Explains Fischer, but takes some liberties

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2016)

Tobey Maguire is great in this film. No matter what qualms one might have, you absolutely got that at least. The movie also manages to do something rather difficult: make real chess look interesting and have dramatic tension.
The intensity of the story is exacerbated by the gravity of Fischer's mental condition. Having personal experience with afflicted people, I can tell you that if you don't want to see crazy people you should avoid this film.
The interesting thing is that, even if I like chess and I am all for strong performances, I couldn't really enjoy the film. I don't think it is a bad movie, quite the opposite, and probably my feelings are getting in the way of correctly reviewing the film, but I felt like pausing the film or even going on fast forward at times. I wanted to know what happened, but I didn't want to go through it.
Bottom line: it was difficult to me to see a brilliant man devolve mentally and hurting everyone around him and himself. That is what the movie is really about. Having it be about a real person and a genius in a sport I like is just the icing on the cake. Fantastic acting, though, from Tobey Maguire, who manages to channel Fischer, even if he looks nowhere near like the real man.