Pawn Sacrifice
starring Tobey Maguire, Peter Sarsgaard, Liev Schrieber, Michael Stuhlbarg, Lily Rabe and Robin Weigert
screenplay by Steven Knight,
directed by Edward Zwick
Rating: ♦♦♦◊◊
Biographical drama based on the life of Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) rising and challenging Soviet chess masters in the 1960s and 1970s, culminating in his famous match against World Grand Master Boris Spassky (Liev Schrieber) in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1972. Bobby Fischer was the World Chess Champion from 1972-1975. The film is good, but I’m fed up with Fischer. He had mental problems that, instead of being treated, were indulged because it was the Cold War and American success in chess against the Soviets was politicized. I’m certain that the pressure of the politics didn’t help his mental fitness.
My general impression of Bobby Fischer is a bad taste over the wasted potential of his life, his talent, his mind. Pawn Sacrifice puts his mental health struggle full on the screen. He may have been a genius, but he was also an asshole. Kind of like Steve Jobs.
Awful human being. Good movie, though.