Sell me on it. I was in Chess Club in 7th and 8th grade because my friends were. 7th grade was fun because who cares. 8th grade this dude took over 'cuz his son was showing up the next year and ZOMFG he was ranked number 1 in his age group worldwide and fun.fucking.stopped. I used to make fun of the chess club because we had to fill out an accident form and then I had a match with a choad who decided to make things personal and start a fistfight so I beat the shit out of him. Then my buddy started dating Mr. Prodigy's older sister and we spent a lot of time with that family and all they ever listened to was this soundtrack. Which... Yeah. Bobby Fischer, rapping white-suit-wearin' musical hero. So I'm skeptical. Persuadable but skeptical.
It’s beautifully filmed. The pace is amazing and the acting and character development of Beth are both pretty great. The chess scenes are beautifully filmed. I was talking with a guy that played competitive chess and his only critique was that there were no draws in the show. Apparently something like 40% end in draws. The chess scenes are beautiful and at times, exciting to watch. But the story is bigger than chess. It’s a young woman battling some big demons and coming to terms with herself. There are lots of times I kept thinking the story would go in a direction and then it didn’t. It wasn’t cliche. I just enjoyed it for what it was. A beautifully shot and acted story. Also, some great period sets, costumes and music. Check it out. Let me know what you think.