15 - "Searching For Bobby Fischer" (1993)

     Whenever someone asks me for a movie recommendation, especially if they are looking for something that is good for the family, I almost always ask if they have seen Searching For Bobby Fischer. This is a perfect film that flew completely under the radar, probably due to it's title and subject matter, chess. If it flew under your radar, please correct that mistake and give this movie a shot. I think you will find a movie that shocks you with how great of a story it is. Bobby Fischer was the first American born player to win the World Chess championship. By the age of 13, he was already a legend in chess and is widely considered as the greatest player ever. The fact that he was socially awkward, often rude and disappeared for years at a time, only added to his mystique. I want to make one thing clear though. This movie is not about him or his life. He is only used as the backdrop of the story. The movie is actually based on the real life of Josh Waitzkin, a young chess prodigy in the late 80's and early 90's, who was believed to be the "next" Bobby Fischer, hence the name of the movie. Waitzkin is played by newcomer Max Pomeranc, who was not a trained actor but was an amateur chess player himself. You wouldn't know it from this movie though as he is absolutely charming in the lead role. The story opens with Josh, 7 years old at the time, playing in the park during his birthday. He sees some men playing a game he has never seen before, but he is immediately in awe of it. Josh eventually teaches himself the basics of the game just by watching people play. He meets up with a homeless guy named Vinnie (Laurence Fishburne) who sees the natural talent that Josh has and starts teaching him how to play the style that is played in the park; a fast-paced, attacking style that is meant to intimidate your opponent, but to have fun also. Josh's skill increases at a fast rate and his father Fred (Joe Mantegna) believes he needs more advanced teaching. He takes him to a chess instructor named Bruce Pandolfini (Ben Kingsley) who views chess differently than Vinnie. He sees chess as an art form and believes those who play it for fun are missing the point. He teaches Josh a methodical style of play, always looking many moves ahead. His methods don't include a lot of having fun. These two different styles will come back and play different roles throughout the movie. At this point, if you are turned off because of all the chess talk, don't be. While it may add a level of enjoyment if you have some basic knowledge of the game, it is not necessary at all. Someone who has never seen a chess match in their life can still find greatness here because the movie is more of how we relate to each other on an emotional level. The movie is also a must-see for any parents with kids in sports, music or any other extra-curricular activity. Kids emotions can be very fragile and if they are pushed too hard to be the best, they can forget the joy of the game. Let your kids be kids is one of the underlying themes of the movie...I fell like I've rambled on about this movie but it just shows how much I feel about it. I love this movie and if I could give a copy to anyone who hasn't seen it, I would. If you have Netflix, you can stream it instantly!! There's so many great lessons here and the film is just a joy and inspiration to see. I don't know what else to say....Just see it!! Take my word for it.