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173 reviews in total

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39 out of 42 people found the following review useful:
A completely underrated comedy, 12 February 2006

Author: JohnLennonLives from Canada

Kingpin, (despite what you may think) is a ground breaking comedy. Don't let the unpopularity of the people's recognition of this film missguide you; it is a truly hilarious film.

Woody Harrelson plays the ultimate dead-beat. A washed up ex-professional bowler. A man who's become a disgrace. A man who would rather float around in his existence as a mortal wound of obscurity and drink himself to death, than possibly making something of himself again. He meets up with a dense amish kid named Ishmael. Ishmael's so stupid, so naive and oblivious

of what's going on around him--that he makes it funny.

Bill Murray appears off and on in this twisted picture--and all of his screen time is absolutely precious . Kingpin is a piece of comedic gold, that many have overlooked....

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30 out of 36 people found the following review useful:
Now I Know Why I Quit Bowling, 16 August 2005

Author: ray-280 from Philadelphia

I say this in a good way: this film captures bowling's underbelly, where even the pro stars sometimes have to supplement their income the old-fashioned way: by taking it directly from obviously weaker bowlers who somehow manage to be convinced to risk their money. Just as poker games are often won with guns, bowling for money has hazards all its own, something I learned even as a junior bowler hustling games after the league on Saturday.

Roy E. Munson (Woody Harrelson) is such a loser that acting like a total loser is actually called "being Munsoned." The term is named after an incident where some victims of a bowling hustle relieve Roy of his right hand in a gruesome manner which involves bowling equipment. Somehow, even THAT manages to be funny, which speaks to the quality of this film, a film smart enough to have its three main stars on screen for most of the time. The 1979 accident was the result of Roy taking the fall for the hustle engineered by legendary bowler Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray).

Fast forward to 1996, and Roy stumbles across an Amish bowler named Ishmael Boorg (Randy Quaid), the most talented bowler he's ever come across. He offers to coach Ishmael for a $1 million tournament in Reno, Nevada that can save his family farm, but Ishmael is conflicted (the deepest emotion of the film) because he has strayed from the Amish country. Ishmael's brother is the requisite family member sent to bring the stray relative back home, and Vanessa Angel is extra-hot as the love interest for almost every guy in the film.

If you think this is a parody of bowling, the joke may be on you. Hang around enough lanes, in certain places, and you just might see these guys or something very close to them. Just be careful if they look drunk and want to play for money.

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29 out of 35 people found the following review useful:
An abrasive comedy that is not for all tastes, 26 August 2006

Author: mulhollandman from Ireland

Kingpin should be approached with the same kind apprehension that any sane person would approach any Farrelly Brothers film. Expect a procession of jokes at the expensive of the main characters, fused with an simple storyline and that's exactly what to expect from a Farrelly brothers film.

Woody Harrelson plays Roy Munson a washed bowler that had potential to be a professional Bowler but his dream comes to an end when he encounters Ernie McCracken, played to perfection by Bill Murray who ends up costing Roy Munson his bowling hand. Cut to mid-90's Roy is now an alcoholic, in serious debt. A chance meeting with Ishamel Boorg, played by Randy Quaid, an naive Amish man at a bowling alley leads to the pairs cross country trip to save both their respective futures. Along the way they met Claudia, played by Vanessa Angel, a tough talking con woman with her own mission. Together the three form an unbreakable bond and come face to face with their adversary Ernie McCracken.

I like my comedy to be intelligent, and Kingpin is one of the few movies of its kind that actually makes me laugh. It made me laugh when I first saw it in 1996 it made me laugh till I was sore and now ten years on in 2006 it still makes me laugh. The cast are brilliant and it's their talents that really keep this comedy from dating. Randy Quaid is always solid, Vanessa Angel is devilish sexy and cunning, Woody Harrelson is suitably vexed and Bill Murray reminds us all why he has remained Hollywood's main comedy actor long since all his peers disappeared.

