Much more than a movie about chess, this movie deals with childhood geniuses, the difficult choices of parents in how far to push their "prodigy" and the challenge of finding balance in a life filled with difficult choices.
I have watched this movie a few times now, and have gleaned different things from it depending on where I am in my own life. This time around had new meaning as I have a child very gifted with piano. I've had similar challenges to Josh Waitzkin's parents in trying to decide how much to push your children - and for what purposes. Most parents probably feel that pull, even without "geniuses" - finding balance in what kids CAN do, what they SHOULD do, and what they WANT to do. We want our children to be happy, but we also know that part of being happy is doing something they are good at and helping them find meaning.
I'm also a fan of chess and so really enjoy the glimpses into the chess world this movie portrays. The brilliance of those who stand even above the best minds in their field is the stuff of legends. Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Emmanuel Lasker... every bit leaders in their elite worlds as the likes of say Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Tiger Woods. Always interesting to me.
Great performances all around, from the young (and skinny) Laurence Fishburne to the always stately Ben Kingsley. From the interested and caring parents to the young Josh Waitzskin... even the "enemy" chess player are all well cast and enjoyable throughout the movie.
A modern classic in my opinion, and great for the whole family (probably at least 7 or 8 years old is a good lower limit). I appreciate the lessons it teaches, the story of Josh and the truths we discover.
I have watched this movie a few times now, and have gleaned different things from it depending on where I am in my own life. This time around had new meaning as I have a child very gifted with piano. I've had similar challenges to Josh Waitzkin's parents in trying to decide how much to push your children - and for what purposes. Most parents probably feel that pull, even without "geniuses" - finding balance in what kids CAN do, what they SHOULD do, and what they WANT to do. We want our children to be happy, but we also know that part of being happy is doing something they are good at and helping them find meaning.
I'm also a fan of chess and so really enjoy the glimpses into the chess world this movie portrays. The brilliance of those who stand even above the best minds in their field is the stuff of legends. Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Emmanuel Lasker... every bit leaders in their elite worlds as the likes of say Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Tiger Woods. Always interesting to me.
Great performances all around, from the young (and skinny) Laurence Fishburne to the always stately Ben Kingsley. From the interested and caring parents to the young Josh Waitzskin... even the "enemy" chess player are all well cast and enjoyable throughout the movie.
A modern classic in my opinion, and great for the whole family (probably at least 7 or 8 years old is a good lower limit). I appreciate the lessons it teaches, the story of Josh and the truths we discover.