A disjointed, mildly entertaining film filled with historical/biographical inaccuracies

Rating: 6/10 (18 January 2017)

This is the ultimate problem of historical or biographical films. Films exist on a scale, realistic on one end and Hollywood on the other. Most based on a true story films try to be in the middle. This one went too far the Hollywood side. Notice I didn't say "entertaining" - films can be completely realistic and entertaining and completely unrealistic and still be boring.
The real Fischer is so interesting, so there was no need to reinvent a new person to tell the story.
Fischer had a father figure who was in his life, he just didn't know it was his actual father.
Fischer was interested in languages and learned them to read chess periodicals and was not one to go around saying "Speak American" to people.
The film has Fischer choosing to lose his virginity to a prostitute, picking the person, time and place. He's completely in control. Even though in this same film he can barely control his emotions. In real life he met a girl during the tournament and he got "caught up in women and sex" to the point where it cost him the tournament, the only tournament failure in his career.
Isn't that interesting enough to make a film out of it? Why change the story for change's sake?
Anyway, other than random script issues, which later become editing issues, the story is the weakest part of this film.
The rest is top notch. Production quality is high. Liev Schreiber, bravo, bravo, sir, on your Russian.
The film, overall, is a highly polished, professionally produced mediocre picture. There is no reason to see it again and it's difficult to recommend to anyone but serious chess or Fischer fans.