Kingpin is definitely for an adult audience and it is worth watching some night that there is nothing on the television or at the cinema. Not for all tastes but damn it is good and it is one of the Farrelly brothers better films in my opinion. 10 out of 10

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27 out of 32 people found the following review useful:
Low-brow +disgusting equals fun!, 1 July 2005

Author: alexwinters46 from United States

Before "There's Something About Mary" or "Me myself and Irene" there was Kingpin. Kingpin is a comedic masterpiece-not many comedies make me laugh out loud like this one. If the Farrellys were not attached this movie wouldn't be half as great as it was (This film was originally written by Barry Fanaro, and Mort Nathan) Roy Munson was a bowling champion in the late 1970s. Roy retires after a dirty trick pulled by Ernie McCracken costs him to lose his hand. Roy becomes an alcoholic and sinks very low going as far as sleeping with his repellent, disgusting Landlord. He meets up with Ishmael Boorg (Randy Quaid) in a bowling alley. After some convincing talks him into driving down to reno and enlist in a bowling contest. This is the Farrelly's second movie after dumb and dumber, and is some ways, a lot funnier. Bill Murray is genius and ad libs most of his lines. Woody Harrelson does a great job; He goes as far as shaving his head and goes all the way to look like a dead-beat. Randy Quaid is innocent and funny. **** stars.

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22 out of 24 people found the following review useful:
I Almost Died Of Laughter, 3 February 2009

Author: alexkolokotronis from Queens, New York

This of course is not a great movie but I just have to give it a 10/10. I have never laughed more in my life. Even the jokes that aren't funny are funny. This film's comedic build up is about the best you will ever see. It doesn't even matter what the punch line is, its how they get to it thats hilarious.

Now this cast was perfect. Anytime you have Randy Quaid in a film you just know the film is going to make you life just by looking at him. Kingpin couldn't have shown this any better as he plays an Amish man who just happens to be amazingly talented at bowling. Woody Harrelson plays a has-been ex-professional bowler who makes a comeback with managing through Randy Quaid. Together they go on a ride across the country making money left and right. Along the journey they are great supporting comedic performances given by Bill Murray and Vanessa Angel who certainly makes the look of the film more appealing.

The Farrelly brothers in my opinion give their best direction they've yet to have. Yet it is the writers who so perfectly set up one joke after another. It seems as if the script is so sharp that their are jokes within jokes. The Farrelly brother handle this material so well by virtual unknowns.

As I have said before this is not a great film but I would highly recommend this if your in the mood of watching something spontaneous. It may not be the most technically sound movie ever made or the deepest but I have never laughed so much in life and that in it self is what comedies are about.

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23 out of 27 people found the following review useful:
Bowling anyone?, 25 August 2005

Author: jotix100 from New York

Bobby and Peter Farrelly, the directors of "Kingpin" show a great flair for this type of comedy. Not having seen it when it first was released, we were lucky to catch it on cable the other night, and frankly, it proved to be a happy choice. The Farrellys had a good screen play by Barry Fanaro and Mort Nathan to work with, as they showed a talent for assembling a wonderful cast to make this a winning comedy the fun and exciting film it is.

The best thing in the film are Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray. Mr. Harrelson plays Roy Munson, the man who love bowling, but through an unfortunate incident, loses his ability to play the sport he was born to play. Woody Harrelson is wonderful in his portrayal of Munson. Bill Murray's role is much smaller, but he does wonders with it. Best of all is the way we see him at the bowling tournament in Reno with his teased hair in disarray.

The rest of the cast is good. Randy Quaid as Ishmael Boorg, gives a funny reading of his naive character. Also the attractive Vanessa Angel plays the woman who has an interest in the game.

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23 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
This film is rude, crude and very funny, 19 November 2002

Author: lambiepie-2 from Los Angeles, CA

When this film first came out, I had no use for it. Then I was home sick one day and caught it on cable. I laughed my butt off. This is a crude, rude and down right funny film. It also helped that I grew up near the Pennsylvania Dutch and plenty of bowling lanes. Two seemingly safe areas that the Farley brothers attack it without mercy. Sometimes it gets down right disgusting and many cannot stomach, but overall, its very funny.

