Frightfest London 2025: ‘Super Happy Fun Clown’ Review
Stars: Jennifer Seward, Nicole Hall, Matt Leisy, Deborah Madick, Tim Shelburne | Written by Eric Winkler | Directed by Patrick Rea
Ever since she was a child, Jennifer Sullivan (Jennifer Seward) has had two loves in her life: clowns and serial killers. As an adult, she spends her free time entertaining people as ‘Jenn-O the Clown,’ something which provides the only respite from a miserable life involving a tedious job, a slob husband who threatens abuse, and an emotionally cruel mother who repeatedly calls her daughter a failure. With her dreams of happiness fading away, Jennifer embraces the idea of infamy being the way to become somebody, and combines her loves to go on a murderous rampage.
Super Happy Fun Clown is the latest film from FrightFest regular Patrick Rea (I Am Lisa, Arbor Demon, They Wait in the Dark), which reunites the director with writer Eric Winkler. What the pair bring alive is a tale of a protagonist who best expresses themselves as a clown, rallying against an unjust life and a difficult maternal relationship through violent means. If that sentence reminded you of 2019’s Joker, then you are not alone in feeling that.
While the spectre of Todd Phillips’ feature may loom large, the comparisons only go so far as Rea’s feature takes a more intimate approach. The focus is on one woman’s struggle living through a life of misery, where she is repeatedly beaten down by her mother’s cruel words, and takes the wrong lessons by seeking fame through notoriety. It offers a stronger impression than a lacklustre retreading of Martin Scorsese films, which makes this a better film than Joker.
Anchoring this tale is an exceptional lead performance from Jennifer Seward. She inhabits the role so well, conveying a life heaped with misery where clowning is the only source of joy. The best example is in a devastating moment where she must remove her make-up and fake a smile, an act that Jennifer feels that she must do, even if it hurts her.
When this is her life, it is no wonder that the protagonist bites back, even if it is through a killing spree. Many methods are utilised to express herself via rising deaths, including many scenes which pay homage to horror films from the silent era. This makes it unfortunate how, despite an 87-minute runtime, the story feels stretched too thin in ways that leave the story feeling repetitive. Yet, despite her fantasies about becoming a recognised name due to her murderous streak, reality lies in wait to remind her of the ramifications. What remains with Super Happy Fun Clown is a solid work that is not clowning around.
*** 3/5
Super Happy Fun Clown screened as part of this year’s London Frightfest.
