Look ahead to the TV shows still set to premiere in the rest of 2020, including "Selena: The Series" and "The Stand."
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Title: Punchline (1988)
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| 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 |
|
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Mac Robbins | ... | Billy Lane |
| Max Alexander | ... | Mister Ball | |
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! Written by Mattias Pettersson <seaman@sbbs.se>
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Lilah Krytsick (Sally Field) is a middle age New Jersey housewife struggling to do stand-up comedy. Her marriage to husband John (John Goodman) is under stress. Med student Steven Gold (Tom Hanks) is late for his oral exam and gets expelled for cheating on his written exam. He's been spending all his nights doing stand-up. Madeline Urie (Kim Greist) is a talent agent. Romeo is the club owner.
Tom Hanks is no stand-up comic. He's playing one but he's not actually one. It's the difference between getting real laughs and getting extras to laugh on cue. There's a reason why crashing and burning in front of his father is his best set in the movie. On the other hand, Sally Field is great and fits well especially as a bad comic in the beginning. Her life is much funnier than her 'good' jokes. It's also very bittersweet. Luckily, this is her movie more than his. Real comics inevitably complain about the lockers which is beside the point. It's like complaining about the big apartment in Friends. I do like the aborted romance and the conflicted family life. Instead of Hanks, this movie needs a real comic who could sell the stand-up and then hope that the acting will follow. It's a tall order.