Those familiar with the off-kilter comedic duo behind the Danish TV series Klown (or Klovn as it is known in Denmark) — which spurned one of the most hilarious and inappropriate feature films of recent years — will know exactly what type of humor to expect from their sequel Klovn Forever. Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen star essentially as parodies of themselves in this Curb Your Enthusiasm-style comedy, combining mundane issues from their personal lives with some extremely outlandish situations. They push the boundaries of what is considered appropriate with their off kilter brand of humor, falling into categories that are intentionally offensive — such as misogyny and even racism. But therein lies the appeal: in these playful antics, here considered nonchalant, do we as an audience find humor in how outrageous and disrespectful they can be.
Five years since their original escapade — when Frank kidnapped a young boy during a planned trip with Casper to prove he was father material to his then-pregnant girlfriend, Mia (Mia Lyhne) — life has changed for the mischievous duo, even though their questionable antics remain in full form. Frank and Mia are now married with two children and have an established routine, while Casper has divorced from his wife, Iben (Iben Hjejle), and is living a bachelor lifestyle. The two are about to release a book about their friendship, something that publishers think will be a guaranteed success, but their actual relationship has never been rockier. Feeling isolated from Frank, Casper, without telling his best friend, decides to leave for Hollywood to pursue a career in entertainment.
It’s at this point where the sequel veers into a bit of formulaic territory, what with the overused set-up of watching them travel to America to see how the both will react to the cultural clichés as Danes in a foreign land. Casper becomes a Hollywood playboy in no time, and his humor riffs off this new persona, while many of Frank’s jokes are relegated to his award mannerisms, bodily humor, and a sexual interest in Casper’s daughter. As Frank tries to remind Casper of their friendship and lure him back to Denmark, the animosity between the two of them becomes uncomfortable, leading to some of the more absurdly dark situations.
Director Mikkel Nørgaard cleverly plays on the natural chemistry these two actors have with one another, allowing for improvised dialogue based on the script’s loose concept. It’s this natural rapport between the two comedians that is the heart and soul of both films and the television series — and, despite their despicable behavior, they are easy to like. If you were not a fan of the original film or are easily offended, Klovn Forever will do little to change your opinion on Frank and Casper’s style of humor. But those who enjoy their antics will undoubtedly find this sequel delivers the goods, despite being unable to top their outrageous outing that was the first feature.
Klovn Forever screened at Fantastic Fest and will be released by Drafthouse Films on September 2.