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:

It only hurts when you LAUGH!

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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

Stand-Up Comic: [doing an impression of Ghandi's mother] Please, sweetheart... just a sandwich?

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Why Gump, Why Now? (1994)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

I wanted to like this

It's hard to envision a time in Tom Hanks' career where he had roles in 5 critically panned, as well as commercially dismal films. While I find Joe Versus the Volcano to be a genuinely remarkable and unique film, and Turner and Hooch to be a K-9 ripoff that is a lot more fun than any James Belushi vehicle, Punchline falls flat in too many ways to even get an A for effort.

Hanks is woefully miscast as a guy who's supposed to come off as a selfish jerk (it doesn't help that I can't help but imagine Tom asking viewers to donate to a WWII veterans memorial). When he borders on the icy cold determination of someone who believes they are bound for greatness but are relegated to mentor and also-ran, the movie and Hanks hint at greatness. But ultimately the role should have gone to someone more adept at playing selfish jerks: I imagine a young Kevin Spacey or a world-wearied Richard Belzer.

The real problem is the utter flatness of Sally Field's crowd-winning "jokes." Was I the only one groaning in horror at her Z-rate, HBO late-night schtick? The idea that she's a stunning new talent in the cutthroat world of 80s stand-up is unthinkable (I can't remember what documentary it was, but I saw an excellent collection of comedians talking about the desperate need to be the "next Eddie Murphy" and later the "next Roseanne/Seinfeld"). That's where the movie fails: it suggests that Hanks is just too unrelentingly cruel and embittered to attain stardom, while Fields good-natured "hilarious" insights into real-world pressures make her a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Neither fully embody their roles convincingly, and the writer just doesn't know good comedy.

Jay Mohr described the creative nadir in comedy: when the typical comedian was bland guys sporting a neon blazer, standing in front of brick walls blurting out tired clichés like "you ladies know what I'm talking about." It's obvious that David Seltzer (writer of the gut-busting Omen series and The Other Side of the Mountain) thinks the world of these garden variety hacks, and without convincing leads, remarkably funny stand-up routines, or the proper balance of convincing drama and humor, the movie just falls flat in every way. I'm giving it a four based on the gleam of promise in Hanks' otherwise unconvincing turn and the faint hope that he could actually portray a genuinely unlikable character in the future (though I doubt it considering a similar misstep with Bonfire of the Vanities and his lovable hit-man in Road to Perdition).