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Movies / On DVD / Shakes the Clown
Shakes the Clown

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Shakes the Clown (1992)

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37 %
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Reviews Counted:19

Fresh:7

Rotten:12

Average Rating:4.3/10

Runtime: 87 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Shakes the Clown (Goldthwait, who also wrote and directed) drinks too much, is late to birthday parties and his girlfriend calls it quits when he misses her big bowling tournament. But things get... Shakes the Clown (Goldthwait, who also wrote and directed) drinks too much, is late to birthday parties and his girlfriend calls it quits when he misses her big bowling tournament. But things get worse when the clown dispatcher is found dead and Shakes becomes the prime suspect. He's on the run to prove his innocence, save the woman he loves from an evil clown and come to terms with the realization that he's a serious boozer. Billed as "The CITIZEN KANE of alcoholic clown movies," SHAKES also features a then unknown Sandler in a bit part as well as a scene-stealing, foulmouthed turn from Page, better know as Aunt Esther of TV's "Sanford and Son." [More]

Starring: Bobcat Goldthwait, Julie Brown, Bruce Baum, Blake Clark

Starring: Bobcat Goldthwait, Julie Brown, Bruce Baum, Blake Clark, Paul Dooley, Jack Gallagher, Tim Kazurinsky, Sydney Lassick, Joel Murray, LaWanda Page, Adam Sandler

Director: Bobcat Goldthwait

Director: Bobcat Goldthwait
Screenwriter: Bobcat Goldthwait

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Shakes the Clown

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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A bizarre comedy that stretches its central gimmick thinner than watered-down carnival taffy.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
05/22/08
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Basically a redneck drive-in movie in style and delivery.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
05/22/08
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader

Extra credit for beating up mimes!

comment Comment
03/15/08
Michael A. Smith
Michael A. Smith
Nolan's Pop Culture Review

Great idea for a tasteless short, but not enough for a feature.

comment Comment
01/12/06
Rob Thomas
Rob Thomas
Capital Times (Madison, WI)

No review available.

comment Comment
07/28/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

comment Comment
02/04/05
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No review available.

comment Comment
11/04/04
Randy Shulman
Randy Shulman
Metro Weekly (Washington, DC)

No review available.

comment Comment
08/18/03
Ryan Cracknell
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views

The tagline is true - and so are the rumors.

comment Comment
07/04/03
Karina Montgomery
Karina Montgomery
Cinerina
N/R

Shakes the Clown has been photographed as poorly as it was conceived.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

When it works, it's uniquely funny. When it doesn't, it's uniquely bad.

comment Comment
04/21/03
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Sporadically, but hilariously, funny. Goldthwait is great as the alcoholic, mime-hatin' clown.

comment Comment
03/21/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

A must-see for clown haters.

comment Comment
02/13/03
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat

Shake this one back into the film can and let it rot there.

comment Comment
12/17/02
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

No review available.

comment Comment
10/03/02
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

It's weird, but it's not really funny.

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

No review available.

comment Comment
07/28/02
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

Shakes the Clown is sick but whether it's a joke is a matter of taste. And this film is about as tasteless as they come.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Chris Hicks
Chris Hicks
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

A wonderfully weird two hours.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Marc Savlov
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle

The movie plays like a series of scene outlines -- ideas for how the movie should progress -- that needed more writing and revision before the actors were called in.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Shakes the Clown

June 19, 2008: Robin Williams, Bobcat Goldthwait Team Up for World's Best Dad Opens in new window
Robin Williams has agreed to star in World's Best Dad, a comedy written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait. More...

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