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Computer Chess

  • 2013
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5K
YOUR RATING
Computer Chess (2013)
An artificially intelligent comedy about computer chess programmers set some decades ago - when the contest between technology and the human spirit seemed more up for grabs...
Play trailer1:56
1 Video
73 Photos
Comedy

A 1980s-set story centered around a man vs. machine chess tournament.A 1980s-set story centered around a man vs. machine chess tournament.A 1980s-set story centered around a man vs. machine chess tournament.

  • Director
    • Andrew Bujalski
  • Writer
    • Andrew Bujalski
  • Stars
    • Kriss Schludermann
    • Tom Fletcher
    • Wiley Wiggins
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Andrew Bujalski
    • Writer
      • Andrew Bujalski
    • Stars
      • Kriss Schludermann
      • Tom Fletcher
      • Wiley Wiggins
    • 43User reviews
    • 133Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 8 nominations total

    Videos1

    Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 1:56
    Theatrical Trailer

    Photos72

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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Kriss Schludermann
    • ADVANTAGE Member
    Tom Fletcher
    • DEEP SPEED Member
    Wiley Wiggins
    Wiley Wiggins
    • Beuscher
    Patrick Riester
    • Bishton
    Kevin Bewersdorf
    • Cameraman
    Gene Williams
    Gene Williams
    • MONSIEUR D'ECHECS member
    Jim Lewis
    • John
    Cole Noppenberg
    • CAPA X Member
    Myles Paige
    • Papageorge
    Gerald Peary
    • Henderson
    James Curry
    • Carbray
    Bob Sabiston
    • McVey
    S. Kirk Walsh
    • Hotel Clerk
    Daniel Metz
    • Reini Urban
    • (as Daniel C. Metz)
    Stephen Wheeler
    Stephen Wheeler
    • Panel Skeptic
    Mark Blumberg
    • NOOG Member
    Eric Newton
    • Klaas
    Robin Schwartz
    • Shelly
    • Director
      • Andrew Bujalski
    • Writer
      • Andrew Bujalski
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews43

    6.24.9K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    Jeff_34

    You will really want to watch this movie.

    If you are out of sleeping pills or have insomnia.

    Guaranteed to put you to sleep. I actually had a fabulous nap - 2 or 3 of them actually - while attempting to keep my eyes open. There might have been a premise somewhere in there but only the director and his friends could tell you about it since everyone else will be fast asleep - or doing the neck dance of nodding in and out of sleep.

    Computers, chess, retro, dry dialogue, vintage cameras.... on paper this could have been fun and quirky and a nice time.

    Anyway, next time you feel too wired to sleep and don't have any substances to help you, put this on and you'll conk out in minutes (that or throw your TV against the wall).
    7VortexV

    Very realistic

    I thought it was real for an embarrassingly long time. Which made it that much greater. If you go watch this with your friends, I recommend you tell them it's a documentary.

    The filming, the conversation, the characters are all very life like for that day and age. The realism is also one of its shortfalls, because at times it's a bit boring.
    4rgb0829

    unfulfilled potential or no hope?

    The look and feel of the movie and of the characters was spot on, certainly, and I felt the cinematography added rather than subtracting from the movie. On the other hand, the amount of time and energy spent on the new-agey people and watching Papageorge chew the scenery left me wondering, "Why did we have to go the Christopher Guest route?" I felt deeply disappointed and bored by the way things played out and found myself saying something along the lines of "There's plenty of material in the early computer chess/computer nerd theme for a light, funny mockumentary without having to go the lowest-common-denominator route of throwing in a bunch of new-agers and off-the-reservation nutbars." The follow-on thought was "Unfortunately, these movie makers didn't feel themselves able to make that movie." I'd guess that indie movie makers generally don't like to have the term "lowest common denominator" applied to their films, but the shoe fits.
    9kosmasp

    "Nerd-gasm"

    I had absolutely no clue what I was letting myself into. Just that a friend of mine was telling me I had to see it. It played at the International Film Festival in Berlin and I can only say my friend was right. If there is just a slight geeky/nerdy side in you, you will like this movie too. The fact, they had me guessing for a second, if that was actually made back when this is supposed to play is just great.

    Of course, even if you don't know if this is a real documentary or not (it's not), you will get this very early on. But the jokes are really funny and even when it seems to be dragging a bit, it will pick up speed again and deliver on its funny premise. The acting is great and the film does look as old as it is supposed to look. Jokes work nicely and the overall feeling is just great. Check-mate
    7Sergeant_Tibbs

    A worthwhile experiment.

    Computer Chess may have an unconventional and experimental style, but its story is simple. It's very much like a Christopher Guest competition mockumentary setup with a similar satirical sense of humour and fortunately its exposition is welcome and well-handled. Its video and black and white cinematography feels more than a gimmick and places the film convincingly in the 80s. At least it makes better use of it than last year's disappointing No. Although it's intended as a character-based film, peering into the lives of the contestants rather than concerned with the competition itself, it's the area it struggles with most. It's difficult to keep track of characters and many feels like cartoons. But its themes still work. It makes you think about the progression of technology and its integration with society as well as what you should live for. It's more of a directors movie with hints of surrealism and meta scenes where the gimmick breaks the mold which results in making Computer Chess interesting, thoughtful and entertaining film but wildly inconsistent with the places where it doesn't know what it's doing.

    7/10

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      Pauline: Peter, did you ever stop and ask yourself how many squares are on a chess board?

      Bishton: 64. It's an 8 by 8 grid.

      Pauline: Well... but don't you see how limited that is?

      Bishton: No, it's actually very complex once you start to think about it as a programming problem. Just the number of possible games explodes exponentially with each move, it's close to 10 to the 120th power. And to try and compute all those games might take even longer than humanity would be around to do so.

    • Crazy credits
      "Mysterious Woman ... herself"
    • Connections
      Featured in The 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Nothin' But Changin'
      By Collie Ryan

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    FAQ17

    • How long is Computer Chess?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 1, 2013 (New Zealand)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Комп'ютерні шахи
    • Filming locations
      • Austin, Texas, USA
    • Production company
      • Computer Chess
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $102,041
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,683
      • Jul 21, 2013
    • Gross worldwide
      • $127,852
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 32m(92 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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