Searching for Bobby Fischer
Composite Score: 84.7
Starring: Joe Mantegna, Ben Kingsley, Max Pomeranc, Joan Allen, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Nirenberg, Robert Stephens, David Paymer, Hal Scardino, and William H. Macy
Director: Steven Zaillian
Writer: Steven Zaillian
Genres: Biography, Drama, Sport
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements
Box Office: $7.27 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Searching for Bobby Fischer is the film adaptation of Fred Waitzkin’s book of the same name, subtitled The Father of a Prodigy Observes the World of Chess, about his son Joshua’s experiences as a talented young chess player in the 1980s. The film follows the Joshua (Max Pomeranc) as he discovers his passion and knack for chess while watching speed games at Washington Square Park, most notably influenced by the fast-talking Vinnie (Laurence Fishburne) who immediately sees his potential. As Joshua’s parents (Joe Mantegna and Joan Allen) come to see this potential for themselves, they hire renowned chess instructor Bruce Pandolfini (Ben Kingsley) to improve his play and set him up for future success. The film parallels Joshua’s prodigious rise in the chess world with that of chess grandmaster and world champion Bobby Fischer in cuts of actual footage with voiceover descriptions from Pomeranc. Fischer famously lived his young life entirely focused on chess before becoming a recluse in the 1970s when he refused to defend his title of world champion. The film explores the pressures of adolescent chess competitions, specifically, but more broadly, the pressures placed by parents on their children in all extra-curricular contests and the importance of letting children be children, no matter how gifted they might be. In addition to receiving an Oscar nomination for its cinematography, the film has also been celebrated for its ability to showcase universal truths and themes in the midst of a fairly niche story.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
As much as the film manages to elevate itself above the typical sports/contest movie, Searching for Bobby Fischer does fall back on some familiar story beats in some not-so-original ways, giving it the feeling of Invictus or Friday Night Lights or even at times The Sandlot in the ways that it contrives emotional payoffs and important character moments that call back to earlier moments in the film. While none of this is poorly executed, and while, in fact, I think the climactic use of Joshua’s two mentor’s styles in his “championship” match ends up paying off well, it keeps the film fairly low stakes and predictable in terms of its story beats. I know that he’s going to get picked up by his coach, that he’s going to struggle with balancing chess with his desire to live a normal life, that he will have an intimidating rival who feels better than him, that he’s going to question why he even joined chess to begin with. Plotwise, this film could have almost been the skeleton for High School Musical. It works for the type of film that it is, and that’s where we’ll leave it.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
The way that Searching for Bobby Fischer sets itself apart from those other films (as all successful sports/competition films do) is by showcasing themes of humanity and human connection that are widely applicable and relatable beyond the game of chess and the story of the film. For this particular film, the filmmakers and writers chose to explore childhood and relationships between children and their authority figures. This plays out over and over with Joshua and his father, Joshua and his mother, Joshua and his coach, Joshua and Vinnie, showing the ways that Joshua’s uniquely compassionate and caring personality shift the ways that the adults in his life view competition and temper the expectations they have for him and shift the ways that they treat him and the other people around them. At the same time, we get glimpses of other children’s relationships with various adults as well. We get Joshua’s friend Morgan’s (Hal Scardino) relationship with his father (David Paymer) and his father’s refusal to let up on him at all even after seeing the results in Joshua’s successes. We see William H. Macy’s character’s interactions with his own son and the ways that he allows his own mood to be directly tied to the successes and failures of his son, usually expressed negatively toward said son. Finally, we get the interactions between Joshua’s rival Jonathan Poe (Michael Nirenberg) and his tutor (Robert Stephens), a relationship that is entirely transactional and that lacks any parental involvement at all, leading to Poe’s smug personality and direct contrast to the character of Joshua. These foils to the main relationships only serve to deepen the film’s message of relating to the children in your life and allowing them to be children even as they begin to excel and discover their own skills and talents – to be proud but never overbearing. It’s a strong message that remains just as relevant today as ever.
Searching for Bobby Fischer offers viewers a direct critique of the pressures parents place on their gifted children, showcasing in a poignant way the positive and negative impact that parental interactions can have on their children, setting itself apart from similar sports films and earning a spot of greatness. Its familiar plot makes it easy to access but also easy to ignore if you aren’t careful, as the cinematography and message deserve to be seen. It is currently available to stream with a Showtime subscription or to rent on most streaming services if you’d like to check it out.