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Kingpin
MGM/UA

Kingpin reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 43 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
7.0 out of 10
based on 14 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 5 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for crude sex-related humor and a drug scene

Starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, Bill Murray, and Chris Elliott

Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid portray a mismatched duo intent on conning their way to a bowling tournament in Reno, Nevada. (MGM)


GENRE(S): Comedy  
WRITTEN BY: Barry Fanaro
Mort Nathan
 
DIRECTED BY: Bobby Farrelly
Peter Farrelly
 
RELEASE DATE: DVD: May 18, 1999 
Video: January 7, 1997 
Theatrical: April 26, 1996 
RUNNING TIME: 113 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: USA 

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

88
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
Some of the gags don't work, and yet I laughed at the Farrellys' audacity in trying them. And the humor isn't just gags and punch lines, but one accomplished comic performance after another.
Read Full Review
75
USA Today Mike Clark
Potty humor to spare. [26 July 1996, p. D4]
67
Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
Kingpin is no classic, but I've got to admit that after sitting though a number of the film's less-than-inspiring previews over the last few weeks, I wasn't exactly expecting the second coming of Laurel and Hardy.
Read Full Review
60
Empire Caroline Westbrook
As a barrel of easy, unsophisticated laughs, Kingpin delivers in spades.
Read Full Review
60
Variety Joe Leydon
Peter and Bobby Farrelly aimed low and grossed millions with "Dumb & Dumber," so it shouldn't be surprising that Kingpin, their latest effort, offers a similar mix of pratfalls, gross-out gags and jokes about bodily functions. This time, however, the humor is darker, edgier and occasionally, even more scatological.
Read Full Review
50
Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, and Bill Murray give riotous performances, but be warned that the comedy is overloaded with gross-out humor from beginning to end.
Read Full Review
50
San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle
Kingpin has nastiness going for it. There are prosthesis jokes, bad-teeth jokes, ugly-women jokes, sight gags involving vomiting, etc.
Read Full Review
40
Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
At least it has Bill Murray.
Read Full Review
40
TV Guide Staff (Not credited)
This lowbrow romp doesn't even have the courage of its own infantile grossness.
Read Full Review
38
ReelViews James Berardinelli
The really disgusting thing about this movie isn't the crude jokes themselves, but how grossly unfunny they all are.
Read Full Review
30
The New York Times Lawrence Van Gelder
The team that gave the world "Dumb and Dumber" returns with something feeble and feebler.
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25
San Francisco Examiner Edvins Beitiks
The movie itself simply misses the mark.
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25
Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lowest-common-denominator humor.
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20
Washington Post Rita Kempley
Without a doubt, mainstream moviegoers will be revolted by the nastiness of it all.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 7.0 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Ken D. gave it a10:
You know what? I don't care about what the whole universe may say negatively about this movie. This is one of my favorite 'underdog' films of all time. The fact that this film is also funny is actually BESIDE the point for me. This movie is an inspiration to anyone who wakes up one day and finds themselves ten years past their 'prime', not where they planned to be ten years prior, and totally 'Munsoned'~ but still choose to refuse to give up on life. Of all the critics Ebert was the only one who really got it right this time.

Tim gave it an8:
Don't take this too seriously. Very left of centre humour. I loved it.

Gnarles gave it a9:
Maybe I just have an awful sense of humor, but I don't see how anyone can think Kingpin is anything less than a total riot - and this is coming from a person who thinks that Adam Sandler movies are about as amusing as waking up to find your entire family murdered and your tires slashed. Luckily, a few big-name critics are on board with me for my love of this nasty, inspired idiot's epic. Harrelson is simply incredible, bravely throwing himself into this despicable part and making himself look awful at every turn. As his nemesis, Bill Murray might be the first actor to ever be upstaged by his own hair. A classic that has only improved with age.

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