Punchline *** (1988, Sally Field, Tom Hanks, John Goodman) – Classic Movie Review 6176

Writer-director David Seltzer’s talented 1988 comedy drama teams Sally Field with Tom Hanks.

Double Oscar-winner Field packs a punch as Lilah Krytsick, a New Jersey housewife with a burning ambition to be a stand-up comedienne.

Field is aided and abetted by Hanks as her would-be lover Steven Gold, a penniless tough-talking stand-up comic, who is supposed to be studying medicine, and now broke after dropping out of medical school. Lilah and Steven meet and become friends while working at the New York Gas Station comedy club.

Seltzer’s heartwarming exploration of humour, with its full share of tears as well as laughs, is over-extended at two hours plus (128 minutes), and is uneven at best.

But the acting is excellent, particularly by the cheeky and funny Hanks, making the movie worth the effort.

Despite being so meticulously made and performed, and therefore an attraction proposition, there is a dark tone and bitter-sweet undercurrent, which kept audiences away. However, it still did quite well, grossing $21 million in the US on a $15 million budget.

Also in the cast are John Goodman as John Krytsick, Mark Rydell, Kim Greist, Paul Mazursky, Pam Matteson, George Michael McGrath, Taylor Negron, Barry Neikrug, Angel Salazar, Damon Wayans, Joycee Katz, Mac Robbins, Max Alexander, Paul Kozlowski, Barry Sobel, Marty Pollio, Katie Rich, Casey Sander and Charles David Richard.

The real-life stand-up comedian Barry Sobel helped Hanks in his stand-up comedy delivery. Comedy writer Randy Fechter also helped.

Field and Hanks teamed again on Forrest Gump (1994). She won the Best Actress Oscar for Norma Rae (1979) and Places in the Heart (1984).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6176

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