If this wasn't a true story, I would have given it far less than 5. I mean there's no build up, no telling how they were trained, you just see them have one lesson in class and after that they are champions at every chess tournament? I will just assume that they did get some good training from their teacher. Also what's with Rodelay? Dude is very loud, arrogant and annoying. Plus why they gotta hit the pieces so hard on the board? Haha that was so uncomfortable to watch. The whole film was long but each tournament felt rushed. There was no real engagement btn the viewers and the game scenes except for the last game. And to be very fair, from the movie, Marcel wasn't even a student of the school, he basically came into the school to help them play chess and win? Had it not being him, they wouldn't have won the championship.
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therealjaysmoke28 January 2021
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A_Different_Drummer6 September 2020A long time ago when he was "the next big thing," John Leguizamo did a 1-man show that picked up rave reviews. The problem with CRITICAL THINKING -- aside from the fact that few filmmakers have the guts these days to tackle a story with so much inherent "color" -- is that, even in its best moments, this film still feels like a 1-man show with every kid in the cast merely playing backup.
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esquivelgolcher-838-15189524 September 2020Based on true history that proves chess is very helpful tools in the schools.
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The film starts in a promising manner, as the teacher shows much passion and dedication. The latter half of the film is not so interesting for someone who doesn't know chess. I think some narration on what is going on would be useful. Overall, it's still an engaging film.
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Top_Dawg_Critic4 December 2020I enjoyed this movie, especially because it's based on a true story. The performances were excellent and the writing and directing on point. The 2 hour runtime just felt too long for this type of story. Maybe it needed more tense moments/action and/or less run-time. If you're into The Queen's Gambit, you'll enjoy this for sure. But if you're not a chess player, you may not appreciate this as much as you should.
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nouyrigatantoine10 May 2021Nice film on the true story of young people from the slums trained in chess, and pushed by their teacher to take competitions.
John Leguizamo directs here his first feature film that smacks of the 90s.
Nice to watch. -
boardwalk-7469710 October 2020John Leguizamo is a straight beauty, a directing pioneer, artist, aka a Legend
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nogodnomasters8 October 2020This is based on a true story of underprivileged high school kids from Miami going to the national chess finals. It is similar to "Stand and Deliver" but the drama was not as good.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity. -
Chess. As a fan of the game I have watched many a movie that featured it, and have been disappointed several times when it became apparent that the movie makers had no intention of actually portraying the game as it is played. Instead, they usually content themselves with utilizing the game's mythos. We are given the impression that players of the game are very smart, they understand the "deep thinking" part of the game and live in a world far removed from the rest of us heathens, who don't know what the word "checkmate" means.
"Searching for Bobby Fisher" (1993) comes to mind as an example of one of those great movies that somehow disregarded the game entirely. I was horrified that they could make a movie about the game and purposely choose to remain ignorant of it, as if no one watching would notice. Yeah, guess who's gonna watch a movie about a famous chess player? Could it be.. other chess players?? I'm sure no one will notice that the games in the movie aren't real.
This movie is the first movie I've ever seen that uses actual historical games, play by play. It accurately uses the names of the openings, and has the actors playing the game for real as the viewer watches. The teacher talks about real historical chess players that shaped playing styles. That alone warrants 7 stars in my book.
The other two stars come from the quality of the film itself. This is not a movie about the game, it's about the people who played it. A group of "disadvantaged" kids who became winners. It's a great story. The actors did a great job. Character development was somewhat slim, but the viewer is carried along and learns to care about each of them. Their interplay is real, you really see that they are in touch with each other. John Leguizamo played a great part, I enjoyed it greatly.
The only reason I didn't give this a 10 was because I was put off just slightly by the "social justice" revising of history. José Raúl Capablanca didn't get marginalized and erased from history, that's a fabrication. He was world champion for 6 years and had a huge lasting influence on the game. Maybe the reason people don't know about him is because he was champion nearly 100 years ago. And Gabriel Maura from Puerto Rico? He did not "modernize" the game. He literally created a new version of it (called Modern Chess) which is popular in South America. That's why no one knows his name, it has nothing to do with his race. It has to do with the fact that these kids are living in the U.S. and don't play chess in South America. Shame shame people. -1 star.
Great movie, I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it. -
Set in 1998 inner-city Miami it tells the true story of a group of high school students who take up chess as a way to improve their lives and rise above their circumstances. Sedrick, an African-American student, signs up for chess class as an "easy" elective and meets Mr. T, a Cuban-American teacher who becomes their mentor and coach. The class also includes Ito, Roddy, and Gil, all from different backgrounds, but all facing their own challenges.
