Kingpin

PG-13

Released Jul 4, 1996

1 hr. 53 min.

Comedy

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List

49%

39 Reviews

Tomatometer

69%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) is a young bowler with a promising career ahead of him until a disreputable colleague, Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray), tricks him into participating in a con game that ends with Roy's bowling hand crippled for life. Years later, Roy ekes out a hardscrabble existence until he discovers Amish bowling phenom Ishmael (Randy Quaid). With the help of a gangser's girlfriend (Vanessa Angel), he plots to take Ishmael to the top of the bowling world.

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Critics Consensus

Kingpin has its moments, but they're often offset by an eagerness to descend into vulgar mean-spiritedness.

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Tibor F

This movie is not something absolutely brilliant, but does a decent job keeping you interested. The story evolves sufficiently, the characters are interesting enough, actors are good, the hottie is hot, and there are some good laughs. I mean, what else do you expect from a comedy? I expected way worse after reading some reviews, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/25/24

Full Review

Audience Member

I ended up enjoying this and also wanting to go out and bowl myself! While some of the humor is subtle and quick, it really does work. Everyone in the film did great with their roles and performed wonderfully (Bill Murray, Randy Quaid, Woody Harrelson, and Vanessa Angel). This film may have nothing on the Big Lebowski (one of my all time favorite comedies that also had bowling in it) but it still largely felt original and clever. The story took unexpected turns and twists, especially at the end. Movies like this aren't made anymore and maybe they shouldn't be, they should be cherished for what/when they are!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/23/24

Full Review

Rick M

This movie is one of those comedies that has some funny memorable scenes that stick with you, Bill Murray, Woody Harrelson, and Randy Quaid play their characters to perfections. If you like quirky comedy it’s definitely worth watching. Other movies I’d compare this to are Anchorman and Tropic Thunder.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/19/24

Full Review

Richmond B

Kingpin is a classic and does not get the praise that it deserves. Is it a bit edgy? Yes, but that's what makes it so great. it's a comedy about the armature and professional bowling scene and it does have some, somewhat dark moments but so does life. Great movie would highly recommend it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/24

Full Review

Alec B

One of the Farrelly brothers' best comedies, full of wonderfully bizarre gags and hilarious performances. Despite not writing the original screenplay you can easily see how they morphed it into something that bares all their hallmarks (crude and occasionally mean spirited humor that's offset by a sincere demand for the audience to love the characters).

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/13/23

Full Review

Harry H

Silly, sophomoric and juvenile and funny as hell!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/06/23

Full Review

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Robert Farrelly

Director

Peter Farrelly

Director

Woody Harrelson

Roy Munson

Randy Quaid

Ishmael Boorg

Vanessa Angel

Claudia

Bill Murray

Ernie McCracken

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Kingpin: Official Clip - A Real Munson

2:09

Kingpin: Official Clip - Working off Rent

1:44

Kingpin: Official Clip - Milking the Bull

2:03

Kingpin: Official Clip - Munson vs. McCracken

2:20

Kingpin: Official Clip - Parking Lot Fight

1:51

Kingpin: Official Clip - The Final Frame

2:13

Kingpin: Official Clip - The Tournament Begins

2:16

Kingpin: Official Clip - Hustling a Priest

2:16

Kingpin: Official Clip - The Tattoo

1:06

Kingpin: Official Clip - Bowling Distractions

2:13

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Kingpin: Trailer 1

1:19

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

This bad-taste comedy about bowling champs, from the dudes who brought you Dumb and Dumber, decides to go scummy and scummier by blatantly ripping off several scenes...

Jun 14, 2022

Full Review

Scott Tobias

The Dissolve

Kingpin makes inspired comedy by channeling the Weber spirit-and the humble reality of the circuit-through the frame of an inspirational sports movie.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 22, 2014

Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: D

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a pervasively uneven comedy that just isn't able to overcome its various deficiencies...

Rated: 2/4

Nov 18, 2014

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Creative Loafing

It's Bill Murray who easily swipes the picture -- he's at his unctuous best as Ernie McCracken, an oily bowler with an ego as enormous as his libido.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 9, 2014

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

The combination of the overkill factor and a basic mean-spiritedness finally sinks it for me.

Rated: 2.5/5

Oct 10, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) is a young bowler with a promising career ahead of him until a disreputable colleague, Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray), tricks him into participating in a con game that ends with Roy's bowling hand crippled for life. Years later, Roy ekes out a hardscrabble existence until he discovers Amish bowling phenom Ishmael (Randy Quaid). With the help of a gangser's girlfriend (Vanessa Angel), he plots to take Ishmael to the top of the bowling world.

Director: Robert Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Executive Producer: Steve Samples
Screenwriter: Barry Fanaro, Mort Nathan
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Rysher Entertainment, Motion Picture Corporation of America
Rating: PG-13 (Crude Sex-Related Humor|A Drug Scene)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 4, 1996, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jul 26, 1996
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.0M
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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