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Punchline

Plot

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, Rovi

Review

Director David Seltzer's 1988 film about the world of stand-up comedy, Punchline is a slice-of-life backstage pass with some Hollywood embellishment. Seltzer employs a good bit of documentary style as he gives us a glimpse at the performers' heartbreakingly competitive world, featuring a slew of real-life luminaries (including Damon Wayans and John Goodman). Tom Hanks shows good emotional range in his role as an irascible hotshot comic, and Sally Field is convincing as a Jersey housewife-turned-comedienne. Hanks demonstrates an edgy side to his comedy that all but vanished in his later transformation into a blockbuster actor. The film's subtext probes the nature of comedians and comedy itself: the funny can often be sad, and vice versa. ~ Mike DiBella, Rovi

Cast

Pamela Matteson - Utica Blake; George Michael McGrath - Singing Nun; Taylor Negron - Albert Emperator; Barry Neikrug - Krug; Angel Salazar - Rico; Joycee Katz - Joycee; Mac Robbins - Billy Lane; Max Alexander - Mister Ball; Paul Kozlowski - Jerry Petroviak; Barry Sobel - Robyn Green; Marty Pollio - Juggling Comic; Andrea Adams - Waitresses of the Gas Station; Candace Cameron - Carrie; Sam H. Ginsburg - Sam, The Laughing Patient; Mark Goldstein - Mark; Ben Hartigan - Older Clergyman; Paul Mazursky - Arnold; Consuela Nance - Waitresses of the Gas Station; Kate Rich - Eve; Charles David Richard - Maitre d'; Kimberly Ryusaki; Casey Sander - Ernie the Bartender; Mike Starr - Man with Bullhorn; Cameron Thor - Audience Participant and Heckler; George D. Wallace - Dr. Wishniak; Scott Williams - Audience Participant and Heckler; Richard Parker - Talent Scout; Michael Pollock - Piano Player; Bianca Rose - Heidi; Dottie Archibald - Mrs. Petroviak; Carin Badger - Audience Participant and Heckler; Angela Bennett - Nurse; Robert Britton - Murray; Jimmy Brogan - Younger Clergyman; Susie Essman - Lilah's Hairdresser; Randy Fechter - Young Doctor; Crane Jackson - Second Faculty Examiner; Laura Jacoby - Jenny; Andrew Parker - Boy on Gurney; Rich Ramirez - Taxi Driver; Robina Suwol - Buffy; Melissa Tufeld - Mark's Wife; Ron Ulstad - Madeline's Boss; Joey Vega - Waiter in Coffee Shop; Howard Weller - Talent Scout; Jimmy Lewis - Audience Participant and Heckler; Bob Zmuda - Audience Participant & Heckler; John Kirby - Marketing Man

Credit

John Jensen - Art Director, Jackie Burch - Casting, Daniel Melnick - Co-producer, Michael Rachmil - Co-producer, Aggie Lyon - Costume Designer, Dan Moore - Costume Designer, Jim Van Wyck - First Assistant Director, David Seltzer - Director, Bruce Green - Editor, Charles Gross - Composer (Music Score), Daniel Allan Carlin - Musical Direction/Supervision, Michael Pollock - Songwriter, Lee C. Harman - Makeup, Jackson de Govia - Production Designer, John R. Jensen - Production Designer, Reynaldo Villalobos - Cinematographer, Joe Hubbard - Set Designer, Peter Smith - Set Designer, Peg Cummings - Set Designer, Robert Grieve - Sound/Sound Designer, David Seltzer - Screenwriter, Gene S. Cantamessa - Production Sound Mixer

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