Review: Searching for Bobby Fischer
Based on a true story, Max Pomeranc stars as young Josh whose sports writer dad (a terrific Joe Mantegna) introduces him to chess and before long realises that the kid’s got a knack for it. Whilst dad gets professional chess tutor Pandolfini (Sir Ben Kingsley) to coach Josh, mother Joan Allen frets that the boy is missing out on what childhood is really about. Laurence Fishburne plays Josh’s other chess mentor, a flashy speed chess hustler. William H. Macy plays the father of another player, Dan Hedaya is a chess tournament official, Robert Stephens plays the mentor of Josh’s chief rival, and Laura Linney appears as Josh’s school teacher. Despite being an occasional (and not very good) recreational player of chess for most of my life, 13 year-old me had zero interest in seeing something like this 1993 chess drama from writer-director Steven Zaillian ( “A Civil Action” , “Schindler’s List” ). so it’s now at age 45 that I finally caught up with it and I’m really glad I did. Bas...