‘Qwerty’ Uses Chicago as Backdrop for Word Nerds

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HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 3.5/5.0
Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Taking the game of Scrabble and making it a thread for a romantic comedy and competitive intrigue is a wholly original idea. Director Bill Sebastian and screenwriter Juliet McDaniels guides a Chicago cast through the maze of those words in the new film “Qwerty.”

The title refers to what is defined as the American keyboard standard – the first six letters in the top row spell out “qwerty.” But in the context of the film’s narrative, it is a maximum Scrabble word, garnering big points if used at the right time or the right part of the game board (triple word score!). The pursuit of words for Scrabble competition is the background of this Chicago-based story, which in front features a well-done romantic coupling between two outsider souls. Director Bill Sebastian displays a deft touch with the many themes, and uses creative composition to cover up some of the script’s character flaws.

Eric Hailey, Dana Pupkin
Let Us Be L-O-V-E-R-S: Marty (Eric Hailey) and Zoe (Dana Pupkin) in ‘Qwerty’
Photo credit: Intentional Films

Zoe (Dana Pupkin) is a self-described “word nerd.” Unlucky in love and estranged from her difficult family, she fills her time studying etymology – the history and structure of words – between her job at the Department of Motor Vehicles (exposing dirty word vanity plates) and her interest in a local Scrabble Club. At the same time, she encounters an angry and suicidal security guard named Marty (Eric Hailey) in an upscale Chicago store. Their meeting leads to a date, and although Marty tends to fly off the handle, Zoe is attracted to his sad hopefulness, and they start to live together.

Marty is not confident of the relationship, and even challenges it by taking in a homeless preacher named Lewis (Bill Redding). But Zoe won’t be swayed, and is even stronger in her resolve for the relationship after a disastrous meeting with her family. Meanwhile, the National Scrabble Tournament is coming to Chicago, and Zoe is encouraged to enter, even though it might push Marty away and lead to an encounter with the arrogant current champion named Dirk (Joel Wisersema).

As a background for a romantic comedy, this is a fine and original idea. Using an obscure hobby like word pursuit of course would lead to Scrabble, and creates a natural path to the big tournament. Zoe is an outsider, and despite her nerdish beauty and accidental career success, it does make sense that she would be lonely and would find other separated-from-the-mainstream types attractive. The coming together of her and Marty is academic for such characters, they do seem meant for each other.

Qwerty
’Qwerty’ Screens at the Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago
Photo credit: Intentional Films

Dana Pupkin and Eric Hailey delicately portray the couple, Pupkin is especially in tune with Zoe. Her demeanor never sways from the roots of who the character is, someone more comfortable with word study than human interaction. She embodies the character by dressing down both the look and emotions of her word nerd, and even in happiness seems separated from society. Hailey is given less to work with in his sad sack Marty, but still manages a nice chemistry as he interacts within the relationship.

The lower budgeted film is expertly composed by director Sebastian, who uses the Chicago cityscape as a character and atmospheric companion – although scenes set in Millennium Park’s reflective “Bean” sculpture should be banned. He also takes several challenging scenes, especially the climatic Scrabble tournament, and adds inventive flair to broaden and expand the scope of feeling generated by people simply playing a board game. There is background commentators at the tourney that are at first annoying, but Sebastian accelerates their pace to create an unexpected spice that makes a Scrabble face-off that much more interesting.

Where the film falls a bit is within parts of the characters. Why make the Department of Motor Vehicles a place where Marty – as a counter clerk – would angrily dismiss customers? It’s a cliché that the “The Simpsons,” for example, has already done much better. Also the Marty persona blows with the wind, at once painfully withdrawn and then inappropriately ranting. Many of the insults he expresses would either get him arrested or sued, and come off unrealistically, making them flat when they are obviously going for a laugh.

The momentum of this film lies within lead actress Dana Pupkin and the exceptional direction of Bill Sebastian. Chicago is the perfect setting for obsessive and borderline types, and the director and his star accomplish that mission of romantic destiny.

“Qwerty” screens at the Midwest Independent Film Festival on Tuesday, March 5th, 2013, starting at 6:30pm. The festival takes place at Landmark Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark Street, Chicago. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. Featuring Dana Pupkin, Eric Hailey, Bill Redding, Joel Wiersema and Mike McNamara. Screenplay by Juliet McDaniels. Directed by Bill Sebastian. Not Rated.

HollywoodChicago.com senior staff writer Patrick McDonald

By PATRICK McDONALD
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

© 2012 Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

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