It’s been a while since we’ve seen an over-the-top, goofy, self-aware Black comedy like The Gutter. The flick almost feels nostalgic in its gleeful embrace of 2000s slapstick hilarity. First-time directors Yassir and Isaiah Lester crafted a film so unabashedly unserious that it reinvigorates a long-lost era of Wayans brothers-style humor.
Shameik Moore portrays the lovably doofy Walt – a dimwit would find his calling through bowling. Noticing his boss/maternal figure Mozell (Jackée Harry) undergoing financial difficulties, Walt utilizes his newfound abilities to win local bowling competitions. The Spider-Verse voice actor doesn’t waste a second of screen time with anything remotely nuanced or subtle, and I love every second of it. His performance is a masterful take on Black comedy stereotypes that carefully toes the line between self-deprecation and satire.
Alongside Walt for most of the journey is Skunk, Walt’s alcoholic bowling manager and best friend, played by D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place). At first, the pairing of Shameik Moore and D’Arcy Carden felt a bit awkward and mismatched. But as the film progresses, their dynamic is electric – full of witty, snarky cuts at themselves and each other. The dialogue doesn’t shy away from emphasizing their cultural differences but uses their caricature-like characteristics as a perfect foil that somehow builds toward a worthwhile friendship.
After a laugh-out-loud first act, the film runs a little out of steam towards the middle. We spend a lot of time with Walt’s encounters with redneck America while less time is devoted to his world. Scenes with Jay Ellis, Langston Kerman, Rell Battle, Kim Fields, and Tony Baker feel more like cameos than genuine character moments. Their lack of presence certainly resonates during the middling sequences in the movie. Susan Sarandon has a blast playing in-universe bowling legend Linda Curson. Her delightfully antagonizing presence looms mainly in the background until the final act, which thankfully is the strongest segment of the comedy.
Some might be taken aback by the film’s wacky tone and shameless lack of political correctness. Others, like me, will see this largely inoffensive buddy bowling comedy as a refreshing breath of air. Sometimes, especially in times like these, it feels good to just turn off your brain and laugh through the pain.