Critic Colleague: Who knew Toby Maguire could act?

Me: Who knew chess could be so riveting?

Finally, an excellent film to end the long August/September draught. Toby Maguire’s labor of love, Pawn Sacrifice, is the best surprise of the year so far. I wasn’t expecting much of this Bobby Fisher story. I mean, how exciting can chess championships be, even if they do take place at the height of the Cold War? The answer? Absolutely fascinating. This film is already generating Oscar heat.

I think a large portion of the film going audience was not even born when the bizarre character that is chess phenomena Bobby Fisher made his mark on the world. I personally had no idea of the details of the life of this debilitatingly paranoid chess genius, until Toby Maguire brought him to life in the most chilling way. Best performance I’ve seen so far this year.

But wait, there’s more. The supporting cast, made up of some of the most underrated but over talented actors in Hollywood, added outstanding dimension to the film. You have Liv Schreiber, who is enthralling on the small screen as Ray Donovan, playing Fisher’s arch Russian rival Boris Spasky, Peter Sarsgaard (Dead Man Walking, An Education, Blue Jasmine) as Fisher’s priest/coach, and Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man, Hitchcock, Lincoln and TV’s Boardwalk Empire) as Fisher’s manager/attorney. Give them a script by Steven Knight (talk about a diverse body of work–he’s credited with both The Hundred Foot Journey and World War Z) and you have a masterful telling of a true story far stranger than fiction. Edward Zwick’s direction (The Last Samurai, Shakespeare in Love) is also first rate.

One of the most surprising aspects of the film is the account of how the entire nation was absolutely enthralled by the game of chess. Fisher was not only become a national hero and media sensation, but he was also America’s great hope for winning the Cold War. It’s sweet, how much less complicated things seemed to be back then. Do yourself a favor and refrain from Googling Bobby Fisher before you go. It’s more fun if you don’t see what’s coming. But I will tell you that Toby Maguire and the rest of the cast do this bizarre story justice and then some. It’s the first must-see movie of the fall.

Rated PG-13

1 Hour 54 Minutes

Get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

PAWN SACRIFICE Review — Well Played