The People's Joker

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1:37

The People's Joker

Released Apr 5, 2024

1h 32m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

119 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

In the absurdist autobiographically-inspired dark comedy, a painfully unfunny aspiring clown (Vera Drew as Joker the Harlequin) grapples with her gender identity while unsuccessfully attempting to join the ranks of Gotham City's sole comedy program in a world where comedy has been outlawed. Uniting with a ragtag team of rejects and misfits, Joker the Harlequin forms an illegal anti-comedy troupe that puts her on a collision course with the devious caped crusader controlling the city.

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Critics Consensus

The People's Joker uses classic characters in impressively inventive ways, working within a familiar framework to tell an invigorating story of self-acceptance.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

The DC Extended Universe should take notes. This legally challenged DIY parody is, hands down, the most innovative superhero film of the decade.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 28, 2025

Full Review

Violet Lucca

Little White Lies

Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker is a multihyphenate masterpiece.

Rated: 5/5

Feb 14, 2025

Full Review

Adam Nayman

The Ringer

The best satire splits the difference between affection and contempt, and the debut of Vera Drew, the comedy writer turned DIY dynamo, is no different.

Jul 23, 2024

Full Review

Pedro Gallego

Espinof

Drew pours so much of herself into this strange passion project that it's almost hard to believe she'll ever come up with another even remotely similar idea. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Aug 19, 2025

Full Review

Cody Allen

Geek Vibes Nation

The People’s Joker emerges as a striking testament to cinema's ability to provoke transformation—a vibrant homage to resilience, self-expression, and the relentless pursuit of authenticity.

Rated: 9/10

Jul 22, 2025

Full Review

Jeffrey Overstreet

Looking Closer

I want to live in a world where movies as passionately personal, as relentlessly creative, as exhilarating in their "deal-with-it" truth-telling — movies like this one — aren’t such rare occasions.

Rated: B

Jul 4, 2025

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Tom F

A surprisingly good low budget use of DC IP to explore comedy and self discovery.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/23/25

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IH H

Wouldn't recommend something this forced to anyone

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/07/25

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D M

It was not great, from uninteresting plot to the lead being overshadowed acting wise by the other cast members A great movie to say, I support trans acting, a terrible movie overall besides that

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/03/25

Full Review

Shioka O

Obviously it's not for everyone but I think this is not a bad satire and liked the crazy visuals. Realistic casting and people.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/09/24

Full Review

Paul H

I really liked the basic storyline and the acting was superb, but the madcap cinematography and lapses into absurd imagery and scenes, while exquisitely done, only diffused and diluted the story and one's ability to relate to the characters. TL;DNR: Could have been a good movie, but it was way too artsy-fartsy for its own good.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/04/24

Full Review

Cedar M

Genuine, funny, and truly unique! A film that I felt has a lot more to say than the source material it parodies. Worth a watch if you want something different.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/24/24

Full Review

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Vera Drew

Director

Vera Drew

Joker the Harlequin

Lynn Downey

Joker's Mom

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The People's Joker: Trailer 1

1:37

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Synopsis

In the absurdist autobiographically-inspired dark comedy, a painfully unfunny aspiring clown (Vera Drew as Joker the Harlequin) grapples with her gender identity while unsuccessfully attempting to join the ranks of Gotham City's sole comedy program in a world where comedy has been outlawed. Uniting with a ragtag team of rejects and misfits, Joker the Harlequin forms an illegal anti-comedy troupe that puts her on a collision course with the devious caped crusader controlling the city.

Director: Vera Drew
Producer: Joey Lyons
Screenwriter: Vera Drew, Bri LeRose
Distributor: Altered Innocence
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 5, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 6, 2024
Runtime: 1h 32m

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