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Punching Henry

Play trailer 2:17 Poster for Punching Henry 2017 1h 35m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Comedian-songwriter Henry Phillips is lured to Los Angeles by renowned TV producer Jay Warren, who wants to create a television series about the struggling performer. With the support of his longtime musician friend Jillian and his well-meaning manager Ellen Pinsky, Henry endures the ups and downs of Hollywood. But when a major TV network gets involved with the show, Henry must decide whether his legacy will be to make jokes or become the butt of them.
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Punching Henry

Critics Reviews

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Karen Han CutPrintFilm 12/08/2017
3/10
Sympathy is a dollar that can only be stretched so far, and it gives out halfway through the movie. Go to Full Review Joshua Dudley Observer 02/28/2017
The comedy in the film is biting and acerbic and sharply drawn from real life. Go to Full Review Joe Leydon Variety 02/24/2017
Sharply observed and understatedly amusing ... Go to Full Review Steven Prokopy Third Coast Review 05/04/2020
Punching Henry just sits there on the screen, supplying us with a few familiar faces of people most of us like and a few more characters who grate our nerves and don't give us any real sense of who they are. Go to Full Review S. Jhoanna Robledo Common Sense Media 03/07/2017
3/5
Glum but smart comedy has some mature material. Go to Full Review Stephen Mayne Under the Radar 02/28/2017
6/10
There's an endearing weariness to Phillips' persona. He's about as close to a punching bag as a person can get for much of the film. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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FRANK P 05/24/2020 This is a venal film about humanity's venality. That the LA Times, SF Chronicle, Village Voice and The Observer could give it a thumbs up, staggers me. Every minute of this sad sack film about a sad sack comic is predictable. Also amazing is that four or five talented and well-loved comics and actors could not resist passing it up. "Punching Henry" is cleverly and professionally written, acted and shot. It is also heartless, repetitive, unimaginative and manipulative. I already mentioned "predictable," which is it's most salient characteristic. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" makes us cringe and laugh. "Henry" just made me cringe. Take my wife, somebody, please, badda boom. See more harrison r 12/03/2017 Very watchable and occasionally funny meta-story. Good cameos and guests. Even some of his songs were somewhat funny. See more 11/29/2017 The tale of a talented loser! I haven't seen 'The Clown', but 'Henry' was so awesome. It was like only a better version of 'Inside Llewyn Davis'. A small film like this going un-noticed is common, but I want you to check it out. It's not just that, but it was totally underrated as well. Believe me, it will be one of the best B movie you would ever see. Henry Phillips is a stand-up comedian-come-musician. He has lots of stage hits, but still not yet there as successful as one would consider. Suddenly he hits the chord, that he's been chosen to be in a television show of his own. If it all goes as they say, he will be a famous person in the nation. But this tale takes place in the meantime, telling us what is his usual life and how he manages it. I did not like it straight away. The opening was average, but from the mid part to the rest of the film, it turned out better with every twist. It all went so fast and ended. Henry was really cool. Now I want to see the previous part too. JK Simmons, Sarah Silverman and other were also good in their small parts. Surely I highly recommend it! 8/10 See more 11/23/2017 Guy sacrifices his comic career to artistic integrity. Mildly funny throughout with more than a few flat spaces & cringe moments. See more 11/22/2017 Wow! Great Flick! What's next Henry? See more Frances H 07/27/2017 The sad tale of this comedian/singer's woes got a little stale and the script coud have been better. See more Read all reviews
Punching Henry

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Cast & Crew

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Gregori Viens

Director

Henry Phillips

Self

Sarah Silverman

Sharon Levine

Tig Notaro

Jillian

Stephanie Allynne

Zoe

J.K. Simmons

Jay Warren

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Punching Henry

Punching Henry: Trailer 1 Punching Henry: Trailer 1 2:17 View more videos
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Punching Henry

Punching Henry (2016) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Comedian-songwriter Henry Phillips is lured to Los Angeles by renowned TV producer Jay Warren, who wants to create a television series about the struggling performer. With the support of his longtime musician friend Jillian and his well-meaning manager Ellen Pinsky, Henry endures the ups and downs of Hollywood. But when a major TV network gets involved with the show, Henry must decide whether his legacy will be to make jokes or become the butt of them.
Director
Gregori Viens
Producer
James C. Hart, Arun Kumar, David Permut
Screenwriter
Gregori Viens, Henry Phillips
Distributor
Well Go USA
Production Co
Lola's Productions, Whitewater Films, Tilted Windmill Productions, Permut Presentations, Kandoo Films
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 24, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 21, 2017
Runtime
1h 35m
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