An aspiring clown grappling with her gender identity combats a fascistic caped crusader.
Vera Drew
Joker the Harlequin
Lynn Downey
Joker's Mom
Kane Distler
Mr. J
Nathan Faustyn
Penguin
David Liebe Hart
Ra's Al Ghul
Phil Braun
Batsy (voice)
Griffin Kramer
Young Joker
Christian Calloway
Doctor Crane
Trevor Drinkwater
Edward Nygma aka The Riddler
Ruin Carroll
Ivy (voice)
Tim Heidecker
Perry White (voice)
Denali Winter
Clark
Bambi Belle
Lois
Ember Knight
Mxy (voice)
Bob Odenkirk
Bob the Goon (voice)
Scott Aukerman
Mister Frieze (voice)
Alec Robbins
Mr. Boop
Sandy Honig
Mr. Boop’s Wife
Dan Curry
Bane
Cassie Hamilton
Nicole Kidman
Jay Speedy Weingarten
The Clown Who Gags
Matthew Goldin
Stiles Stilinski
Eliot Glazer
Lil Timmy Too Times
Cricket Arrison
'Creeper'
Mia Moore Marchant
Helena the Huntress
Maria Bamford
Lorne Michaels (voice)
Robert Wuhl
Robert Wuhl
Austen Reeder
Smylex Narrator
Abby Clark
Sad Wife
Benjamin Morey
Golfing Husband
Dan Kypers
UCB Orientation Narrator / Mad Hatter
Jeremy Franchi
Suicide Cop
Ted Reidy
Jimmy Olsen
Daniella Baker
Catwoman
Lydia Wolfie
Anarky / Harlequin Auditioner
David Allen
Suicide Cop's Partner
Nateo Caballero
UCB Receptionist
Arden Hughes
Audition System (voice)
Harry McDonough
UCB MC / Det. Harvey Bullock
Rome Davis
Therapist
Jeremy Long
Det. Melody McKenna
Elanor Cassady
Hotline Operator
Susan&Denise
Serve the Date Ladies
Beatrice DiCicco
Newscaster 1
Emily Lynch
Newscaster 2 (voice)
Michelle Stone
Newscaster 3
Ashe Pignataro
Newscaster 4
Calvin DiLibero
Warmup Jokeman
Zoe Limbrick
Warmup Harlequin
Jack Walker Nixon
Ledger Jokeman
Isabella Marino
Dini Harlequin 1
Wylie Anderson
Dini Harlequin 2
Jake Noll
Freddy
Director, Writer
Vera Drew
Writer
Bri LeRose
April 27, 2024
6
Wow – what can one say about this wild, woolly, wigged-out spoof of superhero movies in which the protagonist is an edgy, crusading transgender harlequin comedian fighting the power structure of a corrupt, narrow-minded society? That description alone is pretty wacky in itself, but, as the finished product shows, its depiction on screen is even more bizarre and outrageous. Writer-actor-director Vera Drew’s debut feature is simultaneously an exercise in the outlandish that’s part high camp, part in-your-face irreverence, part alternative sexuality manifesto and part love letter to the Batman mythology turned on its ear. This story of a small-town boy’s transgender awakening as a springboard to finding a new life in the wilds of Gotham City’s underground comedy scene tells an off-the-wall, often-frenetically paced, sometimes-sentimental tale that defies conventional classification. Its inventive mix of live action, motion capture photography and animation serves up a unique viewing experience unlike anything most audiences have ever seen, including among most seasoned cinephiles. It also delivers some positively scathing one-liners and wicked sight gags that will leave many thinking “I can’t believe they just did that!” Collectively, it makes for the kind of picture that will likely earn this production cult movie status and a guaranteed spot on midnight show movie lineups. Despite its many inspired cinematic innovations, however, the narrative occasionally tends toward overzealous self-indulgence and cryptic ideologies that appear to be employed simply to carry the story forward, making for a production that seems to be trying too hard just to see how much of a stunned reaction it can get from the audience. It has also come under some scrutiny for pushing the limits of fair use issues and acceptable propriety boundaries, elements that raised the eyebrows of some critics and of those who created the source materials from which this work draws (but that have also subsequently added to the picture’s undeniable allure). Nevertheless, if you’re looking for something that’s part DC Comics, part John Waters, part “Liquid Sky” (1982), part “Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975), and part exploration of the unknown and untried, this one might be right up your alley. But, if you’re put off by such an eclectic blend of satire, social commentary, visual imagery and heretical rumination, don’t say you weren’t warned.