A good idea and a nice try by bobcat goldwaith (once married to the uber hotty nikki cox - which proves that all it takes is a good sense of humor!) . Not a bad movie but one can easily see this is a debut of the director. The script was good, and the rest ; pacing, cast etc was all average if not slightly above. Look out for a young adam sandler in one of his first movie roles.

This is why Bobcat Goldthwaite isn't famous. It's also why he's a genius

Bobcat. Tehe. Like every other mediocre movie, it has its moments.

Disturbing, but like a train wreck you can't turn away from. Goldthwait is a whacko.

The first half hour of this is about as funny to me as anything, trouble is, the film is quite a bit longer than that. A few vulgar things that fall flat, but really, considering Sandler is ok, and Goldthwait is actually funny, which is really unusual, it's great. Hard to reccommend unless you're pretty sure they're ready for drunken, profane clowns.

Tom Kenny has too many funny moments, in this otherwise mediocre movie, to not give it an alright rating.

Definitely not as good as I think, but I do love Bobcat and I sincerely appreciate what he was trying to do. Probably something you'd prefer to watch as part of a black comedy weekend, it makes great marathon filler.

he audio presentation on this picture was so poor when i saw it, i might have enjoyed it much more were i able to hear it. All the same the idea was amusing and much of the movie funny as well. I do occasionally find myself in that quandary wondering if all this abuse is just sad.

So the movie sucks? It's still Bobcat Goldthwait. That's enough for me.

This movie is not at all what I expected from Bobcat. One of the funnier movies I have seen.

I know it sjust supposed to be a slapstick movie but it wasn't that funny. It did have some moments though

A bizarre concept filled with some truly disturbing jokes. "Shakes" is nearly unwatchable, yet I have a strange affection for it; possibly because the idea of a clown-based society is so off-the-wall. Truly, it is, as the box proudly proclaims, "The 'Citizen Kane' of alcoholic clown movies".