The school principal doesn't see the value in the chess club and threatens to redirect funding to the football team, but the boys manage to raise money by selling candy bars. When their plan to turn the candy into marijuana cookies goes awry, Mr. T uses his own savings to register the team in the regional chess tournament. They win and advance to the state championship, but not without facing financial and personal challenges along the way.
The movie is filled with heartwarming and inspiring moments, as we see the boys bond over their love for chess and their desire to succeed. Each character is well-developed, and the audience can't help but root for them as they face adversity. The chess games are intense and well-executed, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
The climax of the movie is the state championship, where the boys face off against the three-time reigning champion. Marcel, a new member of the team, plays a pivotal role in the final game, and the tension is palpable as he faces off against the champion. The movie doesn't shy away from the racial tensions that exist in the chess world, and their victory feels even more significant because of it.
The movie's message is clear with hard work, determination, and the support of those around you, anything is possible! -
targa912 January 2023The movie never really spent time showing us how these kids trained to become better chess players. Showing them the odd Morphy game here and there with whoops and hollers is not great training. The film should have showed them spending time playing chess with each other, studying the game. The Cuban boy had a rating of 2300, which is International Master. So if he was roped into the school just to become part of their chess team, he's what you call a "ringer". There's a segment where the teacher (Leguizamo) tries to answer a question about why "our people" are not represented. The answer was typical liberal claptrap, and the teacher missed a great opportunity to say, "but Jose Raul Capablanca WAS represented--in fact idolized by millions and was the reigning World Chess Champ for many years." And how they identify more with a foreigner ("our people") than an American is telling.
I thought the father was going to be a positive influence, since the movie starts with them playing chess, but he turned out to just be a total, brutal ass. The actors did a good job and there was chemistry and camaraderie.
As a tournament chess player, however, I must point out the many awful cliches: For one, players don't STARE at each other so much during games. Most all the time their focus is on the board. Most players do not try and "eyeball" their opponents. The "eyeballing" scenes should have been limited to only those moves the player thought was trappy or surprising, to see his opponent's reaction. Instead, every single chess game both opponents are eyeballing each other. Ridiculous. Secondly, they represented the game as BLITZ--a chess variant where both players have very little time to move their pieces, so watching those games is indeed nothing but move, slap clock, move, slap clock, etc. But in reality, the tournaments they played at are serious, classical time control tournaments, and so MOST of the time it would be quiet and players would be just staring at the board. Instead, we see a flurry of chess moves (slamming down the pieces, also ridiculous), followed by slapping the clock, eyeballing, jack-jawing, and other horrible behavior.
The most disappointing part of this movie is that it is called "Critical Thinking" and so I thought it would try to make a tie between the consequences of "bad moves" on the chessboard and the "bad moves" in life. The character Ito, for example, seems to make some bad moves, but it's not clear exactly why he needs to sell drugs for money, and we didn't see the scene where he was fired. Why was he fired? Because he left for a tournament without telling his boss? If so, it's no wonder. But the movie doesn't tell us--we just see Ito spiraling down, making bad decisions, but there's no real parallel to chess. In fact, at one point Ito even says, "We won--so what? What did we win?" He cannot see the value of chess to his life, so neither can the rest of us.
I thought there were many missed opportunities, such as when the teacher gives his "pep talk" and talks about each of them tapping into their inner "intangibles", bringing "themselves to the game". What does that even mean? Instead, he should exhort them to not move too quickly, calculate deeper, be objective as possible, and to play the BOARD, not your opponent. Instead, it's like the team won because they dug deep into their PERSONALITIES, which is something more appropriate for boxing, not chess. A chess game can be lost by a single mistake, and with this young, brash, impulsive crew--the best advice would be for them to be humble, and to actually RESPECT (but not fear) their opponent, and to look at the board objectively. "Tap into your intangibles"--not a very catchy slogan for a pep talk.
I give it 5 stars for being a true story, and for showing the young/older original real-life people the film is based on. -
t-wildthing-618-80213823 September 2020I've always liked movies about teachers fighting to bring out the best of their students. Most of these movies show very dedicated teachers who not only love their job, but go the extra mile for their students. There are a lot of these movies, Stand and Deliver, Good Will Hunting, Dangerous Minds, The Ron Clark Story, just to mention a few; but in this case it involves a game that many may play but not all fully understand its importance beyond the game.
It's great to see how they actually explained chess with historic facts and that the actors played the game for real. It's also important to mention that these kind of movies make a difference in reminding kids to pursue not only their dreams, but most importantly the opportunities that open up to them.
