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It’s not that there isn’t some admirable work here for there is. A largely black cast, which portrays unabashed ethnicity, is fresh and welcome. The idea of the movie is almost clever with a few good twists along the way. The plot (such as it is) is a modern, ethnic take on the age-old shenanigans of love and gender wars. Indeed, here, the ‘game of love’ is stressed as a strategic interplay between men and women: hence the title. Unfortunately, despite a clever concept of likening relationship manipulation to a mentally challenging game of backgammon, it is overstated and where subtlety would inspire, overkill drowns out any notion of ingenuity. The story is somewhat lightweight and yet convoluted. Our narrator for the film, Steve Smith, attempts to use strange logic and gamesmanship to ensure that his mate, John, wins back his girlfriend, Mary. Unknown to him, however, Mary’s friend, Jane, manipulates from the girl sidelines. With numerous references to Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, the tale is told of how men and women play at the artifice of love but with none of the Bard’s subtlety or insight. (Watch out for the ‘oh-so-clever’ pun on The Taming of the Shrewd. The first use just about raised a smile, why oh why did they see fit to keep repeating it?) The editorial techniques of intercutting the influence-wielding friends with the playing of a game of backgammon works well visually. It is completely overused but the stylised shots offer some stimulation amongst some otherwise unremarkable photography. (Did I really see two completely blurred, out of focus scenes in this film? Can I in any way be generous and call it ‘art’?) The plot spirals out of control and delivers a jilted groom, animalistic lust, a homosexual shocker, unplanned pregnancy and a murder - and that’s not even the end! This film suffers in that it’s a dialogue driven piece whose dialogue just isn’t up to it. There are a couple of witty one-liners and one or two pithy exchanges but it’s not enough to lift the movie above a mediocre, relatively unfunny and unsophisticated look at the quagmire of male / female relationships. The screenplay (by Leon Herbert and Matthew Hope) doesn’t deliver. Neither does Herbert’s direction or acting. Only Wil Johnson stands out in the role of leading man in a cast who turn in lacklustre performances. One saving grace is the good soundtrack but it alone cannot rescue this film. Emotional Backgammon
had an intriguing concept and the potential to be a novel and inspiring
movie. On paper, it had all the hallmarks of an Independent classic but
it isn’t and all the best will in the world cannot change that.
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