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Fantastic Fest capsule: ‘Clown’
The title sequence for Danish comedy “Clown” features some jaunty music reminiscent of early 70s TV shows. The theme is fitting in that the film is a bit of broad slapstick, but misleading in the sense that the risque subject material of the movie would never been seen on 70s television.
Frank is a bit of a floundering wimp. He’s the ugliest guy in his book club and his newly pregnant girlfriend doesn’t think he has what it takes to be a dad. His best friend Casper, however, seems to have the world on a string. He lives in a cool, modern house, has a gorgeous girlfriend, can charm the pants off of man or woman and has concocted a brilliant scheme to get him and Frank out of town for the weekend, away from their ladies and in touch with some much more intriguing ones. Casper and Frank tell their girlfriends they are going on a canoe trip, but it’s really just a clever ruse to head to a rare brothel that opens one night a year and take in a local music festival.
The only problem: Wimpy Frank has decided to bring along a 10 year-old son of friends whom he and his girlfriend were babysitting. By taking care of the kid, Bo, and showing him a good time, Frank intends to prove to his girlfriend that he is father material.
But the road to relationship hell is paved with good intentions. The camping trip devolves into a series of sexual hi-jinx and humiliation fueled by high-grade marijuana and German liquers.
Part “Vacation” and part “Wet Hot American Summer” for grown-ups, “Clown” is a hysterical and bawdy romp that plays off of innocent and likable Frank’s ability to always end up in a bad situation despite the desire to do the right thing. There is probably a bit too much “Hangover”-type juvenile sexual humor, much at the expense of the child, that would make it a hard sell for American audiences, but at it’s heart, it’s a riotous buddy comedy that gets much of its humor from the Odd Couple of Frank and Casper. Cue the music.
Note: “Clown” won best screenplay and best picture at the Fantastic Fest awards on Monday night.
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