Bad Russians are after a disk featuring secrets from nuclear
companies. After a failed and bloody attempt, they run after the
fall guy, a suicidal clown, who gains help from a tormented
would-be priest while a grumpy detective is on the trail. Sounds
familiar ? Yes, this basic plot has been used for countless
direct-to-video thrillers. But the fact that this is a French
film with a distinct flavour gives it an honorable twist, and
obviously, the filmmakers never intended it to be more than
entertainment. The characters, though clichéd, are honestly
drawn, the acting is very good and a crisp, lush cinematography
helps disguise an obvious low budget. Ticky Holgado really
shines as this ambiguous, sad clown who turns out to be much
more (The title is ironic, since he never smiles), and his
clown/mime antics are delightful. Nothing impressive, just a
nice little B-movie, unpretentious but crisp, a cut above your
average TV movie.
companies. After a failed and bloody attempt, they run after the
fall guy, a suicidal clown, who gains help from a tormented
would-be priest while a grumpy detective is on the trail. Sounds
familiar ? Yes, this basic plot has been used for countless
direct-to-video thrillers. But the fact that this is a French
film with a distinct flavour gives it an honorable twist, and
obviously, the filmmakers never intended it to be more than
entertainment. The characters, though clichéd, are honestly
drawn, the acting is very good and a crisp, lush cinematography
helps disguise an obvious low budget. Ticky Holgado really
shines as this ambiguous, sad clown who turns out to be much
more (The title is ironic, since he never smiles), and his
clown/mime antics are delightful. Nothing impressive, just a
nice little B-movie, unpretentious but crisp, a cut above your
average TV movie.
