Shakes The Clown

Stars: Bobcat Goldthwait (Scrooged, Hot to Trot, Police Academy II, III and IV) Julie Brown (MTV, Earth Girls Are Easy). Hide the children, and lock up your grandmother, the Bobcat is on the loose in this remarkably unfunny clown comedy. Written, directed by, and starring Goldthwait in the title role, the film follows the aimless misadventures of Shakes, a birthday clown with an alcohol problem. Julie Brown is his bowler girlfriend. Set in the fictional town of Palookaville, over half of the film is plotless--most of the scenes are of clowns sitting in a bar telling dirty jokes and knocking back liquor like it's Kool-Aid. In the final third of the film, Shakes gets framed for a murder and the film mechanically moves through its paces until the predictable resolution. Some interesting items: the best gag is a running joke about gang fights between clowns and mimes, and head mime instructor Jerry, listed in the credits as "Marty Fromage," is none other than Robin Williams. Also, a hungover and besmirched-nightgown-clad Florence Henderson offers a new side to Mrs. Brady. [Note: Be forewarned. This is not at all like Bob Goldthwait in Scrooged, Hot to Trot, or the Police Academy series. This is like Bob Goldthwait in his concert video (Share the Warmth), only not nearly as funny.] Audience: Obviously, Bobcat and MTV-Julie fans, regardless of how bad the movie is. But you could also recommend this to people who might want to see Robin Williams slumming (another great Williams uncredited cameo is in Dead Again). Just don't tell 'em Shakes the Clown is a good movie--that would be an outright lie.