Everybody has a chance to shine in life no matter where you come from or your ethnicity, it's all about wanting it. -
oskarmonyka8 February 2021Is a good story, but is not posible that a movie that takes places in school and teachers involved can said so much F words. When I was in school you were not allowed and I don't think that still is. On this movie I think at least, if not more, F words are pronounced.
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phapvdinh11 October 2020Movies like this remind you not to let your background determine your future. Life gives you disadvantages, but you can choose to move forward in spite of them or let them overcome you. Learning to channel your energies into something productive versus unproductive is important. Acting and scenarios are realistic. Nothing seemed forced or exaggerated.
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BudoSenpai9 January 2021I enjoy good Chess Movies, and Critical Thinking is worth a watch. It started off really well but fell short in the "end game".....
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nattybynaturenn7 March 2021I have nothing against people who enjoy chess. But this movie was extremely boring, I watched it in the cinema and fell asleep literally and was awoken by my husband when we had to leave, he enjoyed it a very little more than I did. Corny and boring.
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johnalewis-4589418 October 2020John Leguizamo is already a legendary character actor too many times type cast in Latinx shady criminal roles, but he has shown so much more over the years. In this film in which he stars, produces and directs he shows the depth of his talent.
This is a real feel good film. It shows a true life story of triumph over adversity in a non-saccharin manner. The story telling avoids cliché and sentimentality. It does not dwell on the darkness of these young people's lives apart from when needed.
A truly remarkable film. -
quojt20 March 2023If you enjoyed Akeelah and the Bee, I recommend you give this one a shot.
Good parts: The acting is incredible, from the side roles all the way to the main characters. The cinematography is similarly excellent. The music is serviceable, though nothing to write home about. The plot has all the developments we've come to expect from "Based on a true story" movies.
If you don't like politics in movies (especially identity politics), there are several moments in here. If you can't take those in stride, give this movie a wide berth.
The script: gosh, I wish that somebody in Hollywood would spend a season in the actual low-income areas of the United States. The one-liners and dialogue are painful. What's worse: the real-life chess players upon which this movie is based sound nothing like the caricatures presented in this film. The actors do their best to salvage what they can, but it's difficult to save a poor script.
I got this movie at the dollar store. I think it's worth my money, though not much more. I hope this review allows you to make a proper determination. -
richard-teemal-172-7898657 September 2020As a former educator and chess coach, who is an avid player and aficionado of the game, this movie resonates deeply. Chess players the world over will love this movie as it not only features the game, but is also accurate in its portrayal.
Admittedly, there could have been more in the way of character development (Sed's dad and Ito's backstory, for instance) and the minor plot (involving Ito and Andre) trails off a bit leaving the audience with more than a few questions. John Leguizamo inhabits his role as the teacher/coach as per usual and delivers an outstanding performance both as an actor and director. Also, Corwin C. Tuggles' portrayal of Sed was on point and, in my opinion, demonstrates his abilities as a serious dramatic actor and one to watch for the future.
All in all, whether you are a grandmaster or never played chess in your life, there is a lot to love about this heartwarming tale of resilience and overcoming adversity. -
noahharrigan7 June 2022This is definitely one of the best movies I've watched in quite some time. John Leguizamo played a great role as the school teacher and chess coach. I'm so used to seeing him in side roles in dark and shadowy films but his acting as a teacher and chess coach was really good. It's a different role for him and overall this is just a different type of movie that really isn't similar to anything I've ever watch; specifically regarding chess.
Another thing about this movie I like is the vibe - it's one of those movies where the teacher plays a big role in getting the students on the right path while keeping them inspired to stick together as a chess team. One of those "inspired by a sport/game" kind of movies. -
moly_roa12 September 2021I love based on true stories movies and this one of them .
You can expect everything for sure from the beginning but the journey matters too and the teacher who cares about his community and students playing fatherhood role is something that I really miss and admire. -
ajedrezmama7 September 2020It is a very nice movie. I like that it is based on a true story. I am a chess fan, it is more than a game, it teaches you critical thinking, problem solving, perseverance, self confidence and resilience. Something which we all need during these times.
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jewelch7 April 2021Absolutely fantastic, superbly adapted from real life events. Some suspense thrown in with excellent timing. Best film I've watched in a while, I highly recommend. Great casting and what an Amazing directorial debut from John Leguizmo who also stars in the film 👌 Yes I recommend it. James Welch Henderson Arkansas 4/7/2021.
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marybelk16 November 2020Love to watch movies where people persevere past their challenges. Always inspiring!
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caitling-2976929 December 2020I didn't think I'd be interested in a movie about chess, but John Leguizamo made a movie about chess fun and exciting. Really well done! I can rarely get my boyfriend to sit through a whole movie, but this movie he watched every second! A great mix of drama, comedy, action, and suspense, based on a true story.