Joker: Folie a Deux parents guide: This madness is not one for the kids

The second Joker movie is now out in theaters. Are you thinking of taking the kids to see it? That’s not something we’d recommend for Joker: Folie a Deux.

The title of the movie translates to Madness of Two. That hinted at the arrival of Harley Quinn, and we definitely get to see her. Lady Gaga takes on the role, and we know she can bring madness to a movie.

Of course, with Lady Gaga in the movie, there will be some teens, at least, who want to see it. We just don’t recommend it. This is rated R for a lot of reasons.

Joker: Folie a Deux earns its R rating immediately

If you’ve watched the first Joker movie, then you’ll have an idea of what to expect. You know that movie wasn’t suitable for the kids, and this sequel only ramps up the violence. Let’s take a look at the breakdown of what gives the movie its rating.

Sex & nudity: There is some full frontal nudity in the movie, but this is in the distance. The sex and nudity is on the milder side, especially compared to the violence levels. There is some male thrusting, which is seen in the trailer for the movie. Most of the sex is implied throughout.

Violence & gore: This is where the movie immediately earns its R rating. It is heavy in the violence, which isn’t surprising when you take a look at the trailer. We get a whole fantasy scene that involves murder and mayhem. There are scenes where Joker gets into bloody fights, some of them without any warning at all.

Remember that the characters are in Arkham Asylum for a lot of the movie. The guards don’t care about the lives of the inmates, and there is a character who is strangled to death. Most of this is kept off-screen, but we can hear him being strangled. There is also the visual of someone taking their own life, which can be triggering for a lot of people.

Language: It shouldn’t surprise you that there is some heavy use of profanity throughout Joker: Folie a Deux. The F-bomb is dropped on multiple occasions, and the S-word is also used heavily. The F-bomb is the worst of the swear words.

Alcohol & drugs: There is a lot of smoking throughout the movie, but not a high usage of other drugs and alcohol.

Overall verdict: Who is Joker: Folie a Deux appropriate for?

This movie is packed with violence. We get to see just how far into madness Joker has gone. The DC movies don’t shy away from the realities of mental health and violence, and we see that from multiple patients in Arkham Asylum. With all this in mind, it earns its R rating. This movie is not suitable for those under 18.