Zero Charisma

Sam Eidson does a fantastic job playing Scott, an old loser with an old school nerd gimmick. Living with his Nanna, but thinking he's a big shot. "Because I'm the game master, that's why," says the bumper sticker on his unimpressive car. Scott takes the audience with him on his descent from lowly loneliness into the abyss of public embarrassment via a myriad of burnt social bridges. Scott's ugly demise at the hands of Miles, played brilliantly by Garrett Graham is a thing of comic beauty. Scott's futile attempt to maintain his reign over his nerdlings falls short. Katie Folger is a bright spot, playing Kendra, Miles' girlfriend. "The gods must be avenged," as Scott would say, and you must watch this movie to find out if Scott has the last laugh. Highly recommended by The Zeus and Tom Show.

The negative reviews here are most likely from guys for whom this movie struck a nerve. The acting and writing are excellent. You know this because this movie actually causes the viewer to feel compassion for and root for a character who is very nearly a complete solipsistic, self-absorbed buffoon. I don't know how someone could view it and find no comedy in it, unless they so strongly identify with the main character that they too acutely feel his pain. I was chuckling throughout and the perfectly delivered line "You wish!" made me lose it.

A big part of the humor is that the main character is a devotee of what is itself even a fading form of nerddom: the Dungeons and Dragons inspired tabletop fantasy role-playing game, and that he's even been able to assemble a clique of players for his own homemade, unpublished specimen. It's one of those domains in which the competition is so fierce because the stakes are so small.

The movie reminded me a little of the also excellent Big Fan (2009), another humorous character study of an obsessed man-child.

I was surprised, after watching it, to see how old this movie was. The actors in it, esp. The lead, deserve more additional roles and recognition than they've gotten.

Well I watched this because I tremendously enjoyed gaming as a kid, before the internet and Playstations it was great. Is this a geek movie for geeks, nerds gamers or whomever? Yes in some aspects - I started watching it with my girlfriend who can happily watch the Avengers and whatnot but changed movie, the game references just went over her head so I watched it later myself. In the end however really at it's core to me it reflects people, their obsessions, their behaviour and interactions. The Game is a catalyst really and the movie proved more thought provoking than I expected, and more seious, the cast were good and incredibly awkward at times which provided the laughs. Zero Charisma was apt. Enjoyable enough however although I'd certainly recommend only to those who don't mind their geekery.

There is no need, what so ever, to have a knowledge of or background in computer gaming or board game role playing to enjoy this fine movie! The theme of the movie is built around gamers and their circle of fellow players who happen to be slightly socially inept and the clash of ego.

Scott - the game master or grand master - fulfills his ego by lording over his fellow players while creating his own world in the 'game'. Because outside of the 'game' he is a nobody, no real friends, no social life, no job. He is bossed around by his elderly grandmother and his mother (who abandoned him early in his life). Why the mother shows up in the story - you'll have to watch the movie! Then Scott finds his imaginary world and his marginal home life kicked out from under his control - he is lost - but determined to prove himself which only creates more chaos in his emotional world. He seems to learn his lesson about himself - but does he in the end?

The movie is a finely acted indie flick that addresses some element in many people and is told in such a way that you sympathize with these lost souls. There aren't any truly laugh out loud moments but some moments to chuckle at this collection of odd but well meaning people.

If you are a lover of role-playing games, as I am, then you just definitely have got to watch "Zero Charisma". Where as the movie "Gamerz" was great, then "Zero Charisma" totally re-invents the foundation of this geeky genre.

The story is about Scott (played by Sam Eidson) who lives with his grandmother (played by Anne Gee Byrd). Scott is an avid fan of fantasy role-playing games and a metalhead, and has spent the last three years on his campaign, where he is the Game Master for his friends. When one have to drop out of the game, due to personal reasons (read, actually having a wife who wants to separate him), Scott has to find a replacement for the group. Enter Miles (played by Garrett Graham) who has it all, and Scott quickly finds himself without control of the game and his world - both real and imaginary - comes tumbling down around him.

What makes this movie great? Well it is a good comedy, especially because it is a geeky comedy. There are hilarious moments in the movie, just as there are awkward moments. The characters are well portrayed, had lots of personality (no Charisma 0 here, you gamers will get this one!), and were easy to grow attached to.

Now, from an avid role-player of Dungeons & Dragons for just about 27 years, then there were so many aspects to this movie that just strikes familiar and true to the point where it was downright scary. Us role-playing people tend to have odd routines and rituals, and oddly enough tend to listen to metal. There were so many things in the movie that could easily be painted on me or the guys I play D&D with.

"Zero Charisma" progresses at a nice pace, building up the story quite nicely. However, the ending was a bit too much in my opinion, and the movie would have fared better with a different ending. But hey, we all have different likes and dislikes.

Regardless of you being a role-player, familiar with the fantasy (or Sci-Fi) RPG games or not, then "Zero Charisma" is a great movie with lots of fun and great situations. If you enjoy geeky comedies, then you definitely need to watch this movie.

I raise my sword and roll my d10 dice, with "Zero Charisma" scoring a well-deserved 7 out of 10 star rating.