A Game Cast & Charming Script Elevate Familiar Throwback To ’90s Sports Comedies

The sports genre can tell every kind of story, from a heartwarming underdog’s redemption to a swan song for an aging star or a comedic twist on the sport at hand. With Yassir and Isaiah Lester’s The Gutter, the filmmaking duo attempt to strike a chord similar to the likes of the Farrelly brothers’ Kingpin and Rick Famuyiwa’s Dope, delivering broadly humorous jokes amid a tale of an unlikely bowling superstar. And while they do often find their own unique rhythm, the movie still often largely feels too familiar to fully stand out.

The Gutter is led by Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s Shameik Moore as Walt, a ne’er-do-well twentysomething who lands a job at a local rundown bowling alley. When the owner is visited by a city inspector and given 60 days to improve the building or have it shut down, Walt and alley regular Skunk realize the former is a natural at bowling and take his skills on the professional circuit to raise enough funds to save the alley. However, when sports icon Linda Curson comes out of retirement to challenge Walt, he must determine who he’s truly playing the game for.

The Gutter’s Humor Is A Mixed Bag

The Movie Never Smoothly Jumps Between Its Broader & Wackier Strokes

The Gutter‘s comedy is one of the movie’s biggest strengths, even if it never quite finds the best rhythm for the various kinds of humor it goes for. The somewhat mindless nature of Walt is generally pretty engaging to watch, further making it easier to want to root for him in his efforts to save the bowling alley. That said, some of his wackier antics — that become running jokes — also start to become a bit stale by the movie’s end, namely his frequent expressions of wanting a threesome.

The other major recurring style of humor I found myself mixed on is the way it approaches calling out modern racism. Though not quite fantastical as either of his projects, the Lesters’ approach feels fairly reminiscent of Boots Riley’s work in Sorry to Bother You and I’m A Virgo, being an in-your-face means for confronting everything from sports systems being rigged against minorities to prejudiced people openly expressing racist beliefs, much to the main characters’ surprise.

This does result in some moments of hilarity, including Paul Reiser’s Angelo claiming to have created the “Bowl Lives Matter” movement before Black Lives Matter, and Walt frequently chasing down racist passersby when they try to shout slurs. Even still, while the majority of The Gutter‘s jokes seem to come from a place of self-awareness, they still often feel like they veer into a general blunt territory that isn’t quite as funny. Whether it’s Angelo’s openly prejudiced language towards Walt or the over-the-top nature of some of the aforementioned passersby, it sometimes feels a little too on-the-nose.

The Gutter’s Plot Plays Pretty True To Its Formula

Despite An Attempt At A Late-Movie Rug Pull, It Can’t Escape Feeling Familiar

While it may only serve as a loose catalyst for the film’s characters and humor, The Gutter‘s plot is sadly never really a groundbreaking twist on its genre. With Moore at the forefront, I couldn’t help but have flashbacks to his breakout turn in Dope, as The Gutter feels like a coming-of-age tale of sorts for Walt, as his time on the road with bowling allows him to grow and learn some important life lessons.

The movie’s sense of familiarity is no more evident in the way its underdog sports story plays out. Walt’s rise to superstardom is played out largely through a montage which, while stylish, doesn’t necessarily break new ground for the sports genre. Even the conflicts that arise later in the movie feel akin to the likes of Kingpin and Seann William Scott’s Goon, namely in how it tackles the return of a sports legend just in time for the rise of the unlikely superstar, keen to keep them knocked down a peg while maintaining their legendary status.

The Gutter’s Cast Clearly Understood The Assignment

They All Throw Themselves So Fully Into The Roles It Largely Keeps Things Afloat

Even if the rest of the movie proves to be something of a mixed bag, it’s impossible to deny that The Gutter‘s cast ultimately keeps the movie entertaining. Having a roster primarily full of actors with comedic experience certainly makes it easy for them to slip completely into the unique atmosphere of the Lesters’ movie, and yet it’s great to see them all fully embrace their roles. Moore infuses such genuine heart into Walt that we only want the best for him, D’Arcy Carden slips into the boisterous nature of the oft-drunk Skunk, and they have a perfect comedic chemistry.

This further extends to The Gutter‘s supporting cast, particularly that of Susan Sarandon as the scheming sports star, Linda Curson. It’s certainly not the Oscar winner’s first time in the comedy genre, but given she is generally better known for her dramatic roles, it’s a true delight to see her cut loose and embrace her casually bombastic personality. While I would’ve liked to see some fresher material for her and her co-stars to chew on, I can’t deny that The Gutter is ultimately an enjoyable throwback to the broad-skewing sports comedies of the ’90s.

The Gutter hits theaters and VOD on November 1. The film is 92 minutes long and not yet rated.

6/10

When frequently fired Walt lands a position tending bar and de-roaching shoes at his local bowling alley AlleyCatz, he feels like he finally found a home. When money issues threaten AlleyCatz, Walt is pressured by former pro-bowler and current champion drinker Skunk to accept his role as the greatest bowler ever put on this earth. While Walt’s love of big checks and in-your-face style of play dominates the pro tour, his detractors, including “Bowl Lives Matter” host Angelo Powers and fresh-out-of-retirement bowling-legend Linda “The Crusher” Curson, furiously attempt to snuff out Walt’s flame before it burns too bright.

Pros

• The wackier, self-aware humor is often funny.
• The cast all fully embrace their characters with aplomb.
• The pacing and tone is a breezy throwback to the sports comedies of the ’90s.

Cons

• Some of the movie’s humor feels repetitive and on-the-nose.
• The plot doesn’t really break new ground for the genre.