A movie
A user review community for gamers and movie fans.
Join | Log In
Kingpin
A movie directed by Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly
The team behindDumb and DumberandThere's Something About Mary--two really stupid, gross-out films that worked and were quite funny--also made this really stupid, gross-out comedy that doesn't work and isn't funny at all. Woody Harrelson … see full wiki
Director:
Bobby Farrelly,
Peter Farrelly
Release Date:
26 July 1996 (USA)
MPAA Rating:
R
1 review about Kingpin
Showing 1-1 of 1
Only Bill Murray could make a bad combover rocking
-
Apr 20, 2011
- by TheJohn
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
Seriously, look at that hair during the tournament when Bill Murray is holding up that ball, tell me he doesn't look awesome inspite of looking stupid.
+3
Kingpin tells the story of gross, desperate or sleazy people all in the world of bowling and even hits another point on this where our protagonist tells his naive friend "Welcome to my Kingdom" and the friend remarks how he's never been around so many great athletes, meanwhile said athletes are smoking, eating pizza and are generally obese. If any one of them tried running a mile they would have a heart attack. It would be too easy to slap bowling in the face except that any sport or career has it's share of seedy and starving people with it's own types to poke fun at.
Woody Harrelson stars as Roy Munson, a boy raised from birth bowling with his dad and after winning a championship against rival Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray), Ernie decides to take Roy under his wing and hustle for some extra cash. Things don't go well and Roy loses a hand to angry players. Flash forward about 20 years and Roy is washed up with little cash with a hook hand replacing his missing one and selling supplies to bowling alleys. Glamor.
One day Roy meets Ishmael, an Amish man who goes bowling in secret as to not alert his family. After getting Ishmael's families approval to take him on he road to earn money and save the family farm (and make Roy some money on the side) the two are off to Reno for a bowling tournament. Along the way are some classic gross out moments including a urinal, bull semen, dental floss and more. If it spits craps or squirts, theres a good chance that a joke about it is here.
I think the thing that surprised me is that the movie maintains it's juvenile humor AND keeps a heart with Roy admitting his failures in life, a growing relationship with Roy, Ishmael and Claudia; another hustler they meet on the run from an abusive boyfriend and even with an ending that isn't THE happiest it's still satisfying to see. Plus it helps that Blues Traveler in Amish gear pound out a song on an outdoor stage with Amish people stage diving.
A bust at the box office but finding it's place on video, Kingpin is a winner and Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid make a great team. It does have lulls and it could be too gross for some people but Kingpin isn't a total 7-10 split.
What did you think of this review?
Helpful
12
Thought-Provoking
12
Fun to Read
12
Well-Organized
12
Post a Comment
woopak_the_thrill
April 21, 2011
loved that opening scene too!!
TheJohn
April 21, 2011
Oh yeah. I liked this movie and short of The Big Lebowski, I don't know any other movies with bowling in them. Vanessa Angel was cute and not a terrible actress either. I wonder what happened to her.
woopak_the_thrill
April 21, 2011
Angel I believe stars on several b-movies such as Sabretooth and one with some kind of monster mutant fish. Thanks!
show text editor
devora
April 21, 2011
You mean The Donald doesn't? :P Love this movie. Great post!
TheJohn
April 21, 2011
Not while holding up a bowling bowl with green lasers in the alley he doesn't. Thanks.
devora
April 21, 2011
Hahahahaha
show text editor
djevoke
April 21, 2011
I loved this movie! I used to live in Reno and let me tell you, they are dead serious about bowling there and the tournament that they show in the film is a huge event! I had no clue until I saw it with my own eyes LOL Great review :)
TheJohn
April 21, 2011
That's what I've heard about Reno and bowling. That scene I reference in the movie about the "atheletes" smoking and eating though does have to be one of my favorite scenes. Howard Stern even made a remark once about bowling: "What kind of sport is that, you can eat and drink while you do it." I like bowling but I think of it more of a game instead of a sport.
djevoke
April 21, 2011
Oh yeah, it's definitely a game to me as well!
show text editor
1
Related Topics
A comedy movie directed by the Farrelly brothers
A movie starring Jim Carrey
Source: Kingpin on Lunch.com
- About Lunch
- Press
- FAQs
- Contact Us
- Terms of Service
- Privacy Policy
- Sitemap
- Report Abuse
© 2013 Lunch.com, LLC All Rights Reserved
Lunch.com - Relevant reviews by real people.