‘Kingpin’ Rolls A Gutter Ball When It Comes To Comedy

I have never said this about a movie - and hope that I never do again - but “Kingpin” desperately needed Jim Carrey.

The Farrelly brothers, the directors of “Kingpin” and Carrey’s “Dumb and Dumber,” have a distinctive slapstick style that suits the actor’s style perfectly. But the two main stars of “Kingpin” - Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid - relied too much on the movie script for humor.

Carrey and “Dumber” co-star Jeff Daniels barely needed a script; they merely hammed it up for the camera for 90 minutes - and no one left the theater without a smile.

The same can’t be said for “Kingpin.”

The movie has a truly outrageous premise. A former pro bowler, Roy Munsen (Harrelson) has no future until he comes across Ishmael (Quaid), an Amish bowler with a lot of promise. Munsen wants to take Ishmael to a bowling tournament in Reno, win the $1 million and split it.

Bill Murray is the perfect villain as the reigning champ of the pro-bowl circuit. While he doesn’t have a moral bone in his body, he pretends as if he does and is known as a good role model for future bowlers of America. Through Munsen, however, we see the other side: He’s a vicious competitor who will do anything to keep his title.

Playing any one of these three characters, Carrey would have easily been worth his astronomical salary, while making the plot of “Kingpin” echo with laughter that most of this cast couldn’t quite create.

I find it hard to believe the Farrelly brothers intended “Kingpin” to be anything more than an off-the-wall, slapstick comedy. But Harrelson and love interest Vanessa Angel didn’t seem to feel the same way. They were alternately interjecting bits of bitterness and Brady-Bunch-like warmth where another dumb joke would have been more appropriate.

“Kingpin” fails in the style of so many films that have come before. It simply couldn’t decide what it wanted to be. While it had moments reminiscent of “Dumb and Dumber,” the interspersed love story made the movie insipid and unwatchable. No one wants to go to a movie like this and wait 10 minutes between jokes.

Despite all of this, Bill Murray was fantastic. Outshining all his co-stars, Murray performed memorably - an annoying villain somewhat like his character in “What About Bob?” only conniving and heartless.

Since Murray’s limited time on screen was such a joy, this was one instance where I really wanted the bad guy to win.

It’s too bad such a perfect movie for Carrey was wasted on actors who didn’t know what to do with it. You’re better off staying at home and watching “Ace Ventura” for the 17th time.

Grade: D