Starring: Sam Eidson, Anne Gee Byrd, Brock England
Directors: Katie Graham, Andrew Matthews
Scott (Sam Edison) the Grand Master of a table top fantasy board game of his own creation feels his place as the leader of his misfit group of nerds threatened, when his new recruit wins them over to his detriment.
Scott’s life sucks he is an overweight balding man who got let go from the fantasy game store he used to work at, he lives with his grandmother has a beat up car, no girlfriend and terrible relationship with his mother. All Scott has is his tabletop RPG game he created that he can’t sell and his toady Wayne (Brock England) who he has sleepovers with like he is a little kid. When he loses a member of his crew, he recruits Miles (Garrett Graham) to step in. Scott soon regrets the decision when he realizes he is losing his place as the leader when the rest of the group becomes enamored with Miles for drinking beer, being funny and having a girlfriend. Scott slowing descends into Nerd Rage as he loses what little he has in life.
Anyone that has taken a glimpse into this world whether it is old school Dungeons and Dragons, Call of Cthulhu or any form of communal role playing game will feel right at home with Scott and crew. For those of you who have never partaken or never knew anyone who did, trust me when I say this is right on the money. The love of metal the passion for the world and characters created are hallmarks of this segment of culture. Scotts arrested development is entertaining from punching the wall to cranking his metal to just his lack of social skills it’s entertaining in its awkwardness. Through all his idiosyncrasies you can’t help but feel a little bit bad for Scott. There is one particularly heartbreaking scene where he claims that he invented the Matrix only to have Miles verbally decimate him.
Fresh off Success at SXSW Zero Charisma was picked up by Nerdist Industries for distribution (Hardwicks stamp is is all the validation needed for this material.)
This is a niche film, while it is accessible to all, those who have the slightest connection will be enamored.
Grade-82
