Kingpin (1996)

Directors:

Bobby Farrelly
Peter Farrelly

Writers (WGA):

Barry Fanaro (written by) &
Mort Nathan (written by)

Release Date:

26 July 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

A comedy right up your alley.

Plot:

A star bowler whose career was prematurely "cut off" hopes to ride a new prodigy to success and riches.

Plot Keywords:

Lancaster County | Comb Over | Kingpin | Hook For Hand | Pennsylvania

Cast

Woody Harrelson	...	Roy Munson
Randy Quaid	...	Ishmael Boorg
Vanessa Angel	...	Claudia
Bill Murray	...	Ernie McCracken
Chris Elliott	...	The Gambler
William Jordan	...	Mr. Boorg
Richard Tyson	...	Owner of Stiffy's
Lin Shaye	...	Roy's Landlady
Zen Gesner	...	Thomas Boorg
Prudence Wright Holmes	...	Mrs. Boorg
Rob Moran	...	Stanley Osmanski
Daniel Greene	...	Calvert Munson (as Danny Greene)
Will Rothhaar	...	Young Roy
Mark Charpentier	...	1979 Bowling Buddy
Brad Faxon	...	1979 Bowling Buddy

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for crude sex-related humor and a drug scene.

Runtime:

113 min | USA:117 min (R-rated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Finland:K-10 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34604) | Iceland:L | Philippines:PG-13 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Canada:14A | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:R (director's cut)

Filming Locations:

Interstate 80, Reno, Nevada, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Major League Baseball pitcher 'Roger Clemens (I)' has a small cameo in the film. In the restaurant scene where Roy punches out Ishmael, Roger Clemens plays the part of Skid Mark. Clemens currently ranks 8th on the All Time wins list for major league baseball pitchers.

Goofs:

Continuity: The oil on Roy's mouth at the gas station.

Quotes:

Ishmael: You been drinking, Mr. Munson?
Roy: I don't puke when I drink. I puke when I don't.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Office: Branch Closing (#3.7)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Oh Very Young

Bowling: It Can Be A Crude Sport!

What a strange comedy this turned out to be. Of course, that's not a shock considering you have Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid and Bill Murray starring. Now there's a stable, conservative trio!!

This actually has some very funny moments. At first I was afraid it was going to be too irreverent to the Amish - and there definitely was some of that with Quaid's character, who is made to look like a total dimwit, who has no knowledge of the Bible and is easily led - NO characteristics of an Amish person, BUT the film really isn't mean-spirited and it does show respect for the Amish in a number of scenes. However, it's still very much a sleazy film and the writers wouldn't have done this with any other non-Christian character.

All the characters in here, including the profane female lead played by Vanessa Angel (who?), are fun to watch. The most outrageous, in a minor role, is the female landlord who has to be seen to be believed.

Bowlers will especially like this film since a good part of it centers around that. A number of PBA members put it cameo performances. One scene, with the fake hand attached to the bowling ball as it returns from the ball rack had me almost in tears laughing, for some reason. Murray's take on the flamboyant bowler (and there have been a few over the years on the Pro Bowlers Tour) is hilarious.

Crude, but a funny film for the most part.