, "People just sometimes don’t like some things. It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. And you keep going even if something didn’t connect in the way that you intended." This reflects her resilience and understanding that not every project will resonate with audiences in the way intended.
Joker: Folie à Deux, directed by Todd Phillips as a follow-up to his 2019 blockbuster, received a lukewarm response, earning a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. Our own review scored it a 5/10, describing it as a "mediocre" film that failed to capitalize on its potential as a musical, courtroom drama, and sequel. The film's disappointing box office performance led to an early digital release, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav labeling its performance as "disappointing."
Gaga acknowledged the emotional toll of such feedback, noting, "When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of. It’s part of the mayhem." Despite the setback, she is looking forward, announcing the release of her new studio album, Mayhem, set for March. This marks the end of a five-year hiatus since her last album, Chromatica.
For further insights into Joker: Folie à Deux, you can explore why Quentin Tarantino praised the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes its reception may evolve over time. Additionally, our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 can be found here.
