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Indie Game: The Movie
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Indie Game: The Movie

2012
Documentary
1h 43m
Follows the dramatic journeys of indie game developers as they create games and release those works, and themselves, to the world. (imdb)
Directed by:
Lisanne Pajot James Swirsky
+1 more
Starring:
Edmund McMillen Tommy Refenes Phil Fish Jonathan Blow
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Genre:
Documentary
Country:
Canada
Languages:
English, French
imdb More information at IMDb
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Indie Game: The Movie

2012
Documentary
1h 43m
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Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 60.73% from 712 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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hellboy76hellboy76
Rated 23 Jun 2013
75
92nd
Awkward Facial Hair: The Movie.
Rated 23 Jun 2013
liquid3600LiQuid3600
Rated 18 Aug 2012
4
22nd
Practically a 2 hour ad for Steam.
Rated 18 Aug 2012
senseisensei
Rated 20 Dec 2012
70
36th
I am a bit disappointed how disgusting and maladjusted most of these people are. Jonathan Blow is about the only one who appears to bathe regularly.
Rated 20 Dec 2012
misterlizardmisterlizard
Rated 01 Dec 2013
60
61st
As a documentary about something I care about, it was fairly enjoyable. But I can't see it appealing to anyone outside the niche it was made for. It's pretty much the "stories of obsessive fans" beloved of many documentaries. It has its share of personalities, but whether they're personalities anyone else could relate to is doubtful. But for a videogame fan, it has just enough insight into the world of indie development to remain interesting.
Rated 01 Dec 2013
funkyastroFunkyAstro
Rated 29 Oct 2012
80
80th
Coming from somebody who doesn't particularly like video games this documentary does a wonderful job standing up on its own. It showcases the insecurities, emotional toll and mental anguish that any producer goes through during the creative process. The directors either did a great job specifically picking out the game creators for this film or this leads me to believe that all game creators are a little bit insane, which to me solidifies the idea that video games are in fact a true artform.
Rated 29 Oct 2012
obdurateObdurate
Rated 07 Jul 2012
75
53rd
A great documentary about an interesting world. At times depressing, at times pretentious, it has moments of inspiration, moments of tension, and moments where you can start to understand what goes on. I love Braid but I don't like listening to Blow talk (most of the time). The film makers did a good job of picking developers who were quite different than one another, in order to get different views. Tommy was depressing as fuck.
Rated 07 Jul 2012
ryan_luedersRyan Lueders
Rated 17 Jan 2013
85
73rd
I love documentaries about video games. I can't say whether this one was more enjoyable than King of Kong but I did like a lot of the characters in this and I was wowed by the personal sacrifices they made to bring people like me, mindless entertainment. I didn't like the one guy with the blonde hair who made Super Meat Boy when he got all political and he was pretty whiny. I did like the other guy with his nice wife and how great his marriage was. Oh and Fez looks awesome.
Rated 17 Jan 2013
redactedredacted
Rated 17 Jun 2012
75
58th
indie indie indie indie, meta meta meta meta. everyone is looking for success, everyone needs success, the Canadian government will pay you to live in a well lit studio until you attain success. good to see the emergence occur, and the indie covering indie (count the camera on slider mount with 5d attachment shots). It made the attempt at adding drama to restarting a game kind of cute.
Rated 17 Jun 2012
sieghardtSieghardt
Rated 11 Mar 2012
5
2nd
Self congratulatory pretentious wank
Rated 11 Mar 2012
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 03 May 2014
4
74th
A testament for video games as the emergent art form of the 21st century. After fifty years, gaming has popularized and surfaced from the niche markets of computer geeks and children, and with that has come success for more personal projects and appreciation for the people that create them. This film does a wonderful job promoting that cause, focusing on designers with sympathetic motivations and various perspectives. I like Phil Fish, and don't understand the vitriol he has constantly endured.
Rated 03 May 2014
cagedwisdomcagedwisdom
Rated 22 Sep 2013
75
65th
Really enjoyable. The subjects are all interesting enough that listening to either of them talk about whatever for 10 minutes straight is a rewarding experience.
Rated 22 Sep 2013
dunder74Dunder74
Rated 24 Jun 2012
7
68th
Phil Fish is really attractive. Overall a well-crafted documentary with an incredibly charming atmosphere, Indie Game: The Movie suffers from a series of failed moments of tension. These moments come from Team Meat's story. It wasn't that I knew their game became incredibly successful; that plot, which composes a third of the film, just felt a little flat.
