Searching for Bobby Fischer

Rating:
Summary: The Chess is just a Metaphor...really
Review: The worst thing about this movie is that it appears to be about chess. This is bad only because it might keep people from watching one of the most heart-warming and engrossing movies out there. And that's a rare combination of qualities to find an a movie.

First, the basic story involves a father dealing with the fact that his son is a prodigy. And learning that it takes almost as much for the parents to deal with that as the child. In Canada, this manifests itself in hockey parents who attempt to choke coaches. In the U.S., it's more likely found in the small town passions surrounding high school sports. But the feeling is very universal. Over the course of the move, the father learns how to deal with childhood genius from, of all people, the son.

The engrossing part of the movie comes, unexpectantly, from the chess. Even if you have never played the game before, the pacing, cinematography and editing of the chess scenes add a tension that rivals many great sports movies (ignoring the 'chess is not a sport argument'). My wife, a person who knows little about the game, also lists this among the movies that we have no problems watching again and again. And honestly, that is the mark of a great movie.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Acted, Heart-Warming Family Film
Review: I have just seen this movie for the first time and I love this film. Josh has fantastic chess-playing talent, but he is not another Bobby Fischer. He has a balanced full life and even offered a draw to his opponent when he knew he had the win wrapped up.

Searching For Bobby Fischer is a wonderful movie with solid acting performances. This movie should capture you imagination. It is a very dramatic story and the scenes of the chess playing are amazingly dramatic.

Rating:
Summary: I agree
Review: The reviewer below was right. Josh Waitzkin repeatedly did say but I'm not him. The person who gave it 1 star also misses the point that the story is indeed true. Josh waitzkin grew up playing chess in Washington Square Park and played against homless thugs. He was later taught by Bruce Pandolfini and won many National championships. He used to be the #1 ranked under 18 US player, but I don't know what he is now. He is currently an IM (International Master) though and wrote the book Attacking Chess.

Rating:
Summary: the other reviewer missed the point
Review: The reviewer who gave the movie a 1 star missed the point. Josh Waitzkin wasn't peddled as the next Bobby Fischer by the filmmaker. In the movie, Josh repeatedly said "but I'm not him" after his teacher (played by Ben Kingsley) forced Josh to be like Fischer. The most important point was the emphasis on the huge difference between Waitzkin and Fischer. Waitzkin led a balanced life, while Fischer disappeared several times to hide from public view.

Rating:
Summary: Encouragement to Play...
Review: My 13 and 11 year olds who have played off and on for the past 6 years (not masters) watched it. My oldest said, "It makes me want to play chess again". This was echo'd by my youngest son. It is inspirational and heartwarming. I am buying it for CHRISTmas. We enjoy our father/son battles. I was pretty good but they now beat me from time to time. Highly recommended and a nice "communication opportunities" for you and your kids.
A wonderful game - share it with your kids.
Greg

Rating:
Summary: Taking advantage of Bobby Fischer's name.
Review: Robert James Fischer is the most marketable name in the game of chess. This is no more evident than his 1992 rematch with Boris Spassky, where the prize fund was for 5 millions dollars - the largest in chess history. If someone in the world of chess wants to make a few extra dollars, just illegally attach Bobby Fischer's name to a project they are persuing. 'Searching for Bobby Fischer' is yet another example of people exploiting his name and making money off of it, while Fischer himself does not get a penny. This movie has absolutely nothing to do with the great master, but uses him as a toy for the backdrop of the fabricated story being told.

The movie is actually about an aggressive father whose son is a chess prodigy. He pushes his son to the absolute brink, and then realizes he made a mistake. He lets go of the grip on his son and makes him enjoy the game. In the end, the son plays the game better than ever. This is a nice idea for a story, but I was offended because none of it is true. I highly doubt that at any point during Josh Waitzken's career did anyone think he was going to be Fischer's successor. In fact, nobody has been seen as Fischer's successor ever since he quit playing.

It is actually an overused pharse in the world of chess. As soon as a young prodigy appears, they title him "the next Bobby Fischer". The term has been used over and over again to the point where it is ridiculous. Many other players, who were much better than Waitzkin, have been titled "the next Bobby Fischer". Don't believe anything being told in this movie. It is either exaggerated or completely false.

Rating:
Summary: INTENSELY GRIPPING, EVEN IF YOU CANT TELL CHESS FROM CHALK
Review: A cute little boy with a lisp emerges from his toy room to discover that he has masterminded his pawns, kings and bishops by watching a bunch of curbside punks playing chess for money.

Thus begins the gripping saga of Searching for Bobby Fischer, based on the story of an actual eponymous boy, currently considered to be the world's most prodigious chess player under 18.

Don't let the chess bit scare you if you're not familiar with the game. The focus is less on the game itself (although it sure helps you appreciate matters more) and more on the people, their sentiments, the pressures they bring to bear. It's a tale of human trials and triumph, not a sports movie that panders to a certain segment of the population.

And in being so, it probes some very relevant questions. How important are games to our way of life? At what point does the need to win become so important that the game ceases to be a game? Has it become so crucial that we lose sight of the humans playing the game?

We don't easily find the answer to all these questions, but exploring the young player's early career and examining the relationship between him and his victory-obsessed father is rewarding enough.

As I watch the 2004 Athens Olympics and all the non-game stuff that takes center stage in modern sports, I can only heartily recommend this unsung gem of a film to discerning viewers.

Rating:
Summary: High replay value.
Review: One of the deciding factors I use to determine whether or not I will purchase a DVD is, "How many times will I want to see this film?" Well, as far as this DVD is concerned I'm nearing the double-digits in viewings. This is essentially a Family Film with a great cast of actors such as Laurence Fishburn, Joan Allen, Joe Mantegna, Ben Kingsley, David Paymer, William H. Macy, and a small role by the then virtually unknown Laura Linney. After that, there are some fine scenes filled with some excellent child acting. I happen to think any film with good child acting is worth seeing, they are so rare. The story is well-written and ranges in emotion from humor to borderline outrage and deep-seeded disappointment. This film actually reminds me of "The Color of Money" directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Tom Cruise and Paul Newman. I got a similar buzz from both films. After I watch "The Color of Money" I feel an unbridled desire to play pool. After I watch "Searching for Bobby Fischer" I need to break out my chess board or play on my chess program. There is even a shot taken directly from "The Color of Money" that is used here. In "The Color of Money" there is a great camera shot of a huge room that starts with a shot of the ceiling and gradually pans downward to reveal an empty hall with about twenty pool tables set up for play. In "Searching for Bobby Fischer" there is a sweeping camera shot that begins with a dark shot of a hallway ceiling then floats through an archway into a huge, empty hall filled with dozens of chess boards ready for play. This film did get a single Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography, and with shots like those it is easy to see why. This is a very solid purchase for anyone, chess fans or no. There are a couple of scenes that bend towards the over-dramatic for the sense of keeping the story thrilling. Such as the final chess match, which is not what really happened, but it makes for a more entertaining scene. I know this because the real Josh Waitzkin helped design my chess program Chessmaster 9000 and his championship games are all listed therein. Minor discrepancies aside, everything about this film is first-rate and altogether superb. Thank you.