I had just about given up on Netflix. Too much wokeness these days and everything that trots out the stable doors always seems be agressively pushing an identity politics agenda. This show is a study in how you *should* approach topics such as feminism, sexism and other 'ism's, because it does it in a way that integrates into the story and adds to it, rather than detracting from it in the usual in-your-face fashion that is popular these days.
As a chess player myself and a fan of the whole child prodigy trope as a whole, I started the first episode not really expecting much (Netflix?), although the ensemble class should have clued me in that was likely to be above average. Anya Taylor-Joy is a superb actress, as evidenced in some of her previous work, but the question was, would the script, direction and cinematography allow her to shine? The answer, thankfully was a resounding yes. The supporting cast aren't slouches either and it was an odd moment for me seeing Sam from Love Actually playing her antagonist/frenemy with such panache.
I binge watched the entire 7 episodes and have the lack of sleep to prove it. Following Beth's life, from precocious troubled child, through awkward genius teen to brilliant adult was compelling viewing and I imagine lots can relate to her journey, warts and all, albeit without the added baggage of being a virtuoso at competitive Chess.
The final episode had me fist pumping and yelling in glee and the wife wondering wth was going on upstairs. There's one sequence, during the final match with her chess nemesis, where her opponent makes a move that had not was completely unanticipated. Beth, initially thrown for a loop, takes a deep breath and even though I knew what was coming next, I was still yelling at the tv, "look up Beth! LOOK UP!". Look up she does and she manages to employ her trademark visualisation technique to wargame the rest of the match, something up till that point she had relied on drugs and alcohol to achieve.
This 50 year old man hasn't been so engaged since Captain America smacked Thanos around with Mjolnir in Endgame.
The series, while not completely without flaws, is a revelation and not to be missed. I foresee more than few awards in the near future and the cast and director should likely start clearing some shelf space now. Anya in particular is amazing. Absolutely superb.
As a chess player myself and a fan of the whole child prodigy trope as a whole, I started the first episode not really expecting much (Netflix?), although the ensemble class should have clued me in that was likely to be above average. Anya Taylor-Joy is a superb actress, as evidenced in some of her previous work, but the question was, would the script, direction and cinematography allow her to shine? The answer, thankfully was a resounding yes. The supporting cast aren't slouches either and it was an odd moment for me seeing Sam from Love Actually playing her antagonist/frenemy with such panache.
I binge watched the entire 7 episodes and have the lack of sleep to prove it. Following Beth's life, from precocious troubled child, through awkward genius teen to brilliant adult was compelling viewing and I imagine lots can relate to her journey, warts and all, albeit without the added baggage of being a virtuoso at competitive Chess.
The final episode had me fist pumping and yelling in glee and the wife wondering wth was going on upstairs. There's one sequence, during the final match with her chess nemesis, where her opponent makes a move that had not was completely unanticipated. Beth, initially thrown for a loop, takes a deep breath and even though I knew what was coming next, I was still yelling at the tv, "look up Beth! LOOK UP!". Look up she does and she manages to employ her trademark visualisation technique to wargame the rest of the match, something up till that point she had relied on drugs and alcohol to achieve.
This 50 year old man hasn't been so engaged since Captain America smacked Thanos around with Mjolnir in Endgame.
The series, while not completely without flaws, is a revelation and not to be missed. I foresee more than few awards in the near future and the cast and director should likely start clearing some shelf space now. Anya in particular is amazing. Absolutely superb.
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