Kingpin

Roy Munson leaves his hometown of Ocelot, Iowa, to pursue a professional bowling career. In his pro debut, he defeats narcissistic star Ernie McCracken, signaling his natural talent. This early victory foreshadows the rivalry that will shape his life.

McCracken pressures Roy to help hustle local amateur bowlers for extra cash. Roy agrees, drawn by the lure of fame and quick money, and the scheme begins. The plan hints at the darker path his life will take.

The hustling scheme is discovered, and McCracken escapes, leaving Roy to face the consequences. Enraged victims destroy Roy’s bowling hand in a ball-return accident, ending his career and setting his life on a downward spiral.

Seventeen years pass and Roy is a cynical, alcoholic figure in Scranton, sporting a prosthetic rubber hand. He survives by exploiting people, masking the depth of his regrets and failure.

In a Scranton bowling alley, Roy spots Ishmael Boorg, a naive member of the Amish community with significant talent. He offers to coach Ishmael toward the pros, but Ishmael declines due to his community's anti-hobby stance.

Roy is forced to have sex with his elderly landlady to pay rent. He then sees a Reno bowling tournament advertisement offering $1 million and decides to recruit Ishmael to enter, hoping for redemption and a big payoff.

The trio begins touring, winning local tournaments and hustling for cash, including a victory over the wealthy Stanley Osmanski. The cash comes with tension as Claudia mocks Stanley’s losses and his temper grows volatile.

Roy, Ishmael, and Claudia flee toward Reno. Roy and Claudia clash over exploiting Ishmael, culminating in a fistfight that drives Ishmael away.

While searching for Ishmael, Roy and Claudia briefly pass through Ocelot and bond as Roy confesses his long-hidden hometown shame. They eventually locate Ishmael and rescue him from forced servitude as an exotic dancer.

In Reno, the trio encounters McCracken, now a national bowling superstar who taunts Roy and Claudia. Ishmael responds by punching McCracken and breaking his own bowling hand in the process.

Stanley confronts Claudia, and she leaves with him, taking all the money the trio had earned on their journey. The loss unsettles Roy and Ishmael and forces them to reassess their path in Reno.

Ishmael convinces Roy to take his place in the Reno tournament. Using his rubber hand, Roy regains confidence, wins the crowd’s support, and advances to the televised finals against McCracken.

Roy reaches the finals, but Ishmael’s brother arrives to take him home, leaving Roy to face McCracken alone. In the televised final, McCracken wins by a single pin, delivering a devastating defeat for Roy.

A while later, Roy returns home and has discarded his alcohol. Claudia arrives and explains that she left with Stanley to stop McCracken and pursue revenge, and she confesses her feelings for Roy.

Roy learns he earned $500,000 from a Trojan condoms endorsement as 'The Rubber Man' and donates the amount to Ishmael’s family to save their farm. The trio visits Ishmael’s family and acknowledges the decency Ishmael showed; Roy then drives off with Claudia.