One of those “how’d this get made?” Movies
It’s not about searching for Bobby Fisher and the real life story is just kind of ho hum. I wonder if this was a vanity project for the director? Like “the kind of movie I’d want to watch”.
Not quite sure what you're trying to say, exactly.
This is a GREAT film. Judging by your comment, you might be surprised to learn it's one of the few movies to hold a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Universal critical acclaim.
I first watched this film when I was 14 or 15 and it had a big impact on me. While I had had some degree of interest in chess before I saw Searching for Bobby Fischer, this movie definitely helped to get me interested on a more serious level and I have studied and played the game on and off ever since.
I really love this movie both because it makes chess interesting and also in the way that it delves into the positives and negatives of competition and the competitive mindset, as well as the basically wholesome and good-natured story it tells. I went on, several years later, to also read the book the film is based on.
I have my own aspirations about one day being a filmmaker and I'd love to make a movie like Searching for Bobby Fischer.
It wouldn’t do well I’m 2018.
shareDo well in what sense? Financially? Critically? Do well with audiences?
I'll assume you mean box office.
Even in 1993 it wasn't exactly a box office juggernaut. It made $7 million. Adjusted for inflation that's about $12 million today.
Today, just as in 1993, it would find its audience on home video and television.
Financially.
shareI have to agree with you. It was a GREAT film. Great cast, great acting, great writing. For me it was one of the few 10/10s I'd give.
I still have the ticket stub from when I first saw it. I don't have any other ticket stubs. Doesn't mean it's my #1, but it does mean I was so impressed with it, I kept the stub.
Interesting. I'm not sure how I even became aware of the film--I either saw it on TV or ran across it in the video store--but I had not even heard about it until long after it had left theaters.
You may be right that it's a 10/10. I always hesitate to give out a perfect rating because I think that perfection is unattainable, but it's difficult for me to come up with any firm criticisms of the film. It was executed extremely well.
I actually looked the director up earlier and he didn't make another movie for five years, when he made A Civil Action (a damn fine courtroom drama), and then didn't make another after that for almost a decade. Most recently he directed all eight episodes of The Night Of on HBO. I'm surprised that's all he's done on the direction side of things (apparently he's more of a writer than a director).
It was a long time ago, so I have no idea now what compelled me to go see it. It wasn't any of the actors, because before this, I didn't know any of them. Maybe Lawrence Fishburn, but probably not.
Absolute perfection doesn't exist, so there's no point in using a rating of 10 if it means absolute perfection. For me it doesn't mean without any flaws, it means great acting, great direction, great writing, great cinematography, and this hit every note for me.
My only criticism of it is the kid who opposed the main character was painted as too much of a flat-out villain; I'd have preferred he had more nuances than that. Still, a small criticism of an otherwise great film.
It doesn't surprise me if he's more of a writer than a director. In fact, that makes sense to me. Harper Lee only wrote two novels, To Kill A Mockingbird and the follow-up many years later, but what she wrote was brilliant and has made a lasting mark. I'm not saying the same is the case with this director, because I don't know, but it might be.
I've never seen or heard of A Civil Action, nor have I seen any episodes of The Night Of, so have no opinion about his other work. Thanks for letting me know about it, though.
The real-life guy that the antagonist is based on is actually a fascinating character in his own right. He had a very weird childhood, literally disappeared for several years, and then suddenly re-emerged as a professional poker player.
You may find his Wiki article interesting:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sarwer
I agree on several counts: It is a great movie and it's underrated. I also agree with your opinion of A Civil Action, one of my favorite courtroom dramas.
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