Searching for Bobby Fischer 1993

Janet Maslin, New York Times: What Bobby Fischer took away, dashing the hopes and the innocence of his acolytes when he spurned chess, may never truly be recaptured. But some of it has found its way to the screen. Read more

Michael Booth, Denver Post: The mystery of Fischer's talent and torment adds depth to Searching for Bobby Fischer, about a young New York chess prodigy who doesn't want his genius to ruin his life. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Based on a true story, Searching for Bobby Fischer is a wonderful movie, a