Rated 24 Jun 2012
sirrobbieSirRobbie
Rated 22 Mar 2013
70
53rd
A decent document about an interesting new wave of independent games. I'm not a game freak, but I think Braid is without a doubt one of the best games ever. In a way it was like watchning a very good, solid drama with an OUTSTANDING ending. Looking forward to Fez...
Rated 22 Mar 2013
getmoneygetmoney
Rated 13 Jun 2012
92
93rd
one of the most tense and moving documentaries i've seen this year. many crazy ambitious personalities. highly recommended
Rated 13 Jun 2012
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 05 Apr 2014
5
42nd
It would be fascinating to see the directors chronicle a developer who risked it all and failed, but the movie does an honest job cheerleading its victors, and watching their tumultuous journey pay off is undoubtedly moving. Disclaimer: this movie has little to do with game development and everything to do with the emotional highs and lows of the creative process in the face of industry giants.
Rated 05 Apr 2014
archagonarchagon
Rated 09 Mar 2012
16
69th
A very good, well-filmed documentary, about some game developers I admire. Blow's story is somewhat snubbed and feels a bit out of place, though.
Rated 09 Mar 2012
mspraguemsprague
Rated 22 Mar 2013
70
60th
A couple of excellent stories about dedicated games makers.
Rated 22 Mar 2013
emtiltemtilt
Rated 02 Jan 2013
66
58th
This is a well made documentary, and the interplay of indie film and indie games makes it a fascinating topic. Jonathan Blow was used kind of awkwardly, though. He provides an important perspective to the film's narrative, but he is strangely underrepresented in terms of screen time.
Rated 02 Jan 2013
cmonsterCMonster
Rated 12 Feb 2013
83
76th
Often borders and occasionally becomes pretentious, especially with the glasses and facial hair of Phil Fish. That said, I love a good indie game and the awkward nerdiness of Tommy and Edmund was something I could really connect with. Don't know if this would be a universally appealing documentary, but I loved it.
Rated 12 Feb 2013
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 10 Dec 2012
82
67th
All three main subjects had interesting stories from both a game development and human perspective. The film does a good job of contrasting the subjects and doesn't shy away from these people's very clear flaws. It makes for a rich film that highlights the human passion and rive behind these indie games, even if it doesn't say much about the games themselves.
Rated 10 Dec 2012
hologramhologram
Rated 07 Jul 2013
95
87th
There are more than a few independent documentaries that focus on people who spend their lives behind a computer screen that couldn't find a way to make those people vital or create a dramatic arc. Fascinating look at a collection of auteurs working outside the video game studio system. Tribute to the filmmakers, they've made their subjects real people; people I've known in my life. Best independently distributed documentary I've ever seen and better than King of Kong.
Rated 07 Jul 2013
cosmicmonkeyCosmicMonkey
Rated 22 Sep 2012
85
86th
As a hard-core gamer, this is certainly very fascinating subject matter to me, but I'm uncertain how well it'll carry over to the general public.
Rated 22 Sep 2012
fmoraesfmoraes
Rated 16 Nov 2017
60
31st
2012/10/21
Rated 16 Nov 2017
astrakhanastrakhan
Rated 19 Oct 2012
78
57th
Quite interesting doc which succeeded in getting more out of these talented programmers on an emotional level than you would expect, although it didn't delve quite as deeply into the technical side of video game design and development as I would have liked. The 2 projects were well-chosen in that they both produced quite noteworthy games but also had developers with big personalities who took major risks with their personal lives to pursue their dreams.
Rated 19 Oct 2012
grimesgrimes
Rated 26 Jun 2013
84
60th
Dope photography, lotta cool shots; cool use of in-game footage and images of texts, emails, online comments, etc.; braid creator storyline felt out of place
Rated 26 Jun 2013
jacoiiiJacoIII
Rated 26 Nov 2012
35
32nd
What I liked most about this doc is that it's one of the first pieces of media I've seen that doesn't question the artistic value of videogames. They know videogames can be art, they don't feel the need to argue over the point, and it really frees up the narrative. It allows the viewer to simply enjoy this for what it is: a movie about how hard it can be to be successful while staying true to a creative vision.
Rated 26 Nov 2012
derekstarDerekstar
Rated 27 Mar 2013
70
50th
Great documentaries get you interested in something that you actually don't give a shit about. The King of Kong does this. Indie Game The Movie... does not. But if you already like video games, this is worth watching.
