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Micro Men

  • TV Movie
  • 2009
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
980
YOUR RATING
Micro Men (2009)
BiographyDrama

In 1979 Clive Sinclair, British inventor of the pocket calculator, frustrated by the lack of home investment in his project,the electric car, also opposes former assistant Chris Curry's beli... Read allIn 1979 Clive Sinclair, British inventor of the pocket calculator, frustrated by the lack of home investment in his project,the electric car, also opposes former assistant Chris Curry's belief that he can successfully market a micro-chip for a home computer. A parting of the ways... Read allIn 1979 Clive Sinclair, British inventor of the pocket calculator, frustrated by the lack of home investment in his project,the electric car, also opposes former assistant Chris Curry's belief that he can successfully market a micro-chip for a home computer. A parting of the ways sees Curry, in partnership with the Austrian Hermann Hauser and using whizz kid Cambridge... Read all

  • Director
    • Saul Metzstein
  • Writer
    • Tony Saint
  • Stars
    • Alexander Armstrong
    • Martin Freeman
    • Edward Baker-Duly
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    980
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Saul Metzstein
    • Writer
      • Tony Saint
    • Stars
      • Alexander Armstrong
      • Martin Freeman
      • Edward Baker-Duly
    • 10User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos12

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    Top cast32

    Edit
    Alexander Armstrong
    Alexander Armstrong
    • Clive Sinclair
    Martin Freeman
    Martin Freeman
    • Chris Curry
    Edward Baker-Duly
    Edward Baker-Duly
    • Hermann Hauser
    Sam Phillips
    Sam Phillips
    • Steve Furber
    Stefan Butler
    • Roger Wilson
    Colin Michael Carmichael
    Colin Michael Carmichael
    • Jim Westwood
    Derek Riddell
    Derek Riddell
    • Nigel Searle
    Rhona Croker
    • Valerie
    Amy Beth Hayes
    Amy Beth Hayes
    • Cynthia
    Nicola Harrison
    Nicola Harrison
    • Ann Sinclair
    Anthony Smee
    • Norman Hewett
    Michael Keating
    • Derek Holley
    Peter Davison
    Peter Davison
    • Bank Manager
    Jon Glover
    Jon Glover
    • John Radcliffe
    Theo Barklem-Biggs
    Theo Barklem-Biggs
    • Sinclair Journalist
    Renny Krupinski
    Renny Krupinski
    • Foreman
    James Garnon
    • Acorn Journalist
    James Fleet
    James Fleet
    • Kenneth Baker
    • Director
      • Saul Metzstein
    • Writer
      • Tony Saint
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews10

    7.4980
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    Featured reviews

    10simon-jackson-602-806991

    Hilarious and great entertainment

    Thanks for such a great piece of entertainment.

    There were lots of funny bits in this film, largely due to the acting of Sinclair.

    It was also light-hearted with a feel good factor at the end with people making up to each other and with Sinclairs quotes about life - "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?".

    Some great 80's music as well.

    Even if you were'nt into home computers at the time, then this is still a good drama.
    9matvey-nt

    A British spin on a tech history drama

    About a decade ago it was considered somewhat trendy to film movies about the creation of technology that continues to shape our lives to this day. Some of the prominent examples are The Social Network and Jobs, that tell the stories of people who ultimately succeeded in their aspirations. Unlike these two, Micro Men, a British TV semi-documental drama directed by Saul Metzstein in 2009, does not encourage any survivorship bias. It narrates the brief but thrilling history of home-grown British computer industry, toeing the line between comedy and tragedy.

    The plot centres on the rivalry between Clive Sinclair (Alexander Armstrong), an inventor and entrepreneur with a passion for designing miniature electronics and electric vehicles, and Chris Curry (Martin Freeman), a colleague of his who goes on to start his own business. It is their tense competition that drives the adoption of personal computers in British schools, homes and offices. Most of the film's story is based on the actual events, with a few scenes invented. Numerous cuts to the relevant contemporary TV programmes and commercials (a wonderful touch, in my view) add to the "documentary" feeling.

    Despite being set primarily in mundane office spaces, the story manages to keep the viewers' attention thanks to Armstong's expressive acting. His portrayal of Sinclair as an eccentric, self-assured and self-centred individual, short-tempered to the point of being laughable, yet insanely committed to his ideas, may seem overblown and unconvincing to some. However, it undoubtedly shifts the production in the even more comedic direction. Freeman gets overshadowed quite a bit, but still delivers a solid performance of a comparatively down-to-earth businessman, countering his overly exuberant co-star.

    Micro Men features a totally fitting soundtrack of mostly electronic music, which was booming in the times depicted in the film. The screenwriters do not overwhelm the audience with technical details of any sort, but if you dig this kind of thing, I bet you won't be disappointed, too. Overall, though by no means a masterpiece, this production deserves the attention of tech lovers and everybody looking for a well-screened real-life story to watch.
    10Glyn-52-910242

    Pure nostalgic perfection

    I grew up in the era where myself and my friends were playing and swapping Sinclair Spectrum games with each other, as well as during the infancy of using BBC micros at school. If you are of that same era, then Micro Men will seem like it was written for you. It's just perfection! It's factual, funny, and jammed full of references to the 1980's computer era. Even the music fits perfectly with the theme and date of the story. Martin Freeman and Alexander Armstrong play their roles incredibly well, as do all the other characters. Some people may criticise the accuracy, but at the end of the day, it's a story about a 4 or 5 year period squashed into about 90 minutes, so some creative writing had to occur in order to make the story flow. But overall it tells the story very well and accurately. There are some parts that I actually remember myself from the day, such as the fight at the 'Baron of Beef' which I remember reading about at the time in 'Crash'. If you still have a fond spot in your heart for your old ZX Spectrum, then you'll love Micro Men. It's one of my top films/documentaries of all time, and I always find myself watching it every few months. I've oribsbly watched it 20 times now, and it never gets boring! I love it. :)
    9Prismark10

    The computer programme

    Micro Men is an enjoyable docu-drama about the early days of the home computer revolution. I was there at the time reading computing magazines avidly and typing out the printed programmes which never worked because of typos. This was avid viewing.

    It is Sinclair versus Acorn. Although you would not realise from this film that Clive Sinclair was better known as Uncle Clive, the genial, nerdy 1970s whiz kid who built cheap home computers with dead flesh keyboards.

    The Acorn boys on the other hand built more stylish computers with proper keyboards and they even won the contract for the BBC computer.

    In this drama, Clive Sinclair (Alexander Armstrong) is seen as a bad tempered bully (he was never regarded as such a person at the time.) Although he was later revealed to be a bit of ladies man, loved a flutter at the Vegas casinos and voted Tory.

    Chris Curry (Martin Freeman) of Acorn Computers is the more lovable one. The nice, genial one with his more business headed Austrian partner.

    The early 1980s British companies led the world of home computing, although Microsoft had plans for a uniform operating system.

    Pitching Acorn v Sinclair is a great history lesson and drama. Unfortunately, both companies were also left picking up the pieces afterwards as Microsoft surpassed them a few years later.
    7eskimosound

    Acting let's it down...

    The Acting is dreadful but the story is great. Being a Sinclair fan they have told the story very effectively although I highly doubt Sinclair was the forceful swearing personality he's portrayed as. But truly the acting is dreadful both leads can only do the one character, the same turning off camera head movements and stares. They should have chosen other actors but hey...it's not that important as they get the story right. Sinclair was a shy akward person but in this he's some machismo despot, it's very odd and I'm wondering why they didn't show that side of him. Still definitely worth a watch.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sophie Wilson has a cameo role as the landlady of the pub.
    • Goofs
      The archive footage used just before Chris is presenting the Acorn Atom to the press in 1980, shows a Commodore 1701 monitor, 2 Amstrad CPC464s and glimpse of a BBC Micro, all of which did not exist in the year where the scene takes place.
    • Quotes

      Clive Sinclair: Games! Games! Everywhere I go, games! This is what my lifetime of achievement has been reduced to! Clive Sinclair, the man who brought you Jet Set fucking Willy! Apparently there's even a game now about me trying to get a knighthood, for Christ's sake!

    • Connections
      Featured in Grierson 2010: The British Documentary Awards (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Pulstar
      Composed by Vangelis

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 8, 2009 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Syntax Era
    • Production company
      • Darlow Smithson Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 24 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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