Kingpin (1996) - One bowling movie to rule them all

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A blond with nice legs and two fun male stars attract on this colorful poster for Bobby and Peter Farrelly's Kingpin

Roy Munson was expected to become his proud father's bowling comet successor, when his bowling teacher betrayed him, and he lost his bowling hand. Now, many years of hard drinking later, he wants to return to elite bowling; this time as a manager himself, for an Amish bowler prodigy.

 

Kingpin is written by Barry Fanaro (Men in Black II (2002)) and Mort Nathan (Bagboy (2007)) and directed by great Rhode-Islander filmmaker brothers Bobby and Peter Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber (1994), both).

Bill Murray (Zombieland (2009)) delivers a bravura comic performance as the self-confident bowling opponent, and Woody Harrelson (LBJ (2016)) and Randy Quaid (Moving (1988)) are also unusually energetic in this really low-firing but also really funny movie. Lin Shaye (Texas Heart (2016)) has a fun supporting role as Munson's landlady. Vanessa Angel (Cougar Hunting (2011)) is also full of sparks.

Kingpin has a fun premise in big leagues bowling, and you'll just have to watch it to learn about getting 'Munsoned'. It is ten minutes overlong, but makes up for it with its many hilarious moments, some of which are so funny they threaten to rip you in half with laughter. The film also sports some ingenious costumes and hairdos.

 

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Watch a short TV trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 25 mil. $

Box office: 32.2 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.28 times its cost)

[Kingpin was released 4 July (Australia) and runs 114 minutes. Quaid was paid 2.25 mil. $ for his performance. Shooting took place from October - December 1995 in Pennsylvania, Nevada and New York. The film opened #5, behind fellow new release A Time to Kill and holdover hits Independence Day, Phenomenon and Courage Under Fire, to a 5.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd weekend and grossed 25 mil. $ (77.6 % of the total gross). Peter Farrelly later said that the film's box office failure was the biggest disappointment of his and his brother's career, and blamed the Atlanta Olympics, but rejoiced in the strong performance of later video sales of the film. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. The Farrelly brothers returned with There's Something About Mary (1998). Harrelson returned in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996); Quaid in Get on the Bus (1996); and Angel in Veronica's Closet (1997, TV-series) and theatrically in Kissing a Fool (1998). Kingpin is rotten at 49 % with a 5.70/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Kingpin?

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007) - James and Sandler marry in Dugan's crude, wrongfully maligned buddy-comedy

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+ Best Crude Comedy of the Year + Best Buddy Movie of the Year + Best LGBT Movie of the Year

Kevin James wears a fireman's helmet and screams the silliness of Dennis Dugan's I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry out on this delightfully game poster

A widower firefighter wants to secure his inheritance in case of his own death, and as that is easiest done with him being in a new marriage, he persuades his best friend to marry him pro forma. But then ...

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry is written by Jim Taylor (Jurassic Park III (2001)), Alexander Payne (The Passion of Martin (1991) and Barry Fanaro (Men in Black II (2002)), based on a treatment by Lew Gallo (Handle with Care (1977, TV movie), producer) and directed by Dennis Dugan (Brain Donors (1992)).
There may well be a whiff (or a major stank, depending on your outlook) of bad taste or perhaps rather of tastelessness about this buddy comedy, which seems to scream out crude comedy about prostate problems, farts, gay stereotypes and so on, - but the fun is well-intentioned at the same time.
It also features a stellar ensemble, who rake in many laughs, at least from this gay critic: Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)) and Adam Sandler (The King of Queens (2007), TV-series) are partially affable and funny; Ving Rhames (Back in the Day (2005)) surprises in a funny closeted role; Steve Buscemi (ER (2008), TV-series) is good as the stickler villain, and Rob Schneider (The Benchwarmers (2006)), Dan Aykroyd (Nothing But Trouble (1991)) and others keep the comedic propeller going.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry just needs you to lower your guards and enjoy it.

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Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 85 mil. $
Box office: 186 mil. $
= Flop (returned 2.18 times the cost)
[I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry premiered 12 July (Universal City, California) and runs 115 minutes. Tom Shadyac was developing the film as I Now Pronounce You Joe and Benny in 1999 with Nicolas Cage and Will Smith starring. Shooting took place in New York, Los Angeles, California and in Ontario, Canada from September 2006 - ?. Payne was unhappy with the liberties taken with his version of the script, at one point reportedly wanted his name stripped from the film, criticizing the "Sandler-izing" of his work. The film opened #1 to a 34.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent two more weeks in the top 5 (#2-#4) and grossed 120 mil. $ (64.5 % of the total gross). The massive budget for the film, which seems extremely oversized, worked against it ever breaking even. Its 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Germany with 13.3 mil. $ (7.2 %) and the UK with 8.3 mil. $ (4.5 %). Most critics at the release seemed to be competing in being insulted by the film and lambasting it. Dugan returned with You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008), Sandler's next movie. James returned in Elmo's Christmas Countdown (2007, TV movie), in an uncredited part in You Don't Mess with the Zohan and then as the lead in Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009). I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry is rotten at 14 % with a 3.6/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry?