Klown (Denmark: Klovn: The Movie), 2010.
Directed by Mikkel Nørgaard.
Starring Frank Hvam, Casper Christensen, Marcuz Jessa and Mia Lyhne.
SYNOPSIS:
In order to prove his fatherhood potential to his pregnant girlfriend, Frank ‘kidnaps’ her 12-year-old nephew and tags along on his best friend Casper’s debauched weekend canoe trip.
The bumbling fool, the blithering idiot, the blissfully ignorant ignoramus. It’s a televisual and cinematic staple. A character who can sometimes be likeably simple, or in other cases likeably unlikeable. Think of David Brent, Alan Partridge, George Costanza (or of course Larry David). Nothing ever goes right but it makes for great entertainment. So with Klown, a Danish film spinoff from a popular TV show from the land of awesome bacon, we get the Scandinavian answer to Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Most outside of Denmark watching Klown: The Movie will be unlikely to have prior knowledge of the TV show. That matters little as the characters and all their foibles are set up pretty early on, so prior knowledge is not required. The film itself plays out like Curb Your Enthusiasm, mixed with The Hangover. Frank (Frank Hvam) is a man-child and a walking disaster unable to take responsibility for his own actions and constantly making bad decisions, never helped much by best friend Casper (Casper Christensen) a philandering playboy. When Frank’s girlfriend finds out she’s pregnant, she’s reluctant to go through with the pregnancy because of Frank’s inability to show any adult responsibility.
In order to prove he’ll be a good father, Frank kidnaps his girlfriend’s nephew (this is Frank’s sort of logic) and takes him on a road-trip with Casper. Casper hates the idea as it disrupts the duos initial plans of a weekend of drinks, drugs, in what he also calls “the pussy tour.” Despite having a 12 year old boy in tow, it doesn’t stop Casper from getting his way, and despite Franks best efforts to try and look like father material, every decision he makes seems to result in trouble.
Klown is pretty entertaining. It’s incredibly puerile at times and pretty disgusting in others, even by the sort of standards of something like The Hangover. The Dane’s don’t hold back at all. There’s nothing that they feel is too risqué to show. That said, despite the fact it’s pretty repulsive at times, it somehow manages to be pretty charming too, more so than most Hollywood gross out flicks. Hvam and Christensen (who created the TV show, and wrote the film) have great chemistry and Hvam in particular as the gullible simpleton Frank is likeable. There are plenty of laughs to be had here.
Overall this is a brisk and enjoyable little film with no shortage of charm. Some of the laughter is uncomfortable it must be said, but there are a few inspired moments which I won’t spoil. Needless to say, the majority of the humour revolves around bodily functions. This certainly isn’t for the faint of heart or easily offended but those who go for this sort of thing won’t be disappointed.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Tom Jolliffe
Originally published March 31, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
