| Though he's only seven, Josh looks at a chessboard and anticipates moves that
mature chess players don't even see. He's a malleable young boy with an
incredible talent for the game of masterminds.
When Josh begins honing his talent, playing a speedy version of the game
called "blitz" with hustlers and hobos, his father decides to take him to world
renowned coach Bruce Pandolfini, who claims Josh may well be the second coming
of chess legend Bobby Fischer. But family struggles ensue when the mother
worries that in cultivating the genius, they may be hurting the child.
Steve Zaillian, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Schindler's List, made his
directorial debut with this critically acclaimed but little-seen drama based on
the nonfiction book by Fred Waitzkin, about a father (Joe Mantegna) who
discovers that his seven-year-old son (Max Pomeranc) is a genius at playing
chess.
The boy plays chess for fun, but when he's tutored by a former champion (Ben
Kingsley) and entered into high-pressure competitions, an enjoyable pastime
becomes a source of tension and resentment, forcing the father to reconsider his
parental priorities.
A poignant study of the difference between parental idealism and proper
parenting, the movie is also an observantly witty portrait of a precocious child
who is still, after all, a child, and still eager for the joyful discoveries of
youth. While offering a fascinating look into the world of competitive chess,
the movie's dramatically engrossing and extremely well-acted by a brilliant cast
that also includes David Paymer, William H. Macy, and Dan Hedaya in memorable
supporting roles
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