Punchline (1988)
- Starring:
- Sally Field, Tom Hanks, (more)
- Director(s):
- David Seltzer
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Category:
- Music & Performing Arts
My RatingTheatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
Sally Field goes the Roseanne route in Punchline. Field plays a housewife and mother who suddenly develops the urge to be a comedienne. Her comic instincts are on target, but her timing and delivery stinks. Tom Hanks, a stand-up comic with a few years' experience under his belt, offers to teach Field the ropes. As they get to know each other, Hanks and Field begin to pick up on each other's shortcomings; though Hanks has far more talent than Field, for example, he has a positively ruinous habit of expressing his deep-down dislike of everyone else in the world, and this frequently alienates his audience. Writer-director David Seltzer times Punchline like a good joke; he continually sets up for the expected, then pulls a last-minute fast one, keeping the film lively and unpredictable throughout. The supporting cast, coincidentally including future Roseanne star John Goodman, is uniformly superb. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 122 mins
Complete Cast:
- Sally Field - Lilah Krytsick
- John Goodman - John Krytsick
- Kim Greist - Madeline Urie
- George Michael McGrath - Singing Nun
- Barry Neikrug - Krug
- Damon Wayans - Percy
- Mac Robbins - Billy Lane
- Paul Kozlowski - Jerry Petroviak
- Marty Pollio - Juggling Comic
- Charles David Richard - Maitre d'
- Michael Pollock - Piano Player
- Scott Williams - Audience Participant and Heckler
- Cameron Thor - Audience Participant and Heckler
- Casey Sander - Ernie the Bartender
- Jimmy Lewis - Audience Participant and Heckler
- Howard Weller - Talent Scout
- Ron Ulstad - Madeline's Boss
- Robina Suwol - Buffy
- Andrew Parker - Boy on Gurney
- John Kirby - Marketing Man
- Randy Fechter - Young Doctor
- Jimmy Brogan - Younger Clergyman
- Angela Bennett - Nurse
- Dottie Archibald - Mrs. Petroviak
- Candace Cameron - Carrie
- Paul Mazursky - Arnold
- Mark Goldstein - Mark
- Tom Hanks - Steven Gold
- Mark Rydell - Romeo, Comedy Club Owner
- Pamela Matteson - Utica Blake
- Taylor Negron - Albert Emperator
- Angel Salazar - Rico
- Joycee Katz - Joycee
- Max Alexander - Mister Ball
- Barry Sobel - Robyn Green
- Andrea Adams - Waitresses of the Gas Station
- Bianca Rose - Heidi
- Richard Parker - Talent Scout
- George D. Wallace - Dr. Wishniak
- Mike Starr - Man with Bullhorn
- Kimberly Ryusaki
- Bob Zmuda - Audience Participant & Heckler
- Joey Vega - Waiter in Coffee Shop
- Melissa Tufeld - Mark's Wife
- Rich Ramirez - Taxi Driver
- Laura Jacoby - Jenny
- Crane Jackson - Second Faculty Examiner
- Susie Essman - Lilah's Hairdresser
- Robert Britton - Murray
- Carin Badger - Audience Participant and Heckler
- Kate Rich - Eve
- Consuela Nance - Waitresses of the Gas Station
- Sam H. Ginsburg - Sam, The Laughing Patient
- Ben Hartigan - Older Clergyman
- Director(s):
- David Seltzer
- Writer(s):
- David Seltzer
- Producer(s):
- Daniel Melnick, Michael Rachmil
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Questionable for Children, Adult Humor, Profanity, Adult Situations)
- Categories:
- Music & Performing Arts
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1987 - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Actor







