Punchline (1988)

Steven Gold is a stand-up comedian who is flat broke and has recently dropped out of medical school. He and several others work regularly at the Gas Station, a New York comedy club. The ... See full summary »

Director:

David Seltzer

Writer:

David Seltzer

Stars:

Sally Field, Tom Hanks, John Goodman

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sally Field	...	Lilah Krytsick
Tom Hanks	...	Steven Gold
John Goodman	...	John Krytsick
Mark Rydell	...	Romeo
Kim Greist	...	Madeline Urie
Paul Mazursky	...	Arnold
Pam Matteson	...	Utica Blake
George McGrath	...	Singing Nun (as George Michael McGrath)
Taylor Negron	...	Albert Emperato
Barry Neikrug	...	Krug
Ángel Salazar	...	Rico (as Angel Salazar)
Damon Wayans	...	Percy
Joycee Katz	...	Joycee
Mac Robbins	...	Billy Lane
Max Alexander	...	Mister Ball

Storyline

Steven Gold is a stand-up comedian who is flat broke and has recently dropped out of medical school. He and several others work regularly at the Gas Station, a New York comedy club. The wages are lousy and everybody hopes for the big break. Lilah Krytsick is housewife with an ambition to be a stand-up comedian, however she doesnt seem to have the talent. Steven takes her under his wings and teaches her the art of comedy and humour. But when a TV station arranges a comedy evening at the club, Steve sees his opportunity for fame and stardom. Their friendship seems quickly forgotten and now it's every man and woman for him- or herself!

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Plot Keywords:

stand up comedian | comedian | housewife | stand up comedy | elvis presley | 

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Taglines:

Dying is easy. Comedy is hard.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 October 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

La última carcajada

Filming Locations:

Stage 16, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$21,032,267 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Fogwood, IndieProd Company Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Seltzer first wrote the script in 1979 based on his experiences frequenting comedy clubs. Howard Zieff was attached to direct. When Zieff dropped out, the project was forgotten. In 1986, Daniel Melnick found the screenplay in a Columbia Pictures vault and wanted to revive the project. It was originally intended to be a small budget film with no stars but the studio sent the script to Sally Field. When she agreed to star in and produce the film, the budget was raised and Tom Hanks was cast.

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Quotes

Albert Emperato: You don't want carpet! You want an area rug!

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Connections

References Singin' in the Rain (1952)

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Soundtracks

"Saber Dance"
(uncredited)
(from ballet "Gayaneh")
Music by Aram Khachaturyan

User Reviews

A Forgotten Gem in the Career of Tom Hanks...

One of the best and also most overlooked films of Tom Hanks'career was the 1988 comedy PUNCHLINE, in which Hanks plays Steven Gold, a struggling stand up comedian who uses his comedy to work out his own inner demons, a lot of which stem from his childhood and his twisted and unresolved relationship with his father. Hanks walks the fine line of comedy and tragedy so effectively in this movie. One scene where he is excited to perform because a big agent is in the audience and is shattered when he learns it's really his father out there and he literally has a breakdown onstage is absolutely heartbreaking. He is also laugh out loud funny when he performs a stand up routine for a group of patients at a Brooklyn hospital and then two minutes later is looking at the chart of a terminally ill child. Steven Gold is a character so desperate to be loved that he thinks himself into believing that he is in love with a married woman (Sally Field) who also wants to do stand-up. Another great scene is when he pours his heart out to her and when she rejects him, he storms out in the rain and starts out doing Gene Kelly, but the dance in the rain turns into a brief descent into madness. Standup comics, for the most part, are not happy people, and Hanks conveys this so beautifully in this film. His final set at the film's climax reeks of his brilliance and he gets strong support from Field and John Goodman as Field's husband. If you somehow missed this early sleeper in Hanks' career, check it out.. definitely worth renting and repeated viewings.