This week, Chain Link Theater follows the trail from the San Francisco convent to the high-stakes desert of Nevada. We’re tracking Kathy Najimy as she sheds the habit and joins an ensemble of eccentrics in Jerry Zucker’s chaotic pursuit of gold: Rat Race.

We'll explore Najimy’s transition from singing sister Mary Patrick to the loving mother Beverly Pear, and break down whether this 2001 treasure hunt still crosses the finish line.

Pack your bags—Chain Link Theater is hitting the road with Rat Race.

This week on Chain Link Theater, we follow the chain from the bloody warehouse floor and color-coded nicknames straight into the Reno lounge scene and the holiest hideout in San Francisco. We’re tracking Harvey Keitel, an actor who usually solves problems with a gun, as he chases Whoopi Goldberg right into the habits of Emile Ardolino’s musical juggernaut, Sister Act.

We talk about the whiplash of seeing Keitel apply his signature intensity to a Disney comedy villain, and we discuss how his specific brand of menace fits into a world of singing nuns and slapstick humor.

Then we crack open Sister Act itself: the box office smash, the cultural nostalgia, and the bizarre collision of mob violence and gospel music. We break down the structure of the script, the mechanics of the musical numbers, and the "fish out of water" formula to see how this 90s staple holds up today.

Put on your habit and get ready for choir practice—because this week, Chain Link Theater is going undercover in the convent to find out if this movie still hits the high notes.

This week on Chain Link Theater, we follow the chain from awkward side characters and scene-stealing weirdos straight into a warehouse full of black suits, thin ties, and very bad decisions. We’re tracking Steve Buscemi, an actor who built an entire career out of feeling slightly off, as he barrels headfirst into Quentin Tarantino’s debut pressure cooker, Reservoir Dogs.

We talk about how Buscemi carved out a lane no one else could occupy, and how he became one of the most recognizable faces of ’90s independent cinema without ever trying to be cool.

Then we crack open Reservoir Dogs itself: the low-budget miracle, the Sundance walkouts, and the movie that announced a new voice in American filmmaking with profanity, pop music, and blood-soaked confidence. We break down the film’s structure, its razor-sharp dialogue, the ensemble chemistry, and why a movie with no heist, no heroes, and no mercy still rewired crime movies overnight.

Put on your black suit, don’t ask about the diamonds, and maybe stop arguing about tipping—because this week, Chain Link Theater is bleeding out in a warehouse and loving every second of it.