Even though Netflix has an insane amount of content, not all of it is really good. But The Queen's Gambit is an excellent show. Really. I mean this show is pretty freaking unique. The show is based on a book with the same name written by Walter Tevis. It's not based on a real person, but it is very very loosely based on famous grandmaster Bobby Fischer. If you know a few things about his career, you might recognize some of the beat of the show. I can understand why it caused a surge in people's interest in chess. But most importantly, I think that deep down, this is a feel good show. The kind that sticks with you, and makes you feel elated.
I have a confession to make. I watched this show with my parents. My dad is obsessed with chess since he was a child. His nitpicking is on the level of: they are holding the chess pieces in a way that only new player do (the holding them with most of their hand, while experienced players usually just use two fingers and lighter hand movements), and he really approved of this show. I kind of hate chess. I tried to learn and I suck, really badly, and I still really enjoyed the show. It is just a great show. Also, it presents chess as a small inner utopia which my dad says is because it is a very polite sport. Still, it just adds to the fun of the show.
Now to the plot. Anya Taylor-Joy plays Beth Harmon (Isla Johnston plays the younger version of Beth Harmon) a young girl who is sent to live in an orphanage after her mother's tragic death. Her mother was not exactly Mrs. Sanity and at times it seems that her daughter follows in her footsteps. The orphanage gives all the children pills to makes them more docile, which starts a long lasting substance abuse for Harmon. From the start we realize that Harmon is very smart and that is not a quality that anyone around her approves of. She is sickly looking, strange and managed to make one friend, Jolene (Moses Ingram, a new actress whom I hope to see more of in the future). She is sent to the basement to bring something for the class and there she sees Mr. Shaibel (Bill Camp) who plays chess by himself with a book of chess. A very familiar sight in my life. She automatically becomes fascinated with the elegant game and convinces Mr. Shaibel to teach her how to play it. Chess is a strategic game which requires you to think in long term moves you and your opponent will make. It is a game of patience, something which Mr. Shaibel has a hard time teaching her, as well as composure. But in the end Harmon learns proper chess behavior.
Mr. Shaibel discovers that Harmon is a chess prodigy. Even though nine years old is actually considered old by chess standers. Her talents and abilities grow fast and Harmon decides to introduce her to people who can grow her talents. This all stops when she is adopted as a teenager. Her new parents basically hinder her talent and her new school has nothing interesting to offer her. Still, one day she finds a chess newspaper and delves into the world of chess on her own. Yes, such newspapers are real and still exists. As her chess expertise increase, so do all of her personal problems. It's a complicated life.
All of the chess players that Harmon meets are generally super nice and accepting. Everyone is nice and explains to her everything that she needs to know or do. Some say it is only fiction, but chess players are used to be defeated by children, so I don't know I would like to believe that this is true. Benny Watts (Thomas Brodie-Sangster, the kid from Love Actually is all grown up now) and Harry Beltik (Harry Melling, forever Dudley from Harry Potter) become her rivals as well as good friends and mentors. In a way, the chess world is almost depicted as a utopia next to the terrible people outside of it, with a few rare exceptions. Also, Nona Gaprindashvili, who is mentioned on the show was a real life chess champion and was the first woman to earn the title of grandmaster. So there is some truth behind the story of a female chess protegy, though a very different one.
Anya Taylor-Joy is brilliant in this show. She carries it on her shoulder with grace, elegance and weirdness. I think she does a terrific job. She looks stylish, but not beautiful and you can almost see the intelligence behind her very big eyes. All of the actors do a terrific job in this movie. This is a very good opportunity for everyone to show their strength and they all take advantage of it.
Anya Taylor-Joy is brilliant in this show. She carries it on her shoulder with grace, elegance and weirdness. I think she does a terrific job. She looks stylish, but not beautiful and you can almost see the intelligence behind her very big eyes. All of the actors do a terrific job in this movie. This is a very good opportunity for everyone to show their strength and they all take advantage of it.
The show also has a lot of style. 60's style. It has really high production values. Everyone looks great, is dressed great and it never looks cheap like some other Netflix. It even manages to look authentic on top of everything. They occasionally have actors from East Europe with not a terrible Russian accent. Although sharper ears then my own have noticed some terrible accent.
It's hard to imagine it, but in the end, you will want to be one of those people sitting in the park in front of chess tables and just playing for fun with random people. A sight that we see on the show and I have seen, though not participated in, in real life. I don't think I can give the show a higher compliment than that. It brings you into this new world and really draws you in and leaves you feeling wonderful.
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