In the summer of 2000, Chuck Greene, a quick-witted slacker and reluctant arcade manager, discovers that Premiere Amusements—his beloved but rundown seaside arcade—is about to be sold and replaced with a soulless laser tag arena. Determined to stop the takeover, Chuck launches a desperate plan to revive the arcade: turning it into the hottest summer destination with a high-stakes Dance Dance Revolution tournament. But with a team of eccentric employees, a shady boss, and a bitter rivalry with the arcade next door, Chuck will have to game the system before time—and tokens—run out.

SYNOPSIS:

The year is 2000, and arcades are on their last legs. At Premiere Amusements, a once-thriving arcade now struggling to compete with flashier rivals and home gaming consoles, Chuck Greene (mid-20s, scruffy but sharp) has spent years coasting on sarcasm and nostalgia. But when his boss drops a bombshell—Premiere is being sold to their wealthier competitor—Chuck is jolted into action. His nemesis, Jonny Cargo, is circling like a vulture, eager to turn the arcade into another generic laser tag venue. Refusing to let the heart of the town’s gaming culture die, Chuck enlists his ragtag team of misfit employees in a last-ditch effort to bring Premiere back to life.

His plan? Capitalize on the newest craze—Dance Dance Revolution. With a summer-long contest promising glory (and free prizes) to the best dancers in town, Chuck is convinced he can drum up enough excitement to save the arcade. But pulling this off means keeping his skeptical, cigarette-smoking second-in-command Clarky on board, dealing with an unpredictable boss who’s already half out the door, dodging sabotage from Jonny Cargo, and wrangling new hire Mickey—his boss’s naive but eager-to-please nephew. Not to mention surviving the daily chaos that comes with running an arcade full of kids, gamblers, and possible criminals.

As Chuck hustles to get the Premiere back on top, he’s about to learn that nostalgia alone won’t keep the lights on. If he wants to save his arcade—and his job—he’ll have to step up, get serious, and maybe even dance.

PREMIERE AMUSEMENTS 2000