About a decade ago it was considered somewhat trendy to film movies about the creation of technology that continues to shape our lives to this day. Some of the prominent examples are The Social Network and Jobs, that tell the stories of people who ultimately succeeded in their aspirations. Unlike these two, Micro Men, a British TV semi-documental drama directed by Saul Metzstein in 2009, does not encourage any survivorship bias. It narrates the brief but thrilling history of home-grown British computer industry, toeing the line between comedy and tragedy.
The plot centres on the rivalry between Clive Sinclair (Alexander Armstrong), an inventor and entrepreneur with a passion for designing miniature electronics and electric vehicles, and Chris Curry (Martin Freeman), a colleague of his who goes on to start his own business. It is their tense competition that drives the adoption of personal computers in British schools, homes and offices. Most of the film's story is based on the actual events, with a few scenes invented. Numerous cuts to the relevant contemporary TV programmes and commercials (a wonderful touch, in my view) add to the "documentary" feeling.
Despite being set primarily in mundane office spaces, the story manages to keep the viewers' attention thanks to Armstong's expressive acting. His portrayal of Sinclair as an eccentric, self-assured and self-centred individual, short-tempered to the point of being laughable, yet insanely committed to his ideas, may seem overblown and unconvincing to some. However, it undoubtedly shifts the production in the even more comedic direction. Freeman gets overshadowed quite a bit, but still delivers a solid performance of a comparatively down-to-earth businessman, countering his overly exuberant co-star.
Micro Men features a totally fitting soundtrack of mostly electronic music, which was booming in the times depicted in the film. The screenwriters do not overwhelm the audience with technical details of any sort, but if you dig this kind of thing, I bet you won't be disappointed, too. Overall, though by no means a masterpiece, this production deserves the attention of tech lovers and everybody looking for a well-screened real-life story to watch.
