the fresh films reviews

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Kingpin (1996)

Director:
Peter Farrelly
Bobby Farrelly
COUNTRY
USA
GENRE
Comedy
NORWEGIAN TITLE
Kingpin

RUNNING TIME
106 minutes

Producer:
Brad Krevoy
Steve Stabler
Bradley Thomas
Screenwriter:
Bobby Fanaro
Mort Nathan


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Ray Munson Woody Harrelson
Ishmail Randy Quaid
Claudia Vanessa Angel ½
Ernie McCracken Bill Murray ½
The Gambler Chris Elliot -

 

Review

The Farrelly brothers' second film, entitled Kingpin, can at first glance appear to be suspiciously alike their first feature Dumb & Dumber: two clumsy, enthusiastic guys with a less than fortunate past meet and become friends, encounter a beautiful woman, and try to realize their dreams. Still, this film is no simple carbon copy of Dumb & Dumber. It stands firmly on its own feet. The trio of Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid as the somewhat simple-minded buddies, and a fantastic Bill Murray as their eccentric rival make for a fine basis for this surprisingly enjoyable and sympathetic comedy. It may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as Dumb & Dumber, but it has an original quirkiness which lifts it above most of its counterparts, even if some of the physical, prop-based comedy becomes tiresome after a while (Harrelson's rubber hand won't keep you laughing for an hour and a half).

Copyright © 16.07.1997 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang
(English version: © 02.11.2020 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang)