1Up

You can't break stereotypes and clichés while also heavily relying on stereotypes and clichés. And yet, 1Up tries to do just that. It champions diversity and inclusion in an arena (esports) that has had its share of controversy concerning the overall culture, even as countless individuals have found a sense of belonging and community in that culture in ways they may not experience in the off-screen world. The movie does its best to address and confront these aspects to gaming culture, but it's also trying to be a kind of coming-of-age college comedy with bawdy language, dorm room 'shroom trips, and awkward first dates.

It doesn't work, mostly because it's trying to break the mold while remaining firmly entrenched in the mold of the "scrappy misfit" sports movie. Besides those stereotyped jocks, there are also the clichés of the "nice guy," the middle-aged administrator trying to remain relevant to "the kids" by using the parlance of today (in this instance, "cancel" and "my pronouns are..."), and the blissed-out roommate fond of yoga and hallucinogens, among other beyond exhausted character types. Also, 15 minutes into the movie, you can easily guess who the team of scrappy misfits will play in the movie's climactic scene and how that will turn out for them. Ultimately, as a movie that's trying to be a comedy, in spite of any good intentions, it's not all that funny.