***Jon Heder & Kendall Goldberg in attendance for a post-film Q&A***
Jeff (Jon Heder) is the manager of an old-school bowling alley called Winky's World. When Jeff's boss Sheila (Candi Milo) tells him that her soon-to-be ex-husband Carl (Jim O'Heir) is selling Winky's, he takes matters into his own hands. In hopes of sparking nostalgia within Carl, Jeff throws a party at the bowling alley in homage to its opening celebration. While keeping this plan on a need to know basis, Jeff also struggles to hide Winky's World from his family who, for years, believed Jeff was putting his computer engineering degree to use. Jeff can no longer ignore his mother's constant phone calls when his sister Lindy (Anna Konkle) and her med-school roommate Samantha (Maya Erskine) show up to his apartment unannounced. With little help from the other employees — Stanford (Brendan Meyer), Carl's nephew and junior staff member; Frank (Steve Berg), the resident fix-it guy; Raul (Richard Esteras), the soft-spoken bartender — Jeff is forced to face the reality that his life as he knows it may slip out of his grip. A secret hidden within the walls of the building may be exactly what it takes to keep the ball rolling when the lanes begin to look more like a maze than ever before.
Music Box Theatre screens films of all genres and from every era of cinema, both new releases and repertory. These films may sometimes contain upsetting, outdated, or offensive material. While we aim to introduce many of our screenings, we do not always provide warnings about potentially triggering content within the films we screen. We encourage our patrons to research the film before they attend using trailers, reviews, or content information found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com.
Now Showing
September 8 – September 15 / View All
NOIR CITY: Chicago 2026
The Late Show
Indoor Kids: Family-Friendly Matinees
Merciless Mayhem: Martial Arts Midnights, Matinees, & More!
The Chicago Film Society Presents