Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Punchline

  • 1988
  • R
  • 2h 8m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
8.9K
YOUR RATING
Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Punchline (1988)
Trailer 1
Play trailer2:10
2 Videos
54 Photos
ComedyDramaRomance

A medical school dropout and a housewife/mom try to make it as stand-up comedians. They become friends and help each other out at an NYC comedy club.A medical school dropout and a housewife/mom try to make it as stand-up comedians. They become friends and help each other out at an NYC comedy club.A medical school dropout and a housewife/mom try to make it as stand-up comedians. They become friends and help each other out at an NYC comedy club.

  • Director
    • David Seltzer
  • Writer
    • David Seltzer
  • Stars
    • Sally Field
    • Tom Hanks
    • John Goodman
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    8.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Seltzer
    • Writer
      • David Seltzer
    • Stars
      • Sally Field
      • Tom Hanks
      • John Goodman
    • 39User reviews
    • 23Critic reviews
    • 52Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Videos2

    Punchline
    Trailer 2:10
    Watch Punchline
    Punchline: A Really Big Fan
    Clip 2:48
    Watch Punchline: A Really Big Fan

    Photos54

    Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Punchline (1988)
    Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Punchline (1988)
    Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Punchline (1988)
    Sally Field and Katie Rich in Punchline (1988)
    Katie Rich in Punchline (1988)
    Sally Field and Katie Rich in Punchline (1988)
    Sally Field and Katie Rich in Punchline (1988)
    Tom Hanks in Punchline (1988)
    Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Punchline (1988)
    Tom Hanks in Punchline (1988)
    Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Punchline (1988)
    Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Punchline (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sally Field
    Sally Field
    • Lilah Krytsick
    Tom Hanks
    Tom Hanks
    • Steven Gold
    John Goodman
    John Goodman
    • John Krytsick
    Mark Rydell
    Mark Rydell
    • Romeo
    Kim Greist
    Kim Greist
    • Madeline Urie
    Paul Mazursky
    Paul Mazursky
    • Arnold
    Pam Matteson
    • Utica Blake
    George McGrath
    George McGrath
    • Singing Nun
    • (as George Michael McGrath)
    Taylor Negron
    Taylor Negron
    • Albert Emperato
    Barry Neikrug
    • Krug
    Ángel Salazar
    Ángel Salazar
    • Rico
    • (as Angel Salazar)
    Damon Wayans
    Damon Wayans
    • Percy
    Joycee Katz
    • Joycee
    Mac Robbins
    • Billy Lane
    Max Alexander
    Max Alexander
    • Mister Ball
    Paul Kozlowski
    • Jerry Petroviak
    Barry Sobel
    Barry Sobel
    • Robyn Green
    Marty Pollio
    • Juggling Comic
    • Director
      • David Seltzer
    • Writer
      • David Seltzer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Nothing in Common
    5.9
    Nothing in Common
    Every Time We Say Goodbye
    5.8
    Every Time We Say Goodbye
    Dragnet
    6.0
    Dragnet
    The Man with One Red Shoe
    5.7
    The Man with One Red Shoe
    Joe Versus the Volcano
    5.9
    Joe Versus the Volcano
    Volunteers
    5.5
    Volunteers
    The Great Buck Howard
    6.4
    The Great Buck Howard
    The Bonfire of the Vanities
    5.6
    The Bonfire of the Vanities
    Turner & Hooch
    6.2
    Turner & Hooch
    Splash
    6.3
    Splash
    The Money Pit
    6.4
    The Money Pit
    The 'Burbs
    6.8
    The 'Burbs

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      About two months before the film started principal photography, Tom Hanks wrote and performed a five-minute stand-up comedy routine at the Los Angeles Comedy Store in California. Hanks once said of this: "It was pure flop sweat time, an embarrassment. That material lasted 1 minute 40 seconds, and it had no theme".
    • Goofs
      When Steven and Lilah are riding the #7 subway, the Manhattan terminus of the line is shown as Lexington Ave. The actual terminus should be 42nd St./ Times Square.
    • Quotes

      Steven: We are all Gods animated cartoons.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Punchline/Heartbreak Hotel/Memories of Me/Bird/Kansas (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Remember Tonight and Smile
      Words and Music by Michael Pollock

      [Played leading into the end credits]

    User reviews39

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Quite Memorable, But Gut-Wrenching At Times
    Memorable.....but bad memories outweigh good, at least for me, with this movie.

    That's my recollection of this film which, frankly, I haven't seen in over a decade. However, this movie left some indelible impressions in my sensitive memory, and perhaps I'll re-visit it again one day.

    Tom Hanks was mesmerizing as the haunted comedian, a man with a lot of talent to make people laugh but a guy tormented by the lack of support from his father. There is a scene or two in here with this dad that is so uncomfortable to watch that it has prevented me from seeing this another time.

    Too bad, because I do remember some wonderful, funny scenes such as Hanks in the hospital entertaining the patients. Sally Field also gives a touching performance as a housewife trying to break into the business, and John Goodman is likable as her husband.

    An interesting film with very emotional scenes you won't forget. It's almost too much for me, for some reason.
    helpful•13
    6
    • ccthemovieman-1
    • Feb 13, 2006

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ1

    • I just saw Punchline (1988) with Sally Field and Tom Hanks. The closing credits had a fabulous trumpet piece in the soundtrack, but I couldn't find where it was identified. What is the piece and who played the trumpet???

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 7, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Sony Movie Channel (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Punch Line
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Fogwood
      • IndieProd Company Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $21,042,667
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $160,742
      • Oct 2, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $21,042,667
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Punchline (1988)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Punchline (1988) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.