Kingpin (1996)

A star bowler whose career was prematurely "cut off" hopes to ride a new prodigy to success and riches.

Directors:

Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly

Writers:

Barry Fanaro, Mort Nathan

Stars:

Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Bill Murray

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Harrelson	...	Roy Munson
Randy Quaid	...	Ishmael
Vanessa Angel	...	Claudia
Bill Murray	...	Ernie McCracken
Chris Elliott	...	The Gambler
William Jordan	...	Mr. Boorg
Richard Tyson	...	Owner Of Stiffy's
Lin Shaye	...	Landlady
Zen Gesner	...	Thomas
Prudence Wright Holmes	...	Mrs. Boorg
Rob Moran	...	Stanley Osmanski
Daniel Greene	...	Calvert Munson (as Danny Green)
Will Rothhaar	...	Young Roy
Mark Charpentier	...	1979 Bowling Buddy
Brad Faxon	...	1979 Bowling Buddy

Storyline

Roy Munson was raised to be the best bowler in the world (trained early on by his father). But a fellow bowler, Ernie McCracken and a misunderstanding with some rough punks, leaves poor Roy with the loss of his bowling hand! Not to let this get him down, he gets a prosthetic hand and becomes a travelling sales man. But it's really all down hill for him from that night on until ... One day he meets Ishmael who is Amish and sneaks away from the farm to bowl (his fellow Amish would disown him if they knew)! Roy convinces Ishmael to let him be his trainer and he'll make him the best bowler the world has ever seen. Reluctantly Ishmael agrees to go on the road and shortly afterwards actually finds that life outside the farm is quite fun. Soon their paths cross that of Ernie McCracken who is still a top ranking bowler. While Roy's career and life have landed in the toilet bowl, Ernie is still drawing huge crowds and all the babes! They both square off for the ultimate bowling championship .....

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Plot Keywords:

bowling | amish | on the road | private bowling alley | sexy woman | 

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Taglines:

You wouldn't want to meet these pinheads in an alley.

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Genres:

Comedy | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for crude sex-related humor and a drug scene

Did You Know?

Trivia

Peter Farrelly called the film's box-office failure the biggest disappointment of their career, attributing the failure to its release during the 1996 Olympics. Farrelly said that it was crushing. However, he said that six to eight months later, when the film was released on home video, it became a big hit.

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Goofs

When Roy bowls a strike in the beginning, there is no 7 pin.

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Quotes

Roy: Why would a bowler need a manager...? Don't you need a coach, a friend, a brother... someone who's gonna stick by your side through thick and thin, someone who will be a loyal friend and never, ever, EVER turn on you - no matter what.
Ishmael: I'm sorry sir but, I'm just not interested.
[Ishmael rides away on his bike]
Roy: I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL YOU LOSER. YOU SUCK!

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Crazy Credits

The Blues Traveler dressed as Amish performing in the final credits.

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Alternate Versions

DVD version is rated R and includes some raunchier footage not included in the original PG-13 theatrical version.

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Connections

Spoofs The Crying Game (1992)

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Soundtracks

Disco Inferno
Performed by The Trammps
Written by Leroy Green and Ron Kersey (as Ron 'Have Mercy' Kersey)
Artist Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
by arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

I Almost Died Of Laughter

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 July 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kingpin

Filming Locations:

Interstate 80, Reno, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,582,079, 28 July 1996

Gross USA:

$25,023,434

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$25,023,434

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rysher Entertainment, Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min 117 min (R-rated)

Sound Mix:

DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1