Klown (2010) (NSFW)

I'm including 3 movie posters. They're all excellent.

Directed by Mikkel Nørgaard

Starring Frank Hyam and Casper Christensen

Runtime 89 min. - Rated R

4 Stars (out of 4)

Available on Netflix Instant, Vudu, ITunes and Amazon Instant

Klown is a victory for raunchy comedies. It manages to be absolutely offensive and filthy while still maintaining a high standard of cinematic quality as well as a touching story. Wait, you love raunchy comedies but haven't heard of Klown? It stars Frank Hyam and Casper Christensen. You haven't heard of them either? That's because they're Danish and we stupid Americans just don't watch foreign films. Don't worry, there's already a remake in progress and I'm sure everyone will rush to see that inferior knock-off version lest they be forced to read a few subtitles.

(Related: Korean rapper Psy encourages people to watch foreign films in Gangnam Style.)

So what makes Klown raunchy? The opening act sees the main protagonist ejaculate on the face of his fiance's mother. That's just the tip of the iceberg.


The plot revolves around a man (Frank) finding out his fiance is pregnant. He learns the information second hand because she thinks he might not be suited for fatherhood and has hid the pregnancy. Frank tries to prove his value by babysitting his 12 year-old nephew Bo. That's going well until there's a break-in at the pad. Frank escapes out the back door after briefly trying to wake up the sleeping kid. Only a few seconds go by when he gives up and leaves Bo behind. No one is injured in the process, but Frank's fiance is none too happy about his cowardice.

The enigmatic (and promiscuous) Casper.

She insists on taking Bo to his grandparents' home thus setting up the main plot of the movie. Frank is hellbent on proving his fatherly instinct. He already has a canoe trip planned with his buddy Casper that includes drugs, alcohol and adultery. So he kidnaps Bo and insists that Casper allow him to join their trip. Casper is relunctant and fears that Bo will interfere with the "Tour de Pussy". That's actually what they call it. But when his wife inquires about the reluctance, he can't tell her the truth and ends up acquiescing to the additional traveler.

It may seem like I'm spoiling a lot, however, this is just the set up. What ensues is a road-trip buddy movie, except on a river and with way more sex than most films of that genre. You can guess early on that Frank and Casper will form a bond with Bo during the course of this trip, but the adversarial situations never cease to surprise.

Despite its content, this is a classy film. The dialogue is simply perfect. These characters apparently originated in a Danish TV show and the actors have obviously perfected them over time. The chemistry feels authentic, which means more to the performance than traditional acting skills. Even Bo is an impressive member of the cast. So often directors try to force a child actor into more than they can handle. Bo is mostly silent and responds to situations in exactly the manner you'd expect from a 12 year old. He's both a hero and a victim in this story and manages to draw sympathy in either form.

Much like the film, the character of Casper is a paradox. Like Frank, Casper is both his real and fictional name. I can only hope that Mr. Christensen is nothing like his character who manages to be addicted to every debauchery and deviancy imaginable. He constantly lies to and cheats on his wife, who always gives him the benefit of the doubt. He openly ranks his priorities in life as: 1. Pussy 2. Fatherhood. Somehow though, Casper comes off as a good person. It seems like he sincerely cares about the important people in his life, but has absolutely no ability to make the right decision.

This is likely the best Danish movie I've ever seen, though I'm not sure I've seen enough to make a valid judgment. The intellectual aspects are subtle, but there. If that isn't what interests you, the lewd, rude, and not so shrewd gimmicks are surely enough to keep you laughing. Many folks are interested in foreign cinema but don't know where to start. Others fear that all foreign cinema is artsy and avant garde. Klown is a straight-forward comedy and provides a great chance for newcomers to get their feet wet in the world of foreign cinema.

Caution: Redband Trailer!