Man I have been overdosing lately on crazy docos. And this one is by far the most bizarre. Have you ever seen two nerds in high school take each other to task in a presentation. Ripping each other to pieces with bane minutia, footnotes and factoids to try and find wholes in the other’s argument? The teacher shirked, gives both students an A and you can hear the girls’ legs close forever for the two learned nerds who will now have to take their virginity well into university (or college for you yanks!). Pathetic isn’t it.

Well picture that scenario with video games. That’s what The King of Kong - a Fistful of Quarters is all about. Picture high school nerds trying to set the world record on the 1980s Donkey Kong arcade game.

One bloke Billy Mitchell is a nerd that learnt how to play the game. Sure he had the joystick skills, but he got himself the stick on smile, pearly white teeth and the all American boy image, complete with a USA flag tie. Oh yeah, and he’s craftier than a shit house rat.

That doesn’t make Billy different to any other leading character. He’s forged himself a reputation and set his record in the eighties in front of an adoring live audience. But decades have passed and no one has come close till now. Enter Steve Weibe, the David in the Goliath equation. He’s a relatively good bloke that actually has a life, instead of several cats in an small apartment and his mum on speed dial. He’s just clearly obsessive compulsive, but keeps it together.

So the trouble starts when Weibe sends in a video tape of a Donkey Kong high score that blew Mitchell’s score into the water. The tape goes to a high score moderator that is clearly an old boys club that looks after its own. This is where things start getting weird. Suddenly people are accusing Weibe of machine tampering, hanging out with the wrong crowd and demanding a showdown with their beloved hero Mitchell.

By this stage, Revenge of the Nerds is looking like Beverly Hills 90210 by comparison. A bevvy of meddling nerds like Brian Kuh, who has held the second highest Donkey Kong score, enter the fray all loyal to Mitchell. Kuh is clearly a successful but tragic man. He’s retired at thirty, but instead of letting his hair down in a yacht and a Porsche, he sets up a showdown for Weibe in Florida somewhere. Following Weibe around everywhere, monitoring his every score and bowel movement over the mobile to Mitchell.

Despite the great not showing up to the showdown, Weibe plays on and exceeds all expectations, setting an unprecedented high score in front of an indisputable audience.  The look on Kuh’s face is priceless, as well as some other baldy guy who looks like Red Green from the Red Green Show. Clearly this wasn’t meant to happen and the king throws a spanner in the works via his many henchmen. A nerd melee ensues erupting in a showdown with a Guinness Book of Records attempt to up the ante.

What this doco is all about is asking whether being the better man and giving in better than having questionable personal hygiene and a world title. It also proves that money can never take the nerd out of a man, or give him valour. Frankly, this is a hilarious glimpse into a very esoteric nerdy world and the social wet blankets that made it for themselves. How some blokes will have to the best at something ANYTHING at all costs. All in all, the strength of character and perseverance of individuals that make this movie interesting. Not the nerds. Your more laughing at them, not with them.

Four out of five.