exhilarating! -- an extraordinary achievement

Rating: 9/10 (9 December 2015)

Your humble reviewer was not present at the script meetings, but you cannot help but conclude that writer Steven Knight set out to do the near-impossible -- with a minimalist presentation, no CGI or special effects, not even slo-mo, make a chess movie that packed as much punch for the viewer as Ali-Foreman, or any other sports event you might name.
This wonderful film is like the bumblebee. On paper it should not fly. In real life, it soars.
This film works and works atreat. Maybe not the greatest biopic ever but darn close.
It helps that the topic is a man who even those of us who "remember the era" barely knew or understood.
Maguire gives the performance of his life. If you use a stopwatch you will be astonished at how much of his performance is merely facial expressions in close up. And it works.
The rest of the cast is solid as a rock. Schreiber leaves Ray Donovan so far behind you would think this is a different actor. Sarsgaard, one of the most empathetic actors in the game, is the glue that keeps the film together.
Mesmerizing from beginning to end. Exceeds expectations.
And here is a tip.
According to media legend, after the Spassky match, Fischer did a 7 minute comedy bit on Bob Hope where he not only showed perfect timing but more importantly showed none of the eccentricities on which this script was based. Watching this clip just after seeing this film (from one of the many "tube" sites - Google it) is an unexpected bonus for being a child of the digital age.