By Nick Nitkowski

“The People’s Joker” is an independent film that was crowdfunded back in 2020 about a transgender person known as Joker the Harlequin trying to discover one’s self in Gotham City where comedy is outlawed by Batman and must be done in underground comedy clubs. The film premiered in various film festivals last year and was expected to be released soon after. However, an unknown company (feel free to take a guess as to which one) tried to terminate the film and keep it from getting released. But now the film seems to have found new light and is starting to make the rounds in various locations.

So, for starters, I knew absolutely nothing about this film. The only thing I knew about it was that it was the midnight secret screening of last year’s Florida Film Festival and that it is a transgender coming of age story. So, I was going into this movie practically blind. I had seen no poster and no trailer for this film. I was going in strictly based on the title. Needless to say, once the film started, I was immediately confused with what I was watching.

The film kind of presents itself in a documentary style at the start, so I thought I was watching a uniquely styled documentary film. But as it continues, it turns out to be a fictional narrative using DC characters. And this is probably why a certain studio was trying to shut down the film. Because while the names of the licensed characters stayed the same in the film, they are definitely portrayed differently which some could argue counts as a parody which falls under fair use laws. I personally would have changed the characters’ names to avoid any legal issues, because these characters have such distinct and iconic looks that the audience would know exactly what you’re doing regardless of names.

The most notable thing about this film is the way it was filmed. If you were to watch the trailer, you can tell that their budget was small. You may be familiar with the term “shoestring budget.” Well, I’m sure their budget was an actual shoestring because you can immediately tell that they had very limited resources to make this film. Every acting is filmed in front of a green screen and placed in digital settings of Gotham City. Sometimes, the characters are completely and randomly replaced by cartoon renditions. So, the film visually is an acquired taste.

The story is probably the best thing about the movie. You can really tell that the director/star of the film Vera Drew took personal elements from their life and incorporated it into this film. It deals with real issues of identity and relationships as well as manipulation and gaslighting from abusive partners. I feel like the story was strong enough on its own that it didn’t need the association of DC characters to excel. But on the other hand, if it didn’t have that factor, it probably wouldn’t be talked about as much as it is now. This was definitely the bolder choice and I admire it for that.

More on that point, I know how difficult it is to make a film especially with budgetary restraints involved. But I applaud Vera Drew for making the film that they wanted to make. They were obviously met with difficult obstacles and road blocks and overcame them to get their movie out to the public.

Overall, it’s certainly a difficult film to recommend. I would say watch the trailer first, get a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into and see if it’s the kind of movie to invest your time on. I can easily see this film obtaining a cult following of fans. Especially those struggling with their own sexual identity and the cosplay community. If it’s playing nearby, give it a chance and see if it puts a smile on your face.

3/5 stars