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Stand up comic turned writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait is best remembered for his wacky appearances in the Police Academy series. But he turned filmmaker in 1992 with a dark comedy revered as the "Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown movies". Shakes the Clown inspired the REM song Binky the Doormat and combined with his work directing shows for Comedy Central cast Goldthwait in a whole new light. In his third feature Sleeping Dogs, Goldthwait questions our idealization of the absolute virtues of honesty: "Total honesty for the sole sake of getting a weight off your chest, even at the cost of hurting someone close to you may not always be the kindest thing. A lot of damage can be done�"

Melinda Page Hamilton (Desperate Housewives) is seemingly happy-go-lucky twenty-something Amy. But she's hiding a dark secret. And once it gets out her world starts to fall apart. Goldthwait's freaky comedy probes the code of different kinds of relationships and shows it's not always wise to spill the beans to your boyfriend. Especially when the secret in question is:  "When I was at college I blew my dog." Cue further misunderstandings and betrayed trusts in a script that shows great range and avoids the schmaltzy pitfalls of bigger budget fare by never straying far from Amy's fears.

This really is the perfect anti-date movie. Dirty secrets, gross-out humour and a host of weird characters collide in a black comedy that still has a heart. Bobcat manages to 'pull off' the rare coup of combining the perverse humour you'd expect from a seasoned stand up comic with a genuine sense of drama as an uptight family implodes. Amy's brooding Dad and crystal-meth smoking brother are superbly drawn characters but at the forefront of an up for it cast Hamilton deadpans brilliantly while the dog handlers deserve a special mention�

Bobcat's film earns its own genre definition, so welcome to the gross-house. The journey from gross out hilarity to a genuinely dramatic finale is fuelled with pathos and it's testament to Goldthwait's directorial skills that this disarmingly funny film was shot on a micro budget in just 16 days. Financed by friends and visits to the pawn shop Goldthwait hustled up most of his crew on Craigslist and is full of praise for DP Ian Takahashi who easily found "the right balance of comedy and drama" that makes Sleeping Dogs surprisingly rewarding viewing.