Genres

Visitors Review

Scott Renshaw 2012-05-22 22:44:43

Both as intelligent cinema and rousing entertainment, Searching for Bobby Fischer is a winner not to be overlooked. Chess ... who'd have guessed?

mikahunter 2012-05-22 09:44:31

the kids first game in the park???

I believe that "Searching For Bobby Fischer" was an excellent movie. Ienjoyed the relaxing environment of the film. I only wish that themovie revealed some useful moves and strategies that the viewers coulduse in their own games. I understand that the old man in the park toldJosh that he lost his first game, however I'm not completely sold onthat fact. I feel that the movie has and inside plot or motif. Ibelieve in my heart that if Josh did in fact lose that game to the oldman, it was only because he let him win or the man quit. So my questionramains... In the beginning parts of the movie, while in the park, the old manstated to Josh, "You lose." Did the old man win, quit, or did Josh letthe old man win???Thanks and happy movie watching to everyone!

Mark Mayhew 2012-05-22 04:34:32

Every Father Should Watch This Movie

It's one of the toughest jobs a father faces--how hard should you push to"make a man" out of your young son."Searching for Bobby Fischer" offers a gentle and unexpected answer: Youshould listen for your son to tell you how "manly" he wants to be. YoungMax Pomeranc is letter-perfect as the chess prodigy who refuses to becomeruthless despite the prodding of his father and his surrogate-father. JoeMantegna and Ben Kingsley give moving performances as men who can beconvincingly converted to the truer, sweeter morality of a young child whodoesn't need to be "tough" in order to be good. Watch for an understated,underrated performance by Joan Allen as the mom. A beautifullyphotographed, beautifully paced drama that should reduce anyone with moreempathy than a statue to heartfelt tears.

2012-05-21 15:19:21

DVD Purchase

This review is from: Searching for Bobby Fischer (DVD) Been looking for this DVD forever for grandson. When he started playing chess, I mentioned this movie and he was anxious to see it. It's a great movie so don't understand why so difficult to find. A new one was too expensive but the used one I got was just fine.

2012-05-13 12:29:00

Excellent

I bought this film for a friend whom I played over 50 chess games with (2 of which I one and he tutored me on chess theory throughout) as a graduation gift. I hadn't even heard of kinsley and didn't even recognize fishburne when I first saw this, nowadays I'd recommend the movie just for those actors alone, but even without the "good acting" the movie pace and plot has a mesmerizing feel. This -- along with a lot of kingsley's acting -- just has an incredible flow to it. Excellent film.

2012-05-12 23:39:39

Fine flick with surprise!

When I saw this I thought it was just a fine, well made little movie and was happy as a clam, as they say, to have seen it. Then I see at the end that it's a true story....good thing I didn't know that BEFORE I saw it: I probably wouldn't have seen it! But having found it out at the end was an added surprise. Anyway, I know how to play chess, but the movie isn't really about chess. It has more to do with good old-fashioned storytelling! It would even be helpful NOT to know anything about the game! Nobody will find fault with this flick. I'm glad I discovered it!

2012-05-04 19:19:38

This is so not what real competitive chess is about

Too much drama. I watched this movie and cringed at how they portrayed chess and chess players.

2012-05-04 01:56:39

Very good family movie

This review is from: Searching for Bobby Fischer (DVD) I am not a chess person and thought I would find the movie boring, but it actually is a very good movie and I would recommend it to anyone with children.

2012-05-04 06:03:34

Great find!

If you haven't bought this movie yet you need to do so. This is a fabulous family movie that inspires. I was thrilled to be able to find it new for this price. Would deal with this seller again!

Jonathan 2012-05-04 04:32:44

One of my all time favorite movies

I have watched it probably ten different times, and am always loved every part of this movie each time. Great characters, great actors and acting, gives me a great warmth inside.

2012-04-30 02:34:06

are they out of their minds?

I bought this very nice DVD when it was relatively new in the nineties for about $10, so I'm totally shocked to see it selling for such an outrageous price now. I find it especially ironic these days during the international internet war about file sharing and internet piracy that a company would be stupid enough to charge $72 for a DVD that isn't even Blu-ray. Is it any wonder that internet pirates are breaking the copyright laws every time they get a chance?

2012-04-29 12:40:37

A must see for parents

Wonderful movie! Every parent who has a child that participates in any competitive activity needs to see this film. Substitute soccer or baseball for chess in this film and you can see yourself. Stellar cast with great turns by Fishburn and young Max. One of the best movies to watch with your kids.

