The Clown Prince of Crime becomes the Clown Trans of Comedy.
Who says there can’t be a gay superhero or supervillain in the superhero world? Who says no one would have the courage to make one? And who would have guessed that a crowd-funded film like “The People’s Joker” would be a silly and outspoken parody? I applaud this movie for breaking free from movie tradition and having the courage to lampoon the DC universe with a gay twist.
A small movie like this can only afford to have green screens, traditionally animated or CGI sequences, Maria Bamford playing SNL (or “UCB Live”) genius Lorne Michaels, Tim Heidecker as Perry White, or Robert Wuhl (who appeared in “Batman” in 1989) making a Cameo. And a small movie like this can earn the attention of a midnight cult movie.
Vera Drew is a transgender woman, who has worked as an editor for “On Cinema, Comedy Bang! Bang!” and “Who is America?,” and she makes her acting and directorial debut of “The People’s Joker” with an exuberant and open-minded attitude. She plays a gay, male Smallville comedian, whose real name must be censored, travels to Gotham City to follow in the footsteps of his comedy idol Ra’s al Ghul (David Liebe Hart), and calls himself Joker the Harlequin. He’s mostly modeled after Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning version, and it’s also interesting how he sparks a romance with Mr. J (Kane Distler), who looks like the “Suicide Squad” version and has just been released from an abusive relationship.
“The People’s Joker” also fights against homophobia as Joker the Harlequin’s mother (Lynn Downey) sends him to see Dr. Crane (Christian Calloway) of Arkham Asylum, who prescribes him a drug called “Smylex,” which is supposed to give him a happy face. That drug would soon become beneficial to his comedy, when he inappropriately laughs at sad stories on stage. And his old lady has to struggle to see the error of her ways.
It can also be seen in some ways as a buddy comedy, because of how one of the protagonist’s fellow comedians, The Penguin (Nathan Faustyn), has white make-up on, a grungy Danny DeVito voice, and a beard. He’s depicted here as a slacker, the kind you would need in the genre. Actually, he’s part of the anti-comedy troupe, which also includes Poison Ivy (Ruin Carroll), Mr. Freeze (Scott Aukerman), and the Riddler (Trevor Drinkwater).
At times, it can get crazy within the screenplay, but at other times, we can sympathize with Joker the Harlequin and his identity. What he identifies himself as, and what he plans to make of his life. We can also laugh at how Drew would like to enter Phil Lord & Christopher Miller and Tim & Eric territory with his nostalgia and timing. And does this Joker have to go on a killing spree? Not really? This Joker can be whoever he or she wants to be.
I’ve been feeling down about big budgeted superhero movies lately, like how I disliked “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” and “The Marvels,” and how I hated “Madame Web.” It doesn’t matter the comic book studio; what matters is that the superhero movie needs a restart to remind us of the good old days. Maybe even 2008 when we had “Iron Man” and “The Dark Knight” winning fans on both sides of the equation.
But as a small time fan movie, “The People’s Joker” can lampoon a lot of things, whether they’re on topic or not, and it can appease to people with both gay or straight interests. I’m straight, but I still enjoyed this movie for what it wants to be. When you’re able to find it t your local art house theater, see it. Then it’ll put a smile on your face.
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