Quentin Tarantino Defends One of 2024’s Biggest Box Office Flops: “I Really Got Caught Up Into It”
Todd Phillips’ failed superhero movie might not have many fans right now, but it can at least count on Quentin Tarantino’s vote — here’s why the director praises it as one of the best movies released in recent years.
It’s safe to say Quentin Tarantino has always been a man of quirky taste, and it’s not only about his directorial style.
Having grown up watching movies, movies and more movies, Tarantino has made a clear impression of being an expert in the industry, so his recommendations still get to some of his fans’ watchlists.
However, it seems like Tarantino is also a huge fan of Todd Philips’ Joker: Folie à Deux, that one movie which failed dramatically despite all predictions about Oscar wins and millions in the box office.
Quentin Tarantino Says ‘Joker: Folie Á Deux’ Has “One of the Best Performances I’ve Ever Seen in My Life”
- On Rotten Tomatoes, Joker: Folie Á Deux holds a score of 31% from both critics and viewers
- On IMDb, the movie is rated 5.2/10
Unlike many critics and viewers that called the movie one of the biggest box office disasters last year, Tarantino actually enjoyed Folie Á Deux in an “almost empty IMAX theater” in Tel Aviv.
“I really, really liked it, really. A lot. Like, tremendously, and I went to see it expecting to be impressed by the filmmaking. But I thought it was going to be an arms-length, intellectual exercise that ultimately I wouldn’t think worked like a movie, but that I would appreciate it for what it is. I really liked the musical sequences. I got really caught up. I thought the more banal the songs were, the better they were”, the director explained during a conversation on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast.
Apart from that, Tarantino also gave credit to Joaquin Phoenix who delivered “one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my life in this movie”.
What Did Critics and Viewers Say About ‘Joker: Folie Á Deux’?
Quentin Tarantino’s words might be the nicest review that the movie has received ever since its release last October, followed by waves of backlash and major financial losses in the box office.
“The falloff in quality from "Joker," a genuinely searing innovation in comic-book movies, to this one is so steep that it’s comparable to the dropoff between “The Hangover” and “The Hangover Part II”, “Wall Street Journal”’s Kyle Smith wrote back in the day.
“The musical performances are underpowered, lacking much movement, personality, or surprise. In fact, the film’s problems are so glaring that one can’t help but wonder about what happened behind the scenes”, “The Atlantic”’s Spencer Kornhaber added.
“It’s so bad but Joaquin’s acting is the only good thing”, user Beau also chimed in on Rotten Tomatoes’ website.
“Too much music and too little story line absolutely slaughtered this movie. Nobody's laughing at this disaster”, Jerod S complained.
Where to Watch ‘Joker: Folie Á Deux’?
The movie is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.
