I Recommend Klowning Around

“Klown” is like an extended episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” “Klown” is less bitter than “Curb,” however “Klown” is structured in the familiar template that involves two or three set-up scenes setting up a payoff scene near the end. I believe this sort of structure in comedy may have begun on “Seinfeld.” Jerry or George would do or say something which would set up disastrous repercussions at the end of an episode. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” uses the same structure. This is not to say that I am tired of this structure. It usually works very well. It is just a familiar structure on some sitcoms and it is used in “Klown.” Two or three events occur, some of them just hinted at with a single camera shot, but mostly they occur as brief scenes during the course of the film.

It seems as though this kind of structure would be difficult to write, as it is evident that careful planning must occur for events to progress in such a fashion so as to result in a comedic end. The basic story in the film,“Klown,” which is based on a six-season, 60 episode Danish television series, is that a man named Frank Hvam (the actor’s real name and character name are the same) is assigned the duty of babysitting his nephew, Bo (Marcuz Jess Petersen). Frank has promised and wants to go on a canoe trip with his friend, Casper (Casper Christensen). Casper does not just want to go canoeing, however. The purpose of this trip for Casper is to row to a remote brothel and spend a night with the world’s best prostitutes. Casper calls this trip the “Tour de Pussy.” It is evident what Casper is looking for. Frank wants to go on this trip, but does not, obviously, want to haul a 12 year-old boy along. Well…stuff happens and more stuff happens. I am not going to go into how it all plays out since I am encouraging you to see the film. I do not like to divulge spoilers. The film works very well, as do most episodes of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” I get the impression, even though I don’t do impressions, that the tv show, “Klovn,” (with a “v”), is a lot like Larry David’s HBO series. The guys do harmless, sometimes foolish, things which lead to bigger, worse things happening as a result. Their wives are nonplussed by their actions, as are those who are victims of their foolishness. Having seen the movie, I am very interested in watching the television series.

I do not think comedy like this is easy to write and it takes skill to organize events and plot points carefully so as to lead the audience to those funny things that result. This is why I champion “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” It may seem like a show about a grumpy, unpleasant guy who hates everybody. The character of Larry has evolved throughout the course of the series and about 75% of the time, he is right about what he is ranting about. The way he goes about things is usually wrong. So, “Klown” appears to the a film-length version of a tv show which is similar to and probably influenced by Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that. The script is well-planned and well-organized, leading the viewer through Hvam and Casper’s journey of uncomfortableness which is very amusing. If you enjoy uncomfortable humor such as what one would find on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” or Lisa Kudrow’s shamefully underrated, short-lived HBO series, “The Comeback,” you will likely enjoy “Klown.” So, no more clowning around. Find “Klown” and enjoy it