Sally Field in Punchline (1988)

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Punchline (1998) is a movie that seems like a full-fledged and promising comedy flick…until you actually watch the movie. Written and directed by David Seltzer (Lucas), Punchline certainly isn’t a bad movie, but since it’s a movie about the world of stand-up comedy – and it features an early star turn by one Tom Hanks - it’s worth mentioning that the flick is more of a ‘working-class melodrama’ with only occasional bursts of humor. If you’re not anticipating a laugh-out-loud affair, you’ll find much to enjoy in Punchline, particularly if you’re a fan of Hanks, Sally Field or John Goodman.

The ever-so-plucky Ms. Field (working in full-bore Norma Rae mode) plays Lilah, a sweet-natured domestic Mom/Wife who harbors a deep longing to be a stand-up comic. Despite the unkind protestations from her gruff husband (Goodman), Lilah takes a few tentative steps toward achieving her dreams…and fails miserably. After enjoying the comedic skills of promising young performer named Steven Gold (Hanks), Lilah enlists the surprisingly unhappy funnyman for some private tutoring. As Gold’s star begins to rise, Lilah’s newfound passion for performance begins to place a difficult strain on her home life.

Punchline may not be as emotionally effective as Seltzer had hoped, and most of the stand-up comedy material proves to be less than amusing. But it’s a movie that’s enjoyable thanks to three fantastic performances, a handful of fairly amusing moments, and an interesting glimpse behind the industry of stand-up comedy.

Nudity Report: Not much here at all, but fans of Sally Field may enjoy a brief sequence in which the celebrated actress stampedes through her house, trying to dress herself in a comical hurry. A brief jiggle, but it’s nice.

Critics Vote: Ebert didn’t much care for it, giving Punchline 2/4 stars, while most other critics liked it maybe a tiny bit better.

IMDB Summary: 1011 IMDb members rate it at 5.6/10.

Box Office: According to the IMDb, Punchline grossed 21 million bucks in 1988. Hanks gets more than that PER MOVIE these days…

DVD Info: The movie is presented in your choice of Anamorphic Widescreen or Full Frame formats, and sound is delivered in Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround (or French 2.0 Mono). Optional subtitles are available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai. There are no special features of any kind. Not even the theatrical trailer.


Written by: Scott Weinberg