Word Wars

2004 Scrabble documentary

Rating: 13/20 (Jen: 10/20, but she fell asleep)

Plot: Why is it always four? This documentary chronicles the tiles and tribulations (That's on the box. I only wish I could take credit for such a brilliant play on words.) of four "professional" Scrabblers as they prepare for the National Championship in San Diego where they can win (wait for it) a whole 25,000 dollars. A guy with gastro-intestinal issues, a ghetto genius, the number one ranked dude, and a guy who may or may not have some gambling issues play the game and do very little else.

Really jumpy, distracting structure with this one. The documentary also looks really cheap (Jen thought it was made in the 80's), but it's entertaining enough in the same way that A League of Ordinary Gentlemen, Spell Bound, King of Kong, or Fast Cheap and Out of Control are entertaining and objective glimpses at eccentric or obsessive characters who will likely always remain square pegs in our circular society. Same way a documentary on chess players or poker players would work. I would have liked to see more on the players who hustled in the New York City park. The interesting dilemma with Scrabble is that it's seemingly impossible to train and compete when you have a real job but that you can't make enough money at it to make it your real job. Recommended for folks who like any of those aforementioned documentaries or Scrabble fans.

When I play, I don't use trays that hold the letters. That would more than likely hurt my chances in a Scrabble tournament. I also like to rub the tiles on my bare chest between turns.