Wonderful character development!

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is an amazingly simple documentary that I couldn't help but get emotionally involved in. Very well done -- a must-see.

I connect more with this than "Man on Wire", mostly because I know more about video games than walking tightropes. The movie does a good job of showing just how seriously some people can be about gaming. It might just be points to some, but it's a passion and obsession for others. It sounds simple in theory, just get a high score on Donkey Kong, but it's a lot harder than that. While I found myself laughing at the people in this almost as much as laughing with them, I did enjoy the movie. The rivalry Mitchell and Wiebe is interesting, albeit exaggerated. I wouldn't see this again anytime soon, but it was an entertaining watch, and an interesting subject to cover.

Two men face off for the Donkey Kong world record. That doesn't sound like the subject matter of a thoroughly engrossing documentary, to be sure. But thanks to a clear good-vs-evil narrative, a cast of fascinating players and some terrific editing, "The King of Kong" is undoubtedly the most watchable (not to mention rewatchable) documentary I've ever seen. The world record for arguably the most difficult arcade game in existence belongs to (as of this doc's filming) Billy Mitchell. Mitchell has been a superstar in the world of competitive gaming for many years; and thanks to this film, he's now known to us non-gamers, as well. Armed with his lustrous mullet and neverending stream of motivational bromides, Mitchell moves with alpha-male swagger, an unlikely center of adulation among the rather geeky crowd of competitive gamers. Enter Steve Wiebe, a family man from Washington state who accepts the challenge of besting Mitchell and claiming the ultimate record. Wiebe possesses in himself a near-OCD need to succeed, albeit without all of the bumper-sticker philosophizing. Standing between the two is Walter Day, acting as referee in the battle for supremacy. Day is the figurehead of Twin Galaxies, the foremost record- keeper in arcade gaming. It is essentially the story of the newcomer vs. the grizzled veteran, with Wiebe's record-breaking videotape submission being denied (out of suspicion of cheating) by Twin Galaxies in favor of performing live in a sanctioned arcade. It's here where we see the film's cast of oddities really come to life, from nerdish Mitchell devotees to downright conspiratorial backroom dealings. Everyone here elicits a reaction, whether it's jeering or just pitying some schmoe who devotes his every free minute to playing video games. But it's Wiebe's central underdog story that keeps the film dramatic and interesting. We go through the journey with him, from triumph to heartache, from rationalizing to getting back on that horse for another go. It's a deeply personal story, and it's one that many of us can relate to. What's impressive about "The King of Kong" is that it's a highly-entertaining movie about a niche subject; but the way in which the movie approaches that material makes it accessible to the rest of us who don't play Donkey Kong. That Seth Gordon and Co. are able to make us care about (some of) these people and get fired up is remarkable, indeed. And it's a movie I can't get enough of.9/10

Here is a mildly diverting excursion into the insular world of competitive Donkey Kong.Billy Mitchell holds a title won back in the Eighties and is so insecure about giving it up that he refuses to accept Steve Wiebe's challenges to compete in such public venues as Funspot in New Hampshire.The subject of this documentary is the central characters -- the rather icy, big-haired Mitchell; nice-guy, puppy dog Wiebe, and the somewhat tedious, self-styled umpire of this domain, Walter Day.There are a bunch of other personalities populating this realm, all talking about the stakes involved. Except for a lovely female octogenarian interested in another arcade game, I couldn't keep any of these characters straight. They're all given way too much screen time.There's an element of sadness in all of this. Wiebe seems more fortunate than Mitchell in that he has a young family (Mitchell's family consists of a buxom wife). As young as his children are, though, they both seem to question his fixation on what seems like a very monotonous game. Wiebe's uncomplaining wife seems to draw only passing attention from her spouse.I found out about this movie in "50 Documentaries to See Before You Die," but I don't quite get why it was so honored. I AM happy to have found out about Funspot, though; I think my two boys would love a visit to this iconic arcade.