Great Acting & High Drama In A Wonderful Period Piece

Rating: 9/10 (25 February 2017)

Despite the fact that I can't play chess worth a lick (and haven't really even given it all that much of an effort), I've always found the game to be fascinating as the ultimate test of mental acuity. It has been said that just four moves into a match, there are 288 billion permutations thereafter. Wow! "Pawn Sacrifice" is the story of perhaps the greatest chess player of all time, Bobby Fischer, and his tumultuous battle both with the Soviet Union's best chess players and his own inner demons.
For a basic plot summary, this movie begins with Fischer (Tobey Maguire) not showing up to his promoted matched with Russian Grand Master Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber). It is clear that Fischer is not well. The film then flashes back to scenes from earlier in Bobby's life, where he is managed by Paul Marshall (Michael Stuhlbarg) and mentored by Father Bill Lombardy (Peter Sarsgaard). Despite being a chess genius, without a doubt, there is always the chance that Bobby will dive off the deep end at any second. As his stature grows, he catches the eye of the Soviet Union (locked in the heart of the Cold War with America), who will stop at nothing to make sure their champion, Spassky, is seen as superior. This sets up the epic clash between Spassky and Fischer, where a good deal more than chess is on the line.
"Pawn Sacrifice" is a great film primarily because of the superb acting performances all around. This is the type of movie that needs simmering drama and sustained emotion to succeed (can't rely on special effects or action/adventure), and all those things are provided. Particularly noteworthy is Maguire as Fischer. It's the type of performance that, had the film succeeded a bit more financial, could have garnered him some awards. All the auxiliary cast are spot-on as well.
It's also quite a feat to take a movie that primarily consists of two people staring at a board contemplating seem drama-filled. Obviously, the backstory of everything else going on is what creates the majority of the drama, but even the chess scenes themselves are fraught with tension and suspense. For those who think chess is "boring", they might have a different view after watching "Pawn Sacrifice".
Probably the only thing keeping the picture from being truly great is that a bit more development could have been given to the Spassky character. The story of Fischer is intriguing, to be sure, but for every "hero" there must be equal shrift given to the "villain", and sometimes that fails to happen here. The scenes where Spassky is given some development are great and Schreiber shines, but they just seem a bit few and far between.
All told, "Pawn Sacrifice" is a great movie for those who like historical biopics or are interested in Bobby Fischer's story or chess in general. The acting performances carry the way, and there is a sense of tension right up to and even through the final credits. You'll never believe that chess can be this exciting!