Qwerty (2012)

Directed by Bill Sebastian
Starring Dana Pupkin and Eric Hailey
Runtime 90min. - Not Rated
3.5 Stars (out of 4)

"Qwerty" is still playing festivals. Screening info can be found on the official Qwerty homepage.

I am the victim of an elaborate ruse. The trailer for "Qwerty" led me to believe I'd be watching a lighthearted comedy. After all, how serious could a movie about competitive Scrabble be? I thought I'd be watching something akin to "Dodgeball" or "Balls of Fury". I was so wrong.

The movie is actually much deeper than you'd believe based on its premise. That's because there is an invisible character in the movie that couldn't be adequately illustrated in a trailer. This character makes itself known throughout the film. It's a character whose presence is always lurking in the shadows when thing seems to be going well. Its name is depression.


I actually think comedies are the proper genre to approach depression. You really get a sense of how terrible the affliction is when it's contrasted with happy people being funny. That's the case with Marty (Hailey). Here's a guy who quits his dead-end job and despite his lack of hygiene ends up with a beautiful, intelligent girlfriend. The normal brain is able to rationalize that situation as being a positive one. Marty, on the other hand, becomes more suicidal with each victory in life. He gains so much, but can't focus on anything but the idea that he'll fail his girlfriend and lose everything he cherishes.

This is a "love at first sight" kind of movie. First sight for Marty and Zoe (Pupkin) is a strange one. Marty works at a department store as a security guard. He's usually a night shift employee and is concerned when he's scheduled on a day shift. It's not the hours that concern him, but the presence of customers in the store. In addition to depression, Marty has some social anxiety as well. He's able to cope with that anxiety by verbally destroying people with vulgarities. That may not be a therapist-recommended way to deal, but it's great for comedy. When Marty sees people who intend to buy $50 underwear he can't keep his disgust inside. He jumps on the table screaming about how "No ass is worth $50". He tries to get the customers involved in the protest but only one joins, Zoe. She's also there attempting to defend Marty as he's being chewed out by his boss. Actually, her defense gets him fired. He's thankful for the outcome.

Zoe deals with some personal demons of her own. It's only less apparent because she filters her thoughts better than Marty. Her own depression comes from loneliness. Her own family dismisses her accomplishments and doesn't support her goals. After meeting Marty Huckhound, her issues are largely resolved. When Marty finds out that Zoe was once as suicidal as himself, his foundation is rocked.

The competitive Scrabble doesn't really make an appearance until the third act of the film. It provides plenty of laughs thanks to some play-by-play announcers who are oblivious to their own irrelevance. It also provides a chance for a director cameo. However, it has little to do with the plot. Any game requiring intelligence would have been sufficient for the story. Scrabble is just funnier than chess I suppose.

I recently reviewed "Midlothia", another great film by Bill Sebastian. At first glance they have no connection whatsoever. What I noticed is that both films feature interaction between people at opposite ends of the education spectrum. In "Qwerty", Marty is a blue-collar worker who has very little formal education, if any. Zoe is a vocabulary prodigy who comes from a wealthy, well-educated family. The conflict arises when Marty questions his value to the relationship. In both movies there is a highly intelligent person who falls in love with someone simpler-minded than themselves. I'm unsure if this connection is the product of Sebastian's subconscious or if it's a theme that will recur in his work.

"Qwerty" has some extremely clever dialogue. Some of it you'll see in the trailer, "My grandma told me my grandpa use to stalk her but back then it was called courtship." Some of the best dialogue didn't make the trailer, "I got a new curse word for ya. 'Horshack'. It's a new sex move. It's when you hum 'Welcome Back Kotter' while having oral sex. Take a note." That's not even the filthiest of the dialogue. Marty eventually gets a new job at the DMV where he takes customer complaints. His duties include emasculating people with witty profanity and then telling them exactly where to stick their complaint. Seriously though, writer Juliet McDaniel has provided the film with clever dialogue that resembles a Woody Allen script.

The film is currently on the festival circuit and has all the necessary components to win a lot of awards. The actors are asked to fill some strange roles and they do so with vigor. Bill Sebastian uses space well as a director. He tours us through the city without relying on recognizable tourist destinations. During the final competition he keeps a fairly small stage looking fresh with clever camera work. I've already covered the top-notch writing. I don't know how much say Sebastian has in the soundtrack, but the music has been excellent in both "Qwerty" and "Midlothia". "Qwerty" should hit the shelves this fall. Make sure you don't miss it.

P.S. If there is a sequel, it should involve a competition where Zoe makes sock monkeys. That angle isn't explored nearly enough.