Mediaweek is currently on the ground in Austin Texas for South by South West as part of its official SXSW tour. One member of this Mediaweek tour, partner and Media & Operations Director at Strat, Josh Raskin Gottlieb, attended the world premiere of Tetris, directed by Jon S. Baird.
Below is his exclusive review of the film that he has written for Mediaweek readers:
Josh Raskin Gottlieb
Director Jon S. Baird and his team have done a brilliant job of using music and dramatic cutting of scenes to keep you on the edge of your seat and subtlety humming the Tetris theme throughout the entirety of this highly entertaining film. The mix of gaming nostalgia and a series of intense scenes makes for a winning combination. From high stakes negotiations, nervous waits following dramatic thuds from henchman knocking at the door, to car chases through the streets of Soviet Moscow, the scenes creatively flick in and out of classic 80s arcade game graphics and back into real life action.
Prior to the premiere screening, Baird assured the excitable crowd that he was not (yet) drunk, just very Scottish, and hoped the locals could understand his accent. Yet no translation was required during the film as the Scot perfectly landed the clash of cultures between the story’s two main characters – Henk Rogers and Alexey Pajitnov – Founders of The Tetris Company. Tetris delightfully plays to stereotypes of American Capitalism and what we in the West imagine life must have been like in Communist Russia. By the end of the film you somehow believe that the story’s protagonists were indeed capable of fooling those in the Corridors of Power at the KGB and playing their part in bringing about the end of the USSR.
Whilst writer Noah Pink was clearly afforded plenty of creative licence, the Q&A at the end of the film proved just how happy the real life Henk Rogers and Alexey Pajitnov were to see their story being told. Baird was overjoyed at the crowd’s reaction, as the packed audience oohhed and aahhed through every key scene. Both writer and director admitted this was without doubt the biggest opportunity and highest profile work of their respective careers. Leading man Taron Egerton revelled in his role as the fearless and determined Henk Rogers, relishing the chance to help tell this untold story.
As someone who hasn’t sat down to see a film at a cinema since before we ever read the words “Covid-19”, this one is definitely worth getting out to see.
Josh Raskin Gottlieb, Partner and Media & Operations Director at Strat
From Paramount Theatre, Austin, Texas at SXSW 2023 – Wednesday 15 March 2023