Rated 27 Mar 2013
bownBown
Rated 23 Dec 2012
75
35th
A cool little look into the indie game world, and the almost game-auteurs who work inside it. The contrast between the two Team Meat members was nice, and you have to feel bad for Phil Fish. A lot of charm.
Rated 23 Dec 2012
kramyessevKramYessev
Rated 04 Oct 2014
61
41st
I want to set fire to Fish's sideburns.
Rated 04 Oct 2014
ag0stomesmerAg0stoMesmer
Rated 25 Jul 2018
2
46th
Journo's spouting bullshit and devs in various amounts of pain;. Can't help thinking a few decent questions fromn the makers could've really helped Fish.
Rated 25 Jul 2018
peribokuperiboku
Rated 14 Jun 2012
90
94th
i am watching everyday for 20 minutes to boost up myself. epic documentary is epic
Rated 14 Jun 2012
nilooravaeinilooravaei
Rated 18 Jan 2015
80
52nd
beautifully shot, and a very interesting, rather unconventional subject matter. the filmmakers did a great job of choosing interesting subjects. the only problem, for me, started to develop when "stakes" were set - there was something forced about the conflicts created, especially because the games chosen were all huge successes - the obstacles the characters faced seemed false as a result. i would have preferred to see more real interactions, rather than melodramatic talking heads.
Rated 18 Jan 2015
nolanNolan
Rated 14 Jun 2012
9
95th
An amazing documentary about the creative process. Sure, Phil Fish is kind of a pretentious dick, but his story made for some really tense and emotional moments. Definitely one of the best documentaries I've seen, and my favorite film of the year so far.
Rated 14 Jun 2012
vengefulkbmVengefulKBM
Rated 19 Aug 2016
80
75th
Gaming is definitely one of my favorite hobbies, and as someone who goes to PAX West every year, it was very fun to get a sort of behind-the-scenes look at the kind of people you might see running a booth there. Pretty awesome stuff, and doesn't really back down from the less savory realities of indie gaming culture either.
Rated 19 Aug 2016
canadianorcanadianor
Rated 08 Sep 2012
95
96th
'Indie Game: The Movie' focuses on three extremely successful games, and their creators, at various stages of the process. Their stories are similar to any creative process. Their passion for their various projects can come off as inspiring or pretentious from one moment to the next, but they're always interesting. The documentary itself does a great job of explaining the world, the challenges the face and the success they can stand to gain if they surpass them. Beautifully shot and well done.
Rated 08 Sep 2012
slugslug
Rated 24 Dec 2014
7
48th
Definitely worth a watch if you have any interest in indie games. Chronicles the stress involved with putting yourself into a product and *needing* public approval. The game devs are generally immature, unsurprisingly.
Rated 24 Dec 2014
whotempwhotemp
Rated 25 Mar 2014
61
11th
Have a hard time sympathizing too much with some of these guys. I program, I've been there, things can get rough. I liked the Braid creator, screw the Fez guy. A little interesting. - 2/28/14
Rated 25 Mar 2014
ddrudgesd_drudges
Rated 28 Aug 2014
30
30th
Not so much a documentary as an ode to the supposed greatness of indie (how are they indie when they have to comfor to their publisher's criteria?) gamemaking, making it the longest commercial I've seen. Video games will never have a chance at approaching art, as long as the toxic gamer culture prevails and the vast majority of games is made by insufferable, misanthropic nerds. Right now video games are mostly a means of escapism, occasionally with pseudointellectual tripe sprinkled on top.
Rated 28 Aug 2014
dtortumdtortum
Rated 25 Jun 2012
75
16th
Indie Game'in daha saglam bi sanat olmasi icin daha entellektuel game developerlar lazim. Jonathan Blow bile yarim entellektuel ve bolca kibirli.
Rated 25 Jun 2012
duderDuder
Rated 13 Aug 2017
65
59th
This is a decent look into what goes into making these games but it does have a very narrow perspective, as in just looks for 3 very high potentialed subjects. It delivers a good story but what about the remaining unsuccesful thousands?
Rated 13 Aug 2017
veganlukeveganluke
Rated 09 Oct 2012
95
76th
An excellent documentary, that is very heartfelt and very well made. The creators of the games are so very genuine and you can tell that making these games means so much to them. It was very nice to see this, and it put a smile on my face. It was great to see the process of the game making, and how they got to where they are. I could relate to these people, because I was one of those kids that got a NES or a Sega Mega Drive for Christmas, and part of me always wanted to make a game. And it's nic
Rated 09 Oct 2012
comepeliculacomepelicula
Rated 06 Dec 2013
30
12th
This documentary is boring, it's too slow paced for a video game documentary.
