SXSW Film Review: The Hobby

Do you believe in life after Monopoly? The filmmakers behind The Hobby certainly do.

From its opening misdirection – where the film threatens to be a historical survey of games before finding more modern narratives – Simon Ennis’ The Hobby serves as a modern-day introduction to tabletop games. If there is a through line, it is the World Series of Board Games, a Las Vegas-based tournament that launched in 2022. Intercut against personal narratives and examinations of the challenges of independent game design, the film uses this event as both a status signifier for the industry and an important gathering point for its attendees.

And board games are an increasingly popular topic for filmmakers. The Hobby joins Charles Mruz’s 2020 film Gamemaster as documentaries that trace the growth of the tabletop industry to its modern status as a multi-billion dollar business. Those already familiar with the industry will see several celebrities of the space; for example, we are introduced to Wingspan designer Elizabeth Hargrave and The Dice Tower founder Tom Vasel, both of whom share their perspectives on why games are now more popular and thematically diverse than ever before.

But the most fascinating narrative woven throughout Ennis’ documentary is the myriad paths that people take to the table. This is still a very young industry – at one point, Vasel points out that more good games are released each year than in centuries of recorded human history – and many of the film’s subjects describe their tabletop obsession as part of a broader search for meaning or community. The Hobby even turns to modern-day philosophers to understand our desire to play, with one academic describing games as “the beauty of practical action.”

For as much as the film may offer engaging behind-the-scenes footage of the World Series of Board Games, its true power can be found in these smaller stories. The drummer who burned out on the music scene and found her niche in wargames; the immigrant who pumps money into a YouTube channel meant to bridge the gap between western board game culture and his native China. The games they choose to play may be endlessly complicated, but those games offer structure and fairness in a world without either – and a like-minded community ready to invite them in.

Will The Hobby inspire a new generation of tabletop fans? All I know is my own experiences, which – from attending public game nights in new cities to building shared in-person experiences over a mountain of cardboard – mirror those of so many people onscreen. There is truth to the stories Ennis captures on the screen. How much that truth translates to you may just depend on what games you keep on your shelves.

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The Hobby

Documentary Spotlight, World Premiere

Sunday, March 10, 11:15am, Satellite Venue: AFS Cinema

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