punchline the movie!

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Late 80s cash-in-flik on the popularity of standup, much like "hardbodies" was a cash-in on the popularity of, uh, hard bodies (or tried to be) or etc. with skiing pick yr. poison. surprisingly good for such a flik -- i guess by the end of the cycle they'd refined the art. sally field as sally field the housewife, john goodman as the unfunny galoot with the heart of gold and tom hanks as the tortured soul alterna-comic "telling it like it is" "i don't speak jokes, i speak the truth" mawkish verlaine meets dennis miller rant specialist in becoming. Tom Hanks! the nervous breakdown scene where he launches into a tragically depressed rendition of the whole of singing in the rain is a treat. oh the deep pathos of the clown.

sally field coming into her own comic voice is great because that comic voice turns out to be, i think, paula poundstone. the ideas the director tries to cut standup comedy sequences into high drama -- will he flub -- will he flub -- he's losing the audience -- he's recovering -- a montage of punchlines... they just keep COMING! -- are fantastic.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 18:37 (twenty years ago)

I was doing standup in New York around that time and have told people that "Punchline" captured the milieu infinitely less accurately than "Platoon."

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

anyone else seen!?

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:45 (twenty years ago)

Provenza: Bobby Slayton called a mutual friend of ours one day in the middle of the afternoon, and said, “It’s Bobby. Listen, I’m at the opening of Punchline. It’s about five minutes in. I just had to call and tell you: The comics have lockers.” Click. And that’s all we needed to know. While it’s just a locker, it speaks volumes … . Actually, somebody else – it may have been Bobby as well – saw Punchline and said, “Now we know how cops feel when they go to the movies.”

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:47 (twenty years ago)

OMG movies not reflecting absolute realities!!! Fuckfuckfuck.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:49 (twenty years ago)

bad, awful movie

― gear (gear), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

whatever!! it's still a funny detail to point out! (xp)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

I know. I was just being a dick.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:52 (twenty years ago)

the gags aren't funny in the stand up parts.
see also = FAME.

― piscesboy, Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

huk how could you!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

b-but if you dressed in a nun costume every night, wouldn't you need a locker!?

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Friday, 29 July 2005 01:06 (twenty years ago)

at twelve, I swear to god this made me cry.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Friday, 29 July 2005 01:15 (twenty years ago)

Tom Hanks playing an asshole (Punchline) = $21million in gross sales
Tom Hanks playing a lovable man-child (Big) = $150million in gross sales

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 29 July 2005 01:56 (twenty years ago)

The comics have lockers? I dont get it, whys this wrong?

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:03 (twenty years ago)

Up-and-coming, non-'headliner' comics in clubs are generally treated somewhat worse than the kitchen help. At the Original Improv in the early '90s I got $15 from the cashier on a fortuitous night. If I got on.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:00 (twenty years ago)

TAYLOR FUCKING NEGRON IS IN THIS.

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

http://www.npr.org/programs/lnfsound/images/990430.taylor.jpg

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

http://www.disinfotainmenttoday.com/emulsionalproblems/negroncarrothead.jpg

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:03 (twenty years ago)

is that good or bad, cutty? you guys kind of look alike.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:31 (twenty years ago)

HE RULES!

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.