Vera Drew’s superhero parody, The People’s Joker, premiered at a Midnight Madness screening at Toronto Film Festival over two years ago and since then has been a word-of-mouth success.
Sure, it caused some controversy by playing with Batman mythology due to copyright fair use but with The People’s Joker, Drew has crafted a collaborative labour of love along with hundreds of other creators who have a clear appreciation for multiple DC comic books, TV shows and films. Shot entirely on green screen it is an audacious mixed-media assault that is confidently voiced by a hilariously irreverent and authoritative mischief maker.
When Joker the Harlequin (Vera Drew) leaves her hometown of Smallville for Gotham City to become a comedian she is presented with multiple obstacles. In a world where independent comedy has been outlawed, she can’t catch a break with a government-sanctioned sketch show headed up by Lorne Michaels (entertainingly voiced by the brilliant Maria Bamford) so sets up her own anti-comedy troupe along with the Penguin (Nathan Faustyn) as a workaround. The film shifts between memories growing up with a mother who found Vera’s trans identity a struggle and an anarchic narrative following a girl just trying to make a career in the big city.
Targets include an Alex Jones-type presenter voiced by Tim Heidecker, Bill Cosby and Jared Leto’s version of the Joker. The hyperactive Adult Swim-style humour and surreal visuals are all part of the film’s charm as it critiques multiple institutions, cultural and political, with acid wit.
In a similar way that Carmen Maria Machado reimagined the queer memoir with In The Dreamhouse, Drew’s radical approach to their coming-of-age trans story is dazzlingly self-assured. It’s a warts-and-all depiction laced with biting humour, sincerity, absurd silliness and rampant DIY creativity from all involved. An opening dedication to ‘mom and Joel Schumacher’ (whose Batman movies provided inspiration and a formative experience for Drew) is an indicator of the colourful and riotous yet heart-on-sleeve tone of this viciously funny film. The People’s Joker is a curious delight.
The People’s Joker will be in UK and Irish cinemas from 21st February 2025
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