Bill and Woody were funny as anything. The Disco-era beginning makes me laugh like crazy. The commercial Bill Murray does is to die for. This film will offend alot of people, and many references played for humor may make folks feel uncomfortable, but I loved it. If you are easily offended, this is NOT the film for you. But for everyone else who likes rude, crude and deviously funny -- often at the expense of others kinda humor, this is a gem to see.

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13 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
I Haven't laughed THIS hard at the movies too often, 22 July 2006

Author: S.R. Dipaling from Topeka, Kansas, USA

Young Roy Munson has been raised to be a bowler.It's what he does best. In 1979,at the age of eighteen,Roy(Woody Harrelson from here on out)is at the top of his game and a bona-fide star in his Ohio hometown. After he beats Ace pro Ernie"The Big Ern"McCracken(Bill Murray,smarmy and snarkly as ever)in a match,he is raked into Ernie's con game and pays a dear price for it.

Seventen years later,Roy is anything but the local hero he once was. He lives in a seedy apartment in small town Pennsylvania,does odd sales jobs and has to "satisfy" his decrepit landlady to avoid the rent. It's at one of the bowling alleys that Roy does routes to that he witnesses one Ishmael Boorg(Randy Quaid,backing his scene stealing performance in ID4 with this bravura turn),a sweet,gentle Amish man-child who has a natural knack for bowling. Needing money and smelling a chance at scoring big time,Roy decides to take Ishmael under his wing.

On the way to a Million dollar tournament in Las Vegas,Roy and Ishmael pick up a comely stowaway and ally in a gangster's moll(VAnessa Angel) and bond from mishap to mishap.

There's nothing particularly brilliant or especially sharp about this offering,the second from the brothers Farrelly,but its uniqueness and lack of restraint on the gross-out humor make this movie a very easy watch(for those who love that kind of stuff,of course). Harrelson,Quaid,Murray and Angel move effortlessly through this flick,which may explain why it's so good. Since this film,the Farrellys have steadily moved away from the almost merciless gross-out gags of their films and has made seeing their films a little less riotous and fun,so this movie is a healthy reminder of what a little imagination(I mean,honestly...a movie about Bowling AND the Amish?)and mischief can make. A great cheap rent or cable TV movie.

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13 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
great cast = great laughs, 29 July 2003

Author: colinwhitefan

Back in the '70s, Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) was a bowling phenomenon. He was none too sharp about picking friends, though, and the champion he had to beat, "Big Ern," takes him under his supposedly friendly wing. Big Ern (Bill Murray) shows him the high living lifestyle, and induces him to go on the road with him, hustling small town bowlers. A couple of the men he bilks take exception to the scam, and show their displeasure with Roy by mangling his hand. Twenty years later, Roy (who now has a hook in place of his hand), earns his living as a salesman. On a visit to a bowling alley, he cannot help but notice the incredible talents of an Amish boy, Ishmael (Randy Quaid). Bowling is not part of the Amish lifestyle, but Ishmael occasionally sneaks into the bowling alley and plays a frame or two. Roy takes Ishmael under his wing, and together with Vanessa Angel they begin a quest for bowling success. Kingpin is funny, due to a great cast and good writing, gotta love Bill Murray.

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12 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Bill Murray at his best!, 10 July 1999

Author: Jeff (spoonjef@aol.com) from L.A. CA

Bill Murray pretty much steals the show every time he's on the screen. He's sleazy, he's smarmy and he's very funny. With that comb-over going nuts at the big game, and his victory dance at the end makes Kingpin that much better. That's not saying that the rest of the film isn't good, it is. Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid and Vanessa Angel make a very odd partnership. An Amish bowling whiz, a one handed ex-bowler, and a very sexy hustler scheme and dream to make it to Reno, but of course they have to beat Big Ern.

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