They're unaware that their new friend is a crippled war veteran who's a loose cannon about to take them hostage, with the help of his two vicious Dobermans!

(Note: the "clown" in the title refers to the husband.) As played by Lamberts, he's actually quite sad and pathetic, making the title more of a metaphor.

A generally unremarkable effort, this does boast solid acting from Alda in a role that's an intriguing, uncharacteristic departure for him. But ultimately Clown is a fragmented oddity that lacks any real tension and falls flat.

And as much as we like downbeat endings, this misfire just never seemed to gel.