Hala Jaya This is a pretty mediocre treatment of Nabokov's book, a favorite of mine. It reminds me of "A Beautiful Mind" in the sense that it is more about the personal life of a genius than his doings, and it sometimes feels mundane for that reason.As Turati and Luzhin were portrayed, it recalls greatly Capablanca and Alekhine, respectively, and their encounters. Alekhine the unstable but brilliant, the only world champion to die with the title, and Capa the smooth talker in a trench coat, rock solid.For all the film's shortcomings, the puzzle of the adjourned position, which doesn't occur in the book, was a really nice composition.

Pascal Zinken (LazySod) A brilliant chess player attends a tournament and falls in love with a woman he meets there. On itself this would be a pretty bad angle on a story. So, there is more. There is the fact that the chess player is also completely alienated from the world because of his brilliance at the game and the fact there is some history haunting the player.This film steps back and forth from romantic frivolity to tournament tension to historic events that shaped the chess player and works quite nicely. It's easy to grow attached to the two main characters and easy to believe they might hit it off together like the way they do in this film. The added effect of the tournament is very good too and creates a nice tension setting.I have no idea of the strength of the chess players as I don't play the game myself but it looks nice and believable. All in all, most of the film goes down very easily. It is also forgotten again very easily though. So it's nice to watch but nothing more than that.7 out of 10 chess players caught between a rook and a hard place

guidecca It was riveting the first time and equally so the second time. I couldn't stand to miss one word. I guess I was hooked on it. It dwarfs A Beautiful Mind; I don't know how you rated that one. The movie leaves you excited about being obsessed with anything you really love. I think it was the story that grabbed me, not whatever failings someone is guessing the film has. The beauty of loving Sasha, someone who is NOT off the yuppie assembly line. However, the good-heartedness of the yuppie (the mother's choice). The good-heartedness of Sash's opponent. The evil of only one bad apple. Its a beautiful world that must exist outside of reality. Certainly outside the borders of my country. It is what movies do...make us dream and wish it could be true.

SonicAndy spoilersThis is a film that had the opportunity to be great - at least in a minor way- but someone forgot to bring nerve and tension to the script-meetings.Luzhin is a boy with an uncanny ability to kick anyones keister whenever there is a chessboard handy. For this he isnt loved, but used instead as a tool by people who has, lets say, an ambiguous relationship towards his talent. Cold loneliness arrives as soon as Failure turns its head toward the high-strung chessplayer. Dropped off into the street like a defenseless kitten by his mentor, Luzhin is left to his own devices. He certainly is good but not winner-material, the cruel, jealous mentor have determined. Turturro is always interesting to watch, as he usually gives life and depth to the character- but alas, he does not bring his magic to the party this time. Everything about this movie seems rushed, and his portrayal of the great lonely genius does not ring true. Instead of subtlety, there is mannerisms, and instead of the chores of a chessmaster, we are given an incredulous love-story. And as Turturro acts out his bumbling fool routine: enter love interest Watson - a rich gal on holiday with Mother, for whom the world is filled with up and coming young fellas, perfect matches all for her daughters hand in marriage. The two, of course, fall in love - and we are left wondering "Why?"The scenes themselves seem to be sadly detached from one another. Its as if director Gorris uses every angle in the book to show off her ability, which is uncalled for most of the times. Sadly, its downright bad in some scenes, as being prominently displayed in the scene in which Luzhin plays the Game of A Lifetime, with the camera shooting him from a distorted, nervous angle, invariably bringing an alien, overly dramatic feeling to the story which distracts the viewer, as well as when Gorris cuts between the two lovers doing it, and the chessplayers downstairs in their head to head-battle for glory. Or when Luzhins cigarette-intake increases dramatically as soon as he believes himself to be a Winner. These things seem to merely be tricks, pulled from the sleeves. The subtleties are left to their own devices here, letting a strange combination of being both rushed and over-ambitious replace any true feeling that could have come out of this interesting story. There is not one bad actor among them, and yet the story fails miserably. Nabokovs books usually works on many different levels, and that might be what gives this movie its limp. For chessplayers, it is fun to recognize Capablanca in Luzhins nr 1 opponent, as well as Alekhine, Rubinstein and Morphy in Luzhin himself. As for the end, well....Who didnt see that one coming ? Its apparently not the ending of the book, and one might see why. The true weakness is revealed in the final chessbattle, when Luzhins genius are supposed to shine through. I dare anyone with some knowledge of the game to pause the movie and figure out the outcome when the chessboard is in the shot. It should take a few seconds to see whats to come, or at least no more than a minute, for sure. If you are into chess, this is not for you. If you like tv-movies, with nice sceneries, and old-fashioned clothes and values, then by all means see it.