Halloween in your 30's

Summary

A broke 30-year-old Doomer tries to get through Halloween while wondering why anyone would spend $300 on a giant skeleton. He and his friend Jimmy joke that the holiday has become a commercial trap—then Jimmy invites him to a party, promising there will be girls. The Doomer picks a Joker costume because the character is broke, lonely, and ignored at work: “He is literally me.”

His Halloween starts badly when trick-or-treaters arrive and he realizes he forgot to buy candy. He offers them instant noodles instead, prompting the kids to threaten to graffiti his door. He reflects on the absurdity of being 30 and hiding from children in his apartment.

At Jimmy’s party, the Doomer discovers that Halloween for adults is less about being scary and more about looking hot. His depressing-movie Joker costume draws comparisons with another Joker dressed as a flashy “Chad,” who has arrived with a Harley Quinn. The Doomer tries to explain which Joker he is, but his date prospects remain bleak. During the costume contest, he even tells everyone the other Joker’s outfit is better—and the other Joker wins alongside Harley. The Doomer gets a small moment of appreciation when the winner thanks him for the compliment, before Harley calls him away to the after-party.

On the way home, the Doomer sums up the indignities of adult Halloween: expensive costumes, a party where people mistake him for Ronald McDonald, and a $74 Uber ride. He takes the subway instead, joking that he’s the weird person on the train because he’s dressed as the Joker. When a group of men hassle a woman, he debates staying out of it but finally tells them to leave her alone. They turn their attention to him and demand that he do the Joker laugh. The subtitles end before his next move.

Personalities Appearing

• The Doomer / Joker — The main character, a lonely 30-year-old trying to enjoy Halloween.
• Jimmy — His friend, dressed as a T-Rex.
• Trick-or-treaters — Kids who call him out for having no candy.
• The party’s Jokers and Harley Quinn — Including the confident “Chad” Joker who wins the costume contest.
• The subway woman and the men harassing her — The men confront the Doomer after he intervenes.