Um Palhaço Suspeito

I've tried to get my friends to watch this movie with me, but they just can't get over the fact that there are CLOWNS everywhere! GROW UP! "Shakes the Clown" is a truly love-it-or-hate-it movie, with each side taking their stand solidly. Put me in the love column. The fact that everything is played dead serious despite the fact that they're clowns is what keeps this movie from just being stupid. Tom Kenny is PERFECTLY cast as Binky, the best comic villain I have ever seen. Most comic villains are either so bad they're cool, or so bad you can't bear to watch them. Mr. Kenny achieves a perfect balance of being totally unappealing, yet you want to keep watching to see him get it in the end. The best villains feel their actions are completely justified, and Binky is no different. His actions are completely self-preserving and in his mind justifiable. Shouts should also be given out to Adam Sandler and Julie Brown. While Adam often resorts to the easy laugh in his starring vehicles, he's perfect as the insecure clown with no confidence with his ability with the opposite sex. You can easily see why P.T. Anderson chose him to star in "Punch Drunk Love". People have a tendency to hate Julie Brown, and I can understand why, but I've always been a fan of hers. Her role as the put-upon barmaid/girlfriend of Shakes would have been annoying in any other movie, but given the circumstances involved, I find her absolutely adorable. The characters of HoHo, Boots, Stenchy, Owen Cheese, the two cops, the rodeo clowns, etc. are all perfectly cast. Especially memorable is the late Sydney Lassick as Peppy, the forcibly retired host of the TV show that Binky takes over. It's a crying shame that more people don't like this movie, as it would have given Bobcat more opportunities to do films HIS way. Why didn't this film make EW's top 50 cult movies? Until people get over their phobia of clowns, this flick is never going to get the respect it truly deserves, and that is a crying shame. 10/10

Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait made an interesting filmmaking debut with this not bad mix of comedy and drama. Bobcat plays "Shakes", a clown who is barely functioning in life. When he actually shows up for work, he does a decent enough job, but he just cannot stay off the sauce. This frustrates his patient girlfriend, Judy (MTV personality Julie Brown), and even his friends such as Stenchy (Blake Clark) and Dink (Adam Sandler, in one of his earliest film roles). Eventually, Shakes must pull it together and clear himself when he's framed for a murder.

Clearly, this has become a cult favourite, although this viewer would be lying if he said that he found it all that funny himself. It's mildly amusing at best, with some good moments, but it's never really inspired. One of the brightest bits of business occurs when Robin Williams shows up (billed as "Marty Fromage") as a mime teacher. It is also a hoot the way that clowns such as Shakes, Stenchy, and Dink declare war on mimes earlier in the picture and rough them up. It would have been nice had it been a little more of a dark comedy, but it never really gets that dark. Too much time is wasted with two unfunny cop characters.

Certainly the cast gets an A for effort. Bobcat is good in the lead, managing to elicit some sympathy along the way. Brown is sweet as his leading lady, speaking with a noticeable lisp. Tom Kenny (voice of Sponge Bob Squarepants) is a great sociopathic bad guy, "Binky" the clown. Other familiar faces include Florence Henderson, Sydney Lassick, La Wanda Page, Joel Murray, Tim Kazurinsky, and Paul Dooley.

Off-kilter enough to keep it watchable, with a bright wrap-up and a lively soundtrack.

Henry Rollins broke humanity down, once, into "People who get Devo, and people who don't." You can do the same for this movie... there are people who get it, and people who don't, and you will never, ever convince someone that doesn't get this film that it's enjoyable. Just give up. If they can't see the humor in "Oh great, now I have to kill you too. Another red letter day for Binky..."

I really admired this movie for being a fairly apt take on alcoholism. In terms of pain and damage. They could have easily made Shakes a comical drunk, ala Arthur or some kind of wacky party animal, like Belushi in Animal House. Instead, Shakes the Clown is a seriously troubled individual. It's also realistic in that he hangs out with a bunch of alcoholics, who have just a little more control over their habit.

The jokes hit at about a 15% clip, but I thought the guy who played Binky was wonderfully cast. It's not a great movie, or even a good one -- I guess I was just surprised by the honesty in its portrayal of alcoholism.

And I'm not sure I needed to see Aunt Esther talk about her privates in such detail!

I've heard this is the " Citizen Kane of alcholic clown movies", and it may be!