FILMBRATS - REVIEWS

Will Shortz loves puzzles. He loves them so much that he became the first person ever to graduate with a degree in Enigmatology, a curriculum he created. You may wonder how someone would parlay a degree no one else has heard of into a full time job. Well, he became the crossword editor for the New York Times newspaper. Will certainly didn’t create the crossword puzzle, but he has taken them to a whole new level. He’s made them competitive. Will started the annual national crossword championship held in Stamford, Connecticut, where thousands rack their brains trying not only to complete the mind boggling grids, but to do so faster than everyone else in the overcrowded room. This is the story of five obsessive competitors and the man who forces them to think inside the box.

In the vein of the spelling bee documentary “Spellbound,” this documentary takes you into the minds and lives of several high ranking people (in the competitive circuit) that the filmmakers hope will be near the top of the competition leader board. I imagine this is the film we would get when those little kids grow up. The same format is also used in “Word Wars,” but very ineffectively since none of the people followed were really likable. In this film, however, it’s not hard to pick a favorite. Everyone has their quirks that help them connect with the audience. It’s easy to sense the passion and see the drive they have to breeze through the puzzles. There’s someone here for everyone to get behind and root for.

Unlike “Spellbound,” the director uses the power of celebrity appearances for whatever reason. Partially, it could be meant as a time killing device. It could also be that they feel the need to reinforce the validity of attempting to solve a crossword everyday. I don’t know that seeing Jon Stewart or former President Bill Clinton solving the puzzles really enhances the overall story or narrative of the film. Just know that Mike Mussina is smarter than you. I would have liked to see more time explaining more of the history of crosswords, more time spent with the competitors, and most importantly going over how a crossword puzzle is constructed in the first place. The first and third parts of that list are briefly glanced over. There’s a lot that could have been done considering the wide range and vast history of the crossword (even within the New York Times itself).

The real meat and potatoes of the doc is obviously the national championship. You wouldn’t think it since everyone’s simply huddled over a piece of paper that you can’t see, but the competition really makes things interesting. The race is always tight and there are a couple of unexpected twists and turns to be seen, including an final round that would come off as cheesy and lame if it were to be scripted, but since it wasn’t turns out to be extremely fascinating.

The filmmakers do a great job of showing you just about everything you want to see (especially in the competition portion), and the graphics they overlay are a nice added touch. I was really surprised how easy it was to get lost in the frenzy. The style maybe pretty ordinary, but so are crosswords. But this doc isn’t nearly as complicated or inaccessible as them.

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