‘The Gutter’ Review: This Raunchy Bowling Comedy Spares No Expense

In a time when most sports films are seen as dramas with an uplifting underdog story, Isaiah and Yassir Lester‘s The Gutter tells its story through a more comedic lens. Similar to how 2023’s Bottoms feels like a spiritual successor to 2004’s Mean Girls, The Gutter fits in the same category as Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story by focusing more on the laughs than the spectacle of the sport. The current state of comedy in Hollywood has been fairly hit-and-miss as creatives either play it too safe or come off as too offensive. With The Gutter, the Lester’s find a balance and deliver a modern-day film that could fit perfectly alongside the greats of the 1990s and 2000s.

What Is ‘The Gutter’ About?

The Gutter stars Shameik Moore (best known for playing Miles Morales in the Spider-Verse films) as Walt, who has been fired from multiple jobs due to his carefree attitude. Even though he’s a walking Human Resources violation, Mozell (played by Sister, Sister‘s Jackée Harry) takes a chance on Walt and hires him to work at her bowling alley, AlleyCatz.

But when a building inspector (Adam Brody, recently seen in Netflix’s Nobody Wants This) says the establishment needs to pay $200,000 in renovations or close down, former bowling pro, now town drunk, Skunk (D’Arcy Carden, best known for The Good Place) sees Walt’s impressive bowling skills and comes up with a plan to raise the funds by competing in bowling competitions across the country. Walt’s success catches the attention of retired pro bowler Linda Curson (Susan Sarandon in another villain role after Blue Beetle) who plans to humble him by returning to the sport.

Shameik Moore and D’Arcy Carden Are a Striking Comedic Pair

As someone who’s watched Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse multiple times, it took some time not to see Miles Morales whenever Moore would speak, even when delivering some foul-mouthed and suggestive jokes. Moore shines when he plays around and shows off his comedic side through body language and facial expressions, which is welcome to see if you’re only accustomed to his talented voice acting.

The Lester’s bring out Sarandon’s subtle humorous nature that will make audiences wish she starred in more comedies. Sarandon exudes a great villainous aura in The Gutter that makes you love to hate Linda Curson. The Lester’s make Moore and Sarandon’s opposing dynamic feel real and fun to watch.

After starring as a physical manifestation of artificial intelligence in The Good Place, Carden brings out a looser side of herself in The Gutter. While Skunk doesn’t get as much depth as Walt, Carden and Moore bounce off each other as well as a comedic duo who’s been working together for years. The Gutter characters work better when they act like overexaggerations of real people. Paul Reiser‘s Angelo is a racist sports broadcaster who champions that “Bowl Lives Matter.” It seems like an extreme version of Gary Cole and Jason Bateman‘s commentators in Dodgeball, as the Lester’s hold nothing back with Angelo’s outlandish one-liners.

‘The Gutter’ Will Bowl You Away

In their directorial feature debut, the Lester’s aren’t afraid to tell a comedy story that tows the line between stupidly funny and offensively crass. The mileage may vary depending on the type of humor the viewer is into. If you’re looking for smart jokes that linger over the punch lines, then The Gutter isn’t for you. That isn’t to say the jokes aren’t cleverly written, however. It’s very reminiscent of comedies like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Scary Movie in all the best ways.

While it’s strange to say that the realism of the film may take viewers out of the experience, The Gutter works best when the characters are over-the-top and act unreasonably. It’s been a while since a movie like this has come along, and the Lester’s demonstrate why it’s nice to sit down and have a laugh-out-loud time.

The Gutter is currently available on digital platforms in the U.S. and Canada. Check out our interview with Yassir and Isaiah Lester here. Follow the Agents of Fandom socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.