A great little documentary, full of laughs, drama and tension. It's like Rocky, but with a joystick. And an opponent who isn't actually seen stepping into the ring.
Comment
06/06/08
The King Of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
97
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:93
Fresh:90
Rotten:3
Average Rating:8.1/10
Consensus: The King of Kong is funny and compelling with more than a few poignant insights into human behavior. Director Seth Gordon presents the dueling King Kong players in all their obsessive complexity and with perfectly al dente observations.
Theatrical Release:06-06-2008
Synopsis: There's more drama in this small documentary than in most serious Oscar contenders. A marriage is on the line, integrity is tested, and friendships falter--all in the name of a video game called... [More]
Director: Seth Gordon
Reviews for The King Of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Top CriticYou could hardly call it a paragon of impartial filmmaking, but this is still a compelling and immersive glance into the nature of competitiveness and the corrupting aspects of fame.
06/05/08
Top CriticAn engrossing story that plucks at the heartstrings just as hard as it pummels the fire buttons.
06/05/08
Top CriticPresenting these lives as a parable about the merits of good sportsmanship is a stretch; when the game is over, all that’s left is a low-scoring portrait of human vanity.
07/12/07
Is there anything more tiresome than watching people play video games? Seth Gordon's documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters answers that question with a decisive yes: watching a movie about people playing video games.
12/07/07
The film paints a strange portrait of a subculture that I found to be a drag.
11/19/07
A hilarious story about an unbelievable collection of arrested-teenage morons and, yes, an inspiring fable of persistence and redemption.
08/16/07
With the results up in the air until the very end of the film, you will care who wins the goofy contest.
09/14/07
Seth Gordon's feature-length documentary about obsessive arcade gamers could possibly be the most entertaining thing you could do on a Saturday night.
09/21/07
Directed by Seth Gordon, the film illuminates and draws you into a subculture you never knew existed and makes you genuinely care about its characters.
09/14/07
It's clear that director Seth Gordon is rooting for Wiebe - but it is not just a trick of the editing that means within 30 minutes of the political machinations of Kong beginning, you will be too.
06/13/08
The King of Kong is a cleverly made documentary that realizes you can start with something small and seemingly insignificant and make a highly effective and entertaining work.
09/02/07
The King of Kong is proof that you don't need Earth shattering events of cosmic import to create a compelling film.
09/26/07
Wonderful, hilarious documentary.
10/04/07
One of the best pictures of the year...King of Kong is an uproarious, unsettlingly observant, and romantically biased documentary on the golden years of classic gaming.
09/21/07
Gordon finds a way to take these relatively normal guys and their simple quest to be the best at something and turns it into a conflict for the ages.
08/17/07
Nerds rule.
09/14/07
Documentaries can make you concerned for the environment or fascinated by penguins. And now, they can make you cheer for a guy who plays arcade games in his garage.
05/30/07
a fascinating film
08/16/07
The King of Kong is a twisty, wildly entertaining film, and this comes to you from a guy who cares so little about Kong that he had to Google it to make sure it's correct to refer to it as a video game.
08/23/07
Latest News for The King Of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
November 28, 2008:
UK Critics Consensus: Local Critics Warm To Changeling; De Niro Delights But What Just Happened Doesn't
It's Friday, there's a new raft of movies in the UK cinemas this week, but are any of them any good? This week the UK film hacks give us their opinions on Clint Eastwood's... More...
November 17, 2008:
Seth Gordon Talks King of Kong Remake 
"King of Kong" director Seth Gordon has moved into the big time with "Four Christmases" -- but, as he tells Collider, he isn't done with "Kong" just yet. More...
August 07, 2008:
Further Reading: Celebrating the Brilliance of The King of Kong
One documentary from the US last year spoke to avid videogamers more than any other, and in the process told a brilliantly human story about good, evil and Donkey Kong. In this... More...
January 28, 2008:
RT on DVD: King of Kong, The Invasion Top Week's New Releases
There's a veritable buffet of new releases for the discerning cinematic connoisseur this week, ranging from a highly acclaimed battle for joystick supremacy (The King of Kong: A... More...
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