Klown – Film Review

This Danish sitcom, a spinoff from a long-running popular TV show (2005-09), has taken three years to get to the UK and has earned itself the rare accolade of 18 certificate.

So it’s a raunchy, handle-with-care, near-the knuckle, some-people-will-be-offended comedy. But it’s one that many others will find amusing, often hilarious, sometimes hysterical.

It takes the risky idea of two middle-aged blokes, leaving their rather bossy women and going off on a weekend canoeing trip sex expedition with a child. They try to pick up girls along the way at the camping sites, on route to their eventual destination, a chateau which is being used as a gentleman’s club for members of their book club to enjoy hookers. Fine, but the duo find themselves saddled with the blond, tubby little Bo (Marcuz Jess Petersen), the 12-year-old nephew of Frank’s pregnant girlfriend, when the well-meaning idiot Frank decides to prove his caring fatherhood potential.

The joke of course is that Frank has zero fatherhood potential, in fact zero anything potential, and his married best friend Casper’s so debauched that he’ll do anything with anybody for some sex away from his wife. Amazingly, somehow, through oddball charm, the two actors make these two rough-diamond characters sympathetic, almost loveable. One’s cheating boyfriend, the other’s a cheating husband, and everything they do starts from there. The story’s going to teach them a lesson though and they’re going to end up better people, though just as stupid. A sequel might be needed. A new TV show, maybe.

Writing their own material, Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen star as Frank and Casper. The script’s funny and so are they. With a few judicious trims, this would be a perfect vehicle as an American remake for Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Despite lots of dodgy situations and iffy gags, it’s basically very good natured and warm hearted, and it does have a weird moral centre.

The performers create ‘real’ characters who are better than mere sitcom stereotypes and you can believe they’re buddies and a ‘real’ relationship and long history. Hvam and Christensen are funny men, raising laughs easily. And, after a lot of fun is made at the expense of his character, young Petersen is finally respected. It’s astonishing that his performance is as skilled and confident as those of the adults.

It’s a clear insight into the Danish sense of humour and values, probably slightly different from those in the UK.

There’s quite a lot of sex, nudity, swearing, violence, drug and alcohol use, so it’s an anything goes comedy for adults only.

(C) Derek Winnert 2013 derekwinnert.com