Matthew Percefull
Do second chances really exist? How could they? If even our smallest mistakes live in someone’s memory, then how could we even think to overcome our largest screw-ups? In Director Mark Hensley’s independent crime caper, Clown-N-Out in Valley Village, we meet two people seeking the answers to those questions.
Meet John (Joe Heck), the birthday clown. John is an ex-con, willing to do whatever it takes to redeem himself in the eyes of his girlfriend (who isn’t really his girlfriend) and his son (whom he’s never met). John is motivated by second chances, not necessarily earning them himself, but being handed one. He’s seemingly convinced that the act of trying means that he deserves the world. He uses outlandish humor to hide how broken he is. There’s an exchange early on that defines John’s entire character. After he’s called a clown by the woman he loves, he simply responds, “not on the inside.” While his profession is mocked throughout the film, John being a clown isn’t just for a cheap gag. It really hits on a sad truth: In America, you have to become a clown. You have to wear the right costume and maintain a perfect smile at all times. Money always wins over dignity.
On the other side of the coin is aspiring actress Elaine (Katy Mahard). Not only does Elaine not think she’s deserving of a second chance, but she doesn’t deem herself deserving of life at all. When we first see Elaine, she’s on the verge of suicide. After chasing her dreams went horribly wrong, she became a depressed shell of her once spunky personality. She doesn’t actually want to die, though. Seconds after her suicide attempt, she springs right into action. Her instinct isn’t to die, it’s to fight for survival. Elaine’s big mistake wasn’t the same as John’s. John made bad judgments that landed him in jail. All Elaine did was trust somebody. Now, trusting a stranger may be her only way to live.
John and Elaine’s interactions are the heartbeat of Clown-N-Out in Valley Village. Once their paths cross in a hit gone hilariously wrong, this film shows us what it really is. It has the trappings of a Tarantino or Coen Brothers’ style crime caper, but the film is not afraid to slow down and get under the fingernails of our characters. The film does feature all of the shootouts, bundles of money, and incompetent hitmen that you would expect in a crime comedy, but it often opts for conversation over bullets. These conversations give us microscopic looks into our characters. Between the clown jokes, Elaine and John both allow themselves to be vulnerable.
While Elaine and John bicker in the kitchen, John casually hits us with the thesis statement of Clown-N-Out. “Life finds a way to turn itself around,” he says. He’s right. The problem is: he’s not willing to wait for the turnaround. Elaine knows John’s statement to be true; she’s living proof of it, yet she scoffs at it. She’s so worn down that she’s starting to lose hope. Ironically, she finds it in John at his most hopeless.
As different as our two leads appear, they really couldn’t be more alike. They’re both people floundering after a bad decision. They’re both drowning in life’s complexities. Clown-N-Out in Valley Village is violent and quite grim at times, but these characters are handled with such care that it doesn’t feel mean-spirited. That can be a tough balance to maintain, but Hensley did so with precision. Even when the characters are treating themselves and each other like jokes, the film still takes them seriously. Unfortunately, the antagonists don’t get the same treatment.
The main heavy of Clown-N-Out, Frank, is portrayed brilliantly by Max E. Williams. He devours the scenery every time he’s on screen. Unfortunately, his role feels a bit aimless at times. He is absent for large chunks of the movie. When he does show up, the stakes don’t feel as high as they should. He feels more like a minor inconvenience than the looming threat he’s built up to be. An extra scene or two showcasing Frank could have gone a long way in making the film feel just a tad more kinetic.
Needle drops are almost expected in a film like this. Unfortunately for indie filmmakers, well-known songs are expensive. Clown-N-Out in Valley Village gets around this through some original songs and a rock-infused score that propels this film. This is one of the strongest elements of Clown-N-Out. It really immerses you into the hazy version of LA that Hensley presents here. Some of the best stuff is just driving around LA as that score plays over the top.
Clown-N-Out in Valley Village gets the most out of its shoestring budget through strong characterization, a killer score, and a contained story. There are some moments where the seams start to show, primarily in the scene transitions. While stylized, they often feel cheap, and some of them ruin the momentum of otherwise engaging scenes. The biggest example of this is the flashback sequences. The film relies heavily on flashbacks to both show backstory and reveal the third-act twist. The actual sequences themselves are well done and are each shot in a distinct style. Some are more horror in feel, while others have a dreamy quality. The transitions into these flashbacks, however, are quite jarring.
Low budget doesn’t have to mean low substance; Clown-N-Out is proof of that. It’s rough around the edges, but I think it’s all the better for it. If you’re in the mood for an off-kilter crime caper, you can’t go wrong with this sturdy indie feature.
