THE PEOPLE’S JOKER

“The People’s Joker is a chimera built of conflicts and contradictions, but so are we all. Our jigsaw assemblage of human experiences is universally messy, and if there’s one thing Drew seems to be telling us, we should be relishing those paradoxes.”

“Its distinct style and coherent worldbuilding make for a movie that can’t really be compared to anything else, despite the fact so much of it is borrowed from the works of Batmen past — and it’s exactly what jaded superhero fans need to witness. […] As much as it’s a movie about the trans coming-of-age experience, it’s also a story about growing up idolizing superheroes and media. How do you form an identity when so much of your life is spent obsessing over fictional worlds or pop culture? How can you figure out who you are when everyone around you is obsessed with being someone else?”

“The People’s Joker , directed by Vera Drew, is the best superhero movie I’ve ever seen—because, unlike studio-produced films in the genre, it responds to the filmmaker’s deep personal concerns”

“Within the film’s confessional chaos lives the spirit of Vaginal Davis, Ryan Trecartin and other maverick queer filmmakers who toyed with genre to torpedo gender. It’s reviving to see an artist take up the cause.”