2012-04-26 06:18:21

The Chess is just a Metaphor...really

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.

James Berardinelli 2012-04-25 13:07:52

Chess may not be the most exciting activity to watch, but Searching for Bobby Fischer makes for engaging entertainment.

Sarimos 2012-04-25 15:23:08

Big movie, in a small package

This is such a great film! And there is more than one reason why Ibelieve this.First of all, Ben Kingsley is one of my favorite actors. And thismovie(along with "Sneakers", "Death and the Maiden", "Twelfth Night",and "Sexy Beast"), really helps me believe that. And I believe thatthis is one of his best characters, and best films.As far as Max Pomeranc's acting is concerned...wonderful. Even today Ican't think of a kid who's had a better performance. Truly good acting.And sadly for his short lived career, I'd have to say he was in hisprime there.The creativity in this film is awesome! My favorite scene is whenBruce(Kingsley) is teaching Josh(Pomerac) the dynamics of chess, andwhen the camera flips back and forth between the chess pieces, eachtime building up the conversation, and going up the ladder ofsignificant pieces. Powerful scene, with powerful lessons.I also enjoy that if you don't have much of an interest in chess, thatit still keeps you capitvated. I wasn't as interested in chess until Isaw this movie. And I'm even more interested in film (I thought that Icouldn't be more interested).And finally...the score. I love James Horner. And this is one of thereasons why. Along with "Sneakers", "Braveheart", and many other Hornerscores, I find it makes the movie that much better.Truly a movie to remember always.

Micah S 2012-04-25 09:44:22

just a game?

What's more important? Being the best? Playing just for the fun of it? Trying to be somebody else? Well, this movie makes you ask these questions. Being a kid is fun. Isn't it? Having fun is important. At least with sports and games it is. It's amazing how when you become an adult you seem to become more competitive, than when you are a kid, it's just for fun. To me this movie shows, it's not so much the talents/skills you have (even though it sure helps), it's your attitude towards them. This kid didn't hate people, he loved them."Just a game" can form a pattern in the way we see life. He loved people. So he even gave someone a chance. He was willing to share the championship with another. Too bad the other kid just didn't see that. Games and sports can either teach us good sportsmanship, team work, and fair play or competiveness, got to win attitude, cheating znd just being plain aggressive. By the time i finished watching this movie, I was thinking good for this kid! Not only did he do well in chess but other games and even sports. However, through it all he remained humble, loving, and kept a good attitude, consistant with his true character.

2012-04-19 19:41:04

Pursuing Excellence

As others have said this movie is indeed about family values, the price(s) one pays for winning and competition and dealing with devloping your child. Let us take all that as given - there are two other things that, to my mind are the core bedrock and are usually not mentioned in the review. But are in fact central in the script and the message.The first is seeing beneath the surface of Chess to the emotional and intellectual endeavor it can be, at it's best. As Bruce Pandolfini puts it "Fischer got beneath the surface of the game line no one else before him". One doesn't need to understand chess, though it helps, to see that the passionate pursuit of great art is a moment of excellence.The second is the prices necessary - which differ for us all. So few of us are truly excellent at much of anything, which is probably the reason we applaud those who are. Being able to create great art is a moment of transcendence and the movie shows us the exterior of this about as well as it can be done. But it also shows us how the single-minded pursuit of pure excellence at the price of all the other things that make us worthwhile people is a high price to pay.It is these othere lessons that are at the heart of this movie and make it truly worthwhile as a great, long-lasting 'see-again' movie. For the whole family.

Noel Murray 2012-04-19 12:26:20

Lively and captivating.

George Parker 2012-04-19 09:00:36

I can't believe it took me eight years to get around to watching this film.

How much time, effort, and sacrifice do parents demand aofchild chess prodigy in order to nurture and develop hisunique ability without compromising his schooling in thegreatest game of all...life. That is the essence of"Searching for Bobby Fischer", a very well crafted dramawhich tells the true story of Joshua Waitzkin, chesschampion.The film takes the audience into the world of chess inbothsanctioned tournament play and speed chess played for moneyby street hustlers in a public park. It also takes theaudience into a family life with sufficient depth ofcharacter and story as to make the film appealing to eventhose with no affinity for chess. A masterful film withexcellence in all areas, "Searching..." is a worthy watchwhich should have broad appeal.

anonymous 2012-04-18 18:38:41

too good

Chess interesting? I never thought so. Yet the story and performancesmakethis movie more than the sum of its parts.