Kingpin

1996 "You wouldn't want to meet these pinheads in an alley."
6.9| 1h54m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 26 July 1996 Released
Producted By: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

After bowler Roy Munson swindles the wrong crowd and is left with a hook for a hand, he settles into impoverished obscurity. That is, until he uncovers the next big thing: an Amish kid named Ishmael. So, the corrupt and the hopelessly naive hit the circuit intent on settling an old score with Big Ern.

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Reviews

Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever
SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.
Brainsbell The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.
Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
John Brooks More than anything, this film has that presence, that spirit about it that lots of 90's comedies had and Farrelly films in particular. The jokes are very silly but actually efficient, and help constitute a cartoonish kind of setting for the main characters. The humor turns a little extreme in parts, a bit too silly on occasion but mostly it's this coherent atmosphere of 'life is crap but let's keep trying to go forward, who knows seems there's a chance or whatever' just like Dumb n Dumber was for e.g.This style makes for a fun, entertaining viewing all the way as the plot keeps bumping into new elements with new events, new characters or returning characters. The story is quite well knitted together in that.Lots to say about it really, but it's funny, well constructed, well casted and well concluded enough that it's one of those rare actually good through and through comedies. You're in for the laughs for one, but also the story, and one really is intrigued til the very end about how this whole thing unwinds.
grantss I almost stopped watching this movie. The first 40 minutes or so are incredibly bad. Unfunny, gross-out toilet attempts at humour and silly, pointless plot.But then, from a point, it gets better. The jokes become cleverer and funnier. There is suddenly a depth to the characters and there is even a semblance of a plot.This all culminates in some great bowling scenes, with Bill Murray at his entertaining best.On that note, Bill Murray, while only being a supporting performer, is great in this movie and almost steals the show. Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid give solid performances and Vanessa Angel adds the eye candy, but Murray takes the movie to another level. Another thing that keeps the movie going is the soundtrack. Great music, especially the outro by Blues Traveler.
breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com Directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly don't have much of a filmography but after they produced Dumb & Dumber (1994), they were pretty much set. Since this week was the recent release of the Farrelly brothers' long awaited sequel to Dumb & Dumber (1994), Dumb & Dumber To (2014), it seemed appropriate that we visit another early Farrelly brothers' work. I was amazed to see that this is the only time Woody Harrelson collaborated with these directors. After being in and proving in other films that he still can be a comedic actor, I thought he would've made another movie with them. Guess Harrelson has had other plans since.Here, Woody Harrelson plays Roy Munson, a bowling prodigy who worked hard at being the best. That is, until one day after making a dangerous gamble, he loses his best bowling hand. Feeling ashamed and embarrassed, he leaves home to live a secluded life from society with poor living conditions and unkempt neighbors. Struggling to maintain any kind of order in his life, especially after losing his hand, he stumbles upon an Amish man named Ishmael (Randy Quaid) who reminds him of his youth and realizes that he has some unrecognized bowling skills and decides to take him under his wing. Along their travels, the two also stumble into a abusive rich man's wife that decides it's time for her to get out. The actress playing this vixen is Vanessa Angel. This is also probably her most memorable role in her filmography to most people who recognize her.The three actors do have their moments that are funny but it's not often. Harrelson carries most of the weight because of how his character tries to be better than his current social status. Quaid's character isn't all that funny but does work occasionally too. Of course, Angel's character is one that probably won't be ignored since much of the physical humor is centered around her bosom. Thankfully, not all the physical comedy relies on Angel. Harrelson's character uses a rubber hand in replace of his metal hooks and watching him fiddle getting ready or doing other things people normally do with their hands brought up some laughs. However there are some gags that are more gross than comical. I'm sure that's apart of the Farrelly humor, but if you're a viewer who doesn't like that kind of humor, it won't be that funny.Bill Murray even has a fairly major role in the story too, playing a bowler named Ernie McCracken. Man does Murray's hair get wild. In fact, his personality altogether is a bit too wild. Murray is more of an actor who can play a funny role in a deadpan fashion, not over-the-top. Most likely Murray fans will have a fun time but he does get to be too much at times. The two gentlemen behind the screenplay have more TV series writing under their belts than acclaimed comedy blockbusters, which could explain why several gags amount to very little. Also the characters for what they are, aren't the most likable. Yes, they're weird in their own way and have their moments, but they don't come off as characters that viewers would remember easily.Shockingly, a number of the less important characters are extremely blind or stupid. The character of Ernie McCracken is vulgar along with his strong hubris. McCracken gropes women in public and yet no one sees this? How is it that the women being groped is OK with this? It's not like McCracken is Elvis or something. One character even called the man "a role model for future generations". Are you kidding? Of course it's supposed to make the McCracken character seem unstoppable but how do these people not see this on public television? It may baffle viewers. Editing and cinematography is OK but nothing special. One time composer Freedy Johnston's score was barely noticeable. Much of the time, the music was provided by music parodying or directly paralleling the situation being displayed. It was alright at points, while others not so much.The comedy is frequently hit or miss, with its forgettable characters and repetitive gags. Woody Harrelson is the key to what helps makes watchable though.
FlashCallahan Roy Munson was the best bowler in the world. But a fellow bowler, Ernie McCracken and a misunderstanding with some rough punks, left Roy with the loss of his bowling hand.He gets a prosthetic hand and becomes a travelling salesman. But it's really all down hill for him from that night on until he meets Ishmael who is Amish and sneaks away from the farm to bowl.Roy convinces Ishmael to let him be his trainer and he'll make him the best bowler the world has ever seen.Reluctantly Ishmael agrees to go on the road and shortly afterwards actually finds that life outside the farm is quite fun. Soon their paths cross that of Ernie McCracken who is still a top ranking bowler.While Roy's career and life have landed in the toilet bowl, Ernie is still drawing huge crowds....Whilenot as good as Dumb and Dumber, the Farrellys comedy still felt pretty fresh and new for it's time of release.If this was released now, it wouldn't have has the plaudits is had, it would probably end up on late night TV, and wouldn't have the great cast.Harrelson is great as Roy, but cannot hold up to Quaid and a brilliant Murray, whenever they are on screen, the film really shines and becomes funny.Sadly, the rest of the film relies on horrid toilet humour and scenes that try and push the boundaries for a '12' movie, it doesn't work and the film has aged badly.That said, the hair is great in this movie, and while the Farrellys haven't really made a good original film for fourteen years, they proved with their first three movies they were a little left-field.