Searching for Bobby Fischer - 9 stars out of 10

Searching for Bobby Fischer - 9 stars out of 10

"Searching for Bobby Fischer" is an all-around great film.  This film is effective because it is based on the real childhood of chess prodigy Joshua Waitzkin.  Waitzkin is played by Max Pomeranc whose combination of cuteness and ability to play a dramatic role made him a perfect candidate for this part.  He is surrounded by excellent actors, like Joe Mantegna who showed a nice transition from exploitive parent to lovin father, and Laurence Fishburne as a Central Park bum who helped the young boy develop his skill.  Joan Allen only had one fleeting moment to bring some emotion to the film but Ben Kingsley also adds a dimension as Waitzkin's misguided teacher, who also has a transformation.  To add another layer of depth, this film makes the most of a few great character actors like David Paymer, Dan Hedaya, and the king of all character actors, William H. Macy.  On top of the New York City atmosphere, excellent cast, and sporadic interjections of Bobby Fischer's story, it is no surprise that the film feels like a slice of real life as its screenplay is adapted from a book written by Waitzkin's father.  Chess has never been such an interesting source of drama and life lessons as it is in "Searching for Bobby Fischer."