It was the perfect time to see the new “Joker” film.

I was method acting really. Numb. Glum. Empty. Deep darkness. Swirling madness. Hysterical laughter.

I strolled to AMC River North last Saturday for a 3:30 showing of “Joker”, 30 minutes after the Wisconsin Badgers lost to Illinois (Illinois!), ripping my heart out just as College Football Playoff hope just started to flutter in my left ventricle. A true Wisconsin loss.

One critic described “Joker” like this: “Led by Phoenix’s ferocious, feral performance, this especially dark, gritty comic book movie is a character drama that’s drawn more toward real-world troubles than to capes and crusading.“

That review is spot on. It captured my real world troubles perfectly. Here’s a play-by-play recap of my thoughts as I watched, my popcorn soggy with sadness.

Here was me as Illinois was driving for their game winning field goal attempt. Getting a field goal try seemed inevitable, but if it missed, maybe I could still smile.

Then the kick went through the uprights.

What a kick. Absolutely devastating defeat. Kick. Kick. Kick.

Then I couldn’t stop laughing. The Badgers were 30.5 point favorites.

It was the first time they trailed all year. The second biggest upset in Big Ten history.

This is what the climb back to the football playoff looks like now.

Then the texts came in from far and wide. This is what each phone vibrate felt like.

Ok, I had to pull it together. I actually made an effort to put on a happy face.

College GameDay was also randomly in Gotham.

As I said, I thought about football the entire movie.

I eventually began to not care anymore.

That weird dancing eventually made me smile. It was time to look ahead.

Could love still exist (for this team)?

Let’s take an honest look in the mirror.

Enough clowning around.

It’s time to get fired up for this week.

There’s a plan to beat Ohio State.

Could the Illinois kick somehow be the kick in the ass we needed?

The big stage is calling.

I believe this Saturday’s clowns could be next Saturday’s champions.

What a gloriously chaotic scene that would be.

In any case, it was the perfect time to see this movie. And I realized one important thing about myself.

I used to think that my life was a tragedy, but now I realize, it’s a comedy.