Star Rating:

Computer Chess

Director: Andrew Bujalski

Actors: Kriss Schludermann, Willy Wiggins

Release Date: Monday 30th November -0001

Genre(s): Factual

Running time: USA (15A) minutes

If you've never heard of the term 'mumblecore cinema' before, it's basically a subgenre of American independent cinema which is defined by its super low production values and generally amateurish actors. Computer Chess is a mostly black and white, faux-documentary about a vintage, quite hipster-y subject, and is quite possibly the most mumblecore-y mumblecore film to have ever existed.

Set in the early 80s around a tournament which pits different companies and technological geniuses against each other, as each of their chess-playing computers play against each other, and the winner going up against a real life human chess genius. There is a large group of people that the movie shares focus on, with no really discernible lead actor, and every one of them just as socially incapable as the next.

Imagine an entire film filled with character's who are basically Napoleon Dynamite's online-dating loving brother, and you're half-way there with Computer Chess. There's also an obvious comparison to spelling bee documentary Spellbound (genius at the cost of a being able to properly interact in a social way) and, oddly, The Shining (the hotel they're staying in definitely has an Overlook-vibe to it).

The chess tournament isn't the only thing happening at the hotel, either, as a subplot involving a vaguely new-age, but also quite orgy-ish therapy group has run-ins with several of the computer geniuses, and they are some of the comedic highlights of the movie. It actually takes quite a while for Computer Chess to properly find it's funny feet, and too often gets totally caught up in its own wilfully weird ways, too in love with its own peculiar idiosyncrasies.

Still, there is definitely still something about Computer Chess that makes it worth a watch. It is at times quite laugh out loud hilarious, and the Grindhouse-esque visual and audio quirks that have been put in to make it look as cheap and 80s as possible are a neat touch. It tries too hard to be different, to the point of being almost alienating, but then the same could be said about the 80s as a decade, and we look back on that with a kind of love now. Who knows, maybe 30 years from now, we'll feel the same way about this movie.