Today’s quick review: Kingpin. Seventeen years after losing his hand, former bowling champion Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) has descended into a life of drinking, depression, and petty grifting. But a chance encounter with Ishmael (Randy Quaid), an Amish bowling prodigy, gives Roy new hope. Taking the promising amateur under his wing, Roy travels across the country to Reno to enter him in a bowling tournament with a $1 million grand prize.
Kingpin is a comedy with a talented cast, a consistent sense of humor, and a well-developed story. The movie follows Roy and Ishmael on their haphazard journey to Reno and their shot at bowling glory. Along the way, Roy’s hard-drinking, unscrupulous lifestyle begins to rub off on Ishmael. Bill Murray lends his talents as Ernie McCracken, Roy’s insufferable rival, while Vanessa Angel rounds out the cast as Claudia, who joins them along the way.
Kingpin’s reliable comedy forms the backbone of the movie. Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid form an effective duo. Between Roy’s vices and Ishmael’s naivety, Kingpin is never at a loss for a joke. The humor trends crude but stops just shy of going too far. Kingpin also puts more effort into its story than most comedies, fleshing out a basic underdog premise with a range of subplots and diversions that give the film some variety.
Give Kingpin a shot if you’re interested in a competent comedy that has some meat on its bones. There are comedies that outclass it in terms of plot, characters, and raw humor, but Kingpin offers enough of all three to be a satisfying, well-rounded entry into the genre. Skip it if you’re averse to crude or shocking humor. For a sports comedy in a similar vein, check out Dodgeball. For more Bill Murray silliness, try Caddyshack.
6.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for solid but strongly flavored comedy.