Rated 06 Dec 2013
supersuiSuperSui
Rated 06 Jun 2019
87
93rd
Just played FEZ rescently and it has it's place in my top five games of all time. To see how the developers struggled makes me feel glum and sad. Would'nt it consider much of a classical documentary but I felt personaly involved and yeah they all awkward facial hair buddys just like me.
Rated 06 Jun 2019
benoliver999benoliver999
Rated 05 Feb 2015
50
29th
This is a somewhat interesting film for me to the extent that I've played the games, and enjoyed them, so seeing how they were made is worthwhile. However, beyond that it's hard for me to describe the appeal of the documentary.
Rated 05 Feb 2015
begoniabolbegoniabol
Rated 16 Dec 2015
70
60th
Edmund and Tommy are pretty cool, and I love Binding of Isaac, another game they made. The more Fish talked, the more depressed I felt. He also seemed like a bit of an asshole, and really needed to cut his hair. The other guy from Braid seemed pretty cool. It's not an amazing documentary, but it was entertaining
Rated 16 Dec 2015
tinysausagetinysausage
Rated 25 Jun 2012
69
39th
Enjoyable doc with excellent production values that suffers somewhat from the fact that all three subjects had incredibly successful games. It was insightful to see that they were unable to know that their games were to be a success but it would have created some real tension to actually follow someone who hadn't made it (and there must be thousands of these).
Rated 25 Jun 2012
somnivoresomnivore
Rated 23 Oct 2012
90
80th
Inspiring and reaffirming. I'm probably biased, though...
Rated 23 Oct 2012
baggerBagger
Rated 06 Sep 2012
76
68th
While the actual story it conveys can be questioned, this was still a highly enjoyable documentary. Some elements are underdeveloped (The third "Auter"-gamer Jonathan Blow is underutilized and and unchallenged) it is one of the best-looking and most compelling documentaries I've seen in a while.
Rated 06 Sep 2012
parallaxParallax
Rated 10 Jul 2013
40
2nd
They should have sub-titled this movie: A Tale of Increasingly Worse Facial Hair. An overly dramatized version of a lot of what's wrong with video games in general, with clumsy filmmaking that feels like they were just trying to check off every generic documentary technique available. Also, good to see indie games are just like the rest of the game industry, since there's not a woman or person of color in sight.
Rated 10 Jul 2013
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 14 Feb 2016
70
82nd
Very good.
Rated 14 Feb 2016
walkenrollWalkenRoll
Rated 27 Jun 2012
75
60th
Great documentary. Will make me think twice before I dismiss another XBLA game. But, Phil Fish was way too over the top - and knowing about the industry, and that all the games involved became really successful, sort of took away from the drama and build up.
Rated 27 Jun 2012
hadleyreisHadleyreis
Rated 04 Nov 2018
84
85th
Yes. I was also in de game
Rated 04 Nov 2018
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 22 Oct 2017
70
76th
good documentary
Rated 22 Oct 2017
fpersonfperson
Rated 07 Jan 2024
100
90th
Very brilliant and emotional! Huge kudos to Jon, Phil, Edmund, Tommy & all the folks who helped & supported them. There's something very beautiful in game dev; I keep thinking more and more about it recently.
Rated 07 Jan 2024
forehead1forehead1
Rated 10 Nov 2013
50
47th
Well-directed but empty documentary following a quartet of indie game developers prepare their new releases. Has a mellow feel and it's easy to watch but you don't get much out of it - so little in fact that I'm none the wiser about anything in the entire process. The guys all represent the nerd stereotype to a tee, and you get the feeling their introverted, bitter personalities would have them shooting up schools in a different life.
Rated 10 Nov 2013
td888td888
Rated 16 Feb 2014
60
57th
Having been out of touch which the current games (development) scene, this is a refreshing insight into the industry. But my god, the facial hair, at least I shaved once a week.
Rated 16 Feb 2014
montycircusMontyCircus
Rated 02 Aug 2013
80
90th
Made me want to play games again! Very interesting doc.
Rated 02 Aug 2013
chmulcr0nchmul_cr0n
Rated 14 Jun 2012
84
95th
Best documentary I ever saw.
Rated 14 Jun 2012
sammydeedgesammydeedge
Rated 30 Nov 2012
90
82nd
A deep insight into the psyches of those behind the some of the most fantastic games. Presents the very real fears and stress that are part of all day to day lives and is so relatable.
Rated 30 Nov 2012

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