RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Shakes the Clown
Shakes the Clown

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Shakes the Clown (1992)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
37 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:19

Fresh:7

Rotten:12

Average Rating:4.3/10

Runtime: 87 mins

Genre: Comedies

US Box Office: $0

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

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

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; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View
all

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...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

70% 70% Where the Wild Things Are 03/12
84% 84% Paranormal Activity 03/12
89% 89% Zombieland 03/12
76% 76% The Informant! 03/12
— The Strength of Water 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Ban Them All!

Ban Them All!

10 Most Controversial Movies

Zombieland

Zombieland

Director Ruben Fleischer's favourites

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Kids' Book Films

Kids' Book Films

We fly through 10 of the best

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
0
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
124
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
179
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
87
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
62
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
58
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
53
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
43
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
24
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
21
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
15
  • Total Recall: Children's Book Adaptations
3
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
15
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
10
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
20
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
7
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
20
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Shakes the Clown at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Win Glee DVDs
Win Glee DVDs External Link

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Win tickets to Cold Souls
Win tickets to Cold Souls External Link

Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.