The Gutter 2024

Walt gets hired at a bowling alley where he meets Skunk, a former pro-bowler and drunk, and Brother Canda, a Hotep sidewalk speaker. A city inspector arrives with harsh news: unless they raise $200,000 to fix the health code violations, the bowling alley will be closed. In a moment of rare frustration, Walt throws a ball in anger for the first time ever and achieves a perfect strike. This sparks a plan: Skunk decides to coach him so they can win money and save the rink. What follows is an unlikely friendship built on bold costumes, bold gambles, and a string of victories that attract sponsorships. Skunk is also thrilled at the possibility of Walt breaking records held by Linda Curson, the retired bowler widely regarded as the best there ever was.

As Walt inches toward Curson’s legendary marks, his success does catch Curson’s eye. Under the mounting pressure, >there is something wrong with his ball<, and he suffers his first loss. The defeats begin to pile up, and by season’s end Walt has only managed to surpass one of Curson’s records. Curson then declares she’s returning to pro-bowling and shocks him by revealing that Skunk is her daughter. Walt feels betrayed, convinced that Skunk was using him to topple her mom’s old records, given Skunk’s evident fondness for her mother. The partnership dissolves, and Walt’s performance dives even further.

Yet tragedy and forgiveness tempers their bond: at a funeral for two friends who died while trying to steal Kohl’s Cash, Skunk and Walt reconcile. They head to the Championship where Walt finally faces Curson in the spotlight. He discovers that Curson had secretly adjusted the weight of his ball, explaining his earlier losses. Still, the finals prove intensely competitive for both, and Walt ultimately loses the championship in a fair, gripping match. Brother Canda hints that all is not lost, insisting that being the first African-American championship runner-up is a historic achievement and means no renovations are needed after all. In the end, Skunk, Walt, and Brother Canda are shown leading youth bowling classes, teaching the sport with hope and determination. They’re then interrupted by the arrival of the first Black man to win a pro-bowling championship, who unveils an ambitious new lineup of non-white bowlers. Inspired, Walt and Skunk vow to take on this fresh tour together.