Kingpin (1996)

Something about Kingpin just warms your heart. The characters are all very likable, Woody Harrelson is a relatable man going through hard times in his seemingly washed away existence, Bill Murray is absolutely hilarious as a slime ball villain, and Claudia is gorgeous and is very effective at stealing your attention.The beauty of this film lies in the re-viewings, the subtle things through out that add lots of humour and further develop the characters. I forgot to mention Randy Quaid, he is also brilliant in this film, the delivery of his lines are to a tee. So if you are someone who like me has a dirty mind and a cruel sense of humor, you will love Kingpin.

Kingpin (1996): Dir: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly / Cast: Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, Bill Murray, Lin Shaye: One of the best comedies of 1996. Woody Harrelson plays champion bowler Roy Munson who quests to regain the potential he once had. He was betrayed seventeen years prior, which resulted in his rubber hand. Unable to regain the spotlight, he sets his sights to train an Amish citizen who bowls in secret. They are eventually joined by Vanessa Angel who flees from an abusive relationship. Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly who scored big with the very funny Dumb and Dumber but the screenplay here is tighter and much more detailed. It has effective sight jokes but more importantly it has an ending of unpredicted satisfactory. Harrelson plays off the desperation to be a winner and we can sense his pain and regret. Randy Quaid is hilarious as the gullible yet sincere Amish bowler who desires to champion his family during financial crises. Angel plays off toughness with vulnerability as she remains one step ahead of Munson. Bill Murray steals scenes as a competing bowler who betrayed Munson and displays no signs of remorse that isn't met with sarcasm. Lin Shaye makes a hilarious scene stealing cameo as Roy's angry landlord whose methods of payoff leave Munsion puking his guts out in a toilet. Hilarious comedy about restoration stamped with a rubber hand. Score: 10 / 10

I almost stopped watching this movie. The first 40 minutes or so are incredibly bad. Unfunny, gross-out toilet attempts at humour and silly, pointless plot.But then, from a point, it gets better. The jokes become cleverer and funnier. There is suddenly a depth to the characters and there is even a semblance of a plot.This all culminates in some great bowling scenes, with Bill Murray at his entertaining best.On that note, Bill Murray, while only being a supporting performer, is great in this movie and almost steals the show. Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid give solid performances and Vanessa Angel adds the eye candy, but Murray takes the movie to another level. Another thing that keeps the movie going is the soundtrack. Great music, especially the outro by Blues Traveler.

Kingpin's way up there among my favorite comedies, now, let's see, well, um, there's Dumb & Dumber (which was made by the Farrelly brothers & is my undisputed favorite comedy), there's Me, Myself & Irene (that was made by the Farrelly brothers), There's Something About Mary (made by the Farrelly brothers), and Shallow Hal (the Farrelly bros), Stuck On You, too (the Farrelly brothers made it!), aaaaaaaaand, oh yeah, Kingpin (made by, who else, the Farrelly brothers!). Wow, the Farrelly brothers make truly great comedies, don't they? These two brothers are incredibly funny as well as incredibly talented too. There's Something About Mary and Dumb & Dumber, I mean, those two alone. Those two alone are two of the best comedies ever made! And Kingpin is not too far behind them. Kingpin is just about the funniest movie. I love it. It's so good and funny all the way through.Woody Harrelson is simply golden as Roy Munson, former state champion bowler. Roy Munson is a tragically lovable soul. Woody is a real good and funny guy himself. Randy Quaid is hilarious as Ishmael. Randy Quaid was meant to do comedy; he really shines on screen. Vanessa Angel is gorgeous as Claudia. Vanessa is really so smoking hot in Kingpin. Her outfits that she wears, oh my God, they're too much. I tell ya, if I was given the power to create a beautiful woman all from scratch, you know, out of thin air, like with my computer or something, while I'm wearing a bra on my head, I am pretty sure that I'd create Vanessa Angel. She's unbelievable. (Note to self, go buy Weird Science DVD boxset immediately, is that available?) Listen, I don't want to make this entire review all about how hot Vanessa Angel is (oh wait, no, yes I do), but let me just say, I crush hard on Vanessa. She's something special. Somehow, I don't think that I'm alone.Kingpin is one classic comedy. If you can't believe me, just go watch it yourself, I mean, there's so much to laugh at! I gotta rate Kingpin a 7 but a strong 7, I mean, it's like honestly a 7.998, just barely under an 8, and mostly due to its story not being meaningfully heartfelt enough, that's the point I'm trying to make, Kingpin isn't meaningfully heartfelt enough to be a great 8, but it's oh so close. I love Kingpin, like I say, it's one of my favorite comedies. So all in closing, let me again say, I love Kingpin, Woody Harrelson is great, Roy Munson is a genuine hero, the Farrelly brothers are incredible, Randy Quaid's hilarious, Vanessa Angel is deeply hot, and Kingpin is way, way freaking laugh-out-loud funny! Go see for yourself! Thank you!(Oh and also, I about forgot, there's this one other man who is in Kingpin, he goes by the name, Bill Murray, and Bill's about the funniest, sweetest guy on the planet, and in Kingpin, Bill plays Ernie McCracken, who's like, the funniest, meanest guy on the planet)