Review: ‘Super Happy Fun Clown’ joins horror’s killer clown tradition

Clowns have always been terrifying. From He Who Gets Slapped (1924) to Clown in a Cornfield and the Terrifier franchise, horror has been infatuated with creepy clowns and those who kill for over 100 years. Patrick Rea joins tradition with his own spin on clown horror with Super Happy Fun Clown, a low-budget indie that reads like a Harley Quinn spin-off. Written by Eric Winkler, the film explores a woman’s early infatuation with clowns, her desperation to be heard, and how loneliness spreads like a plague. While the film doesn’t totally stick the landing, there’s plenty here to dig into and enjoy.

Jennifer (Jennifer Seward) has always loved clowns. Since her childhood, she has also been ridiculed by her overbearing mother. She frequently snuck out of her bedroom to go down to the nearby playground where a clown performed for kids and made balloon animals. Decades pass, and we meet Jennifer as an adult. She’s now working a dead-end corporate job and performs as Jenn-O the Clown on the weekends. It’s quite clear which one brings her the most joy. Painting her face and making kids laugh brings her a sense of purpose she never feels anywhere else. Naturally, her mother still berates her for her lack of real career ambition, only stoking Jennifer’s determination to prove her wrong.

Leading up to Halloween, things begin to change. Jenn-O has finally had enough of the world denying her what she thinks she deserves and channels movie monsters and serial killers alike for a night of unbridled terror. A new name in Halloween mayhem has arrived. Much like Art the Clown, Jenn-O doesn’t speak and only uses props and mime to convey her emotions and diabolical intent. Seward cleverly infuses her performance with great spatial awareness and physical comedy to alleviate the heavier, more grotesque scenes.

Winkler wrote a fascinating character study of privilege and accountability that speaks to this current cultural moment. With Jennifer, he compels the audience to dig below the surface and examine our own place within the social climate. Rea, known for other such standout indies as I Am Lisa and The Night is Young, takes Winkler’s script and lets it loose with finely tuned direction and character-driven camera choices (shout-out to cinematographer Michael Frazier). The camera appears as its own character, underscoring Jennifer’s swift escalation into utter delusion with a bloodthirsty appetite.

Super Happy Fun Clown gives new meaning to the deranged clown trope. It’s neither as menacing as Frendo in Clown in a Cornfield nor shockingly cruel as Art the Clown in the Terrifier films – yet there’s a charm about Jenn-O and her Halloween night rampage that’s quite endearing. Despite its shortcomings, it will still be a tasty treat for the new year and kick off horror in the right way.

Super Happy Fun Clown debuts on the streaming service BloodStream on January 1, 2026.