WORD WARS
[] (three stars)
Running time: 76 minutes. Not rated (adult language, drug use). At the Cinema Village, 12th Street, east of Sixth Avenue.
‘THIS is not your grandmother’s game of Scrabble,” ads for “Word Wars” proclaim. And indeed it isn’t.
As depicted in the fun documentary by Eric Chaikin and Julian Petrillo, the word game has thousands of eccentric zealots who compete for high stakes with the same fervor and intensity as, say, Major League baseball stars going for the World Series.
“Word Wars” zeroes in on four male contestants at home and in tournaments as they prepare for the big match, the National Scrabble Championship in San Diego, with a top prize of $25,000.
A stranger bunch of folks you wouldn’t want to meet.
Marlon Hill is a foul-mouthed, dreadlocked dude from Baltimore who likes to smoke pot and pick up hookers.
Matt Graham is a stand-up comic from New York who washes down a large assortment of “mind-enhancing” herbal medicines with Starbucks coffee.
Then there’s Joel Sherman, nicknamed G.I. because of his severe gastrointestinal problems.
And Joe Edley, the only family man in the group, who’s going for his fourth national championship with the help of a strict tai chi regimen.
“Word Wars” follows the four during the six months leading up to the 2003 championship match, which was telecast on ESPN.
Scrabble is their lives. There’s no time for regular jobs as they crisscross the country vying in tournaments or pick-up games in Washington Square Park.
They’re happily addicted to the word game, as are thousands of others shown in the documentary.
“I’ve done very little to contribute to society,” Sherman admits. “Playing Scrabble is the only thing my body will allow me to sit still and do without major interruptions.”
Cool graphics and music, combined with jittery camera work, keep the film’s energy level high. Who knew Scrabble could be so exciting?