Dad's Movie Lists
 

The Queen's Gambit (2020), Director: Scott Frank, rated TV-MA for language, drug use

You won't know the facts until you've seen the fiction.

Film ClipStarring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chloe Pirrie, Bill Camp, Marcin Dorocinski, Marielle Heller, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Mose Ingram, Harry Melling, Isla Johnston, Janina Elkin, Patrick Kennedy, Christiane Seidel, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"To tell you the truth of it, child, you're astounding." - William Shaibel to nine-year-old Beth Harmon

Why watch this? This make chess exciting for non-chess players.

Plot Summary: This mini-series follows the life of Beth Harmon, an orphaned chess prodigy, as she rises through the ranks of the chess world. Set in the 1950s and 60s, Beth navigates the challenges of a male-dominated field while battling personal struggles with stress-induced addictions.

Dad's Preview: This incredible mini-series chronicles the fictional life of Beth Harmon, a chess prodigy. She has to overcome being an orphan to shine as a female in the predominantly male chess world. Thanks to her orphanage's janitor, Mr. Shaibel (a wonderfully understated performance by Bill Camp), she gets her chance. Once she becomes a force, she battles her way to the top, meeting interesting characters along the way. Taylor-Joy, and her intense characterization of Beth, drives this train all the way, and she is very impressive. I personally think they only needed six episodes to tell the story. That said, this watch is engaging, witty, and inspiring. Checkmate.


Flitcraft Ltd., Wonderful Films; Netflix

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