I normally do not subscribe to the hipness of using “OMG” but found the obnoxious acronym making numerous appearances in my mind while watching KLOVN, or CLOWN: THE MOVIE in English. Based on a popular Danish television series by the same creative force, the film fine tunes its awkwardly direct and unbelievable content to fit perfectly within a feature film.
CLOWN follows the antics of Frank (Frank Hvam) and Casper (Casper Christensen) as they embark on the “Tour de Pussy,” an annual pilgrimage to the estate of a wealthy man who hosts the best prostitutes from around the world for just on day of unforgettable debauchery. But, this is the story of their journey, not of the event itself. After Frank makes an utter mess of his relationship with Mia (Mia Lyhne) following some major, unexpected news. He joins Casper for a canoe trip down the river to the big event, but not without making a complete disaster of that as well.
Co-written by real-life comics Casper Christensen and Frank Hvam, and directed by Mikkel Norgaard, CLOWN pulls few punches and shies from even fewer taboos, but approaches the material with a distinctly European style. The film is a hilarious riot, but garners its laughs with subtle, brilliant tastelessness. Structurally, the film resembles THE HANGOVER, but with an ironically higher level of maturity. In many ways, CLOWN combines the vulgarity of this style of comedy with the awkwardness of THE OFFICE and the intelligence of Louis CK’s TV series LOUIE.
The key ingredient to the underlying story of CLOWN, is the young boy named Bo (Marcuz Jess Petersen) whom Frank uses catastrophically as a tool to prove to Mia he is a responsible man. Despite the crude nature of the comedy, CLOWN is actually a movie with a message, nearly invisible but present, as Frank gradually learns how to be a better man. Frank and Casper are polar opposite personalities, but work well together, like Abbott and Costello or Lucy and Desi. Both characters are accidents waiting to happen, walking magnets for things to go horribly wrong.
CLOWN real appeal comes from Frank’s misguided actions aren’t without good intentions, albeit microscopic, but are masked by his selfish nature, a trait he is entirely oblivious too. Casper’s relentless pathology for sex only exasperates the many gut-wrenching scenes, dragging Frank and Bo along with him through the muck and filth. There is a very clear and well choreographed chain reaction at play here, allowing the absurdity to play out naturally on screen.
It’s difficult to say whether CLOWN will get a theatrical release in the US, but my gut reaction is that you’re best chance of seeing this comedic gem will be on DVD and/or blu-ray. This actually makes me sad, as the film rivals, even exceeds, THE HANGOVER and other American films of this type. Fair warning goes out to those easily offended, as CLOWN raises the shock bar higher than we’ve seen in American cinema, yet does so with a much more candid, more easily digestible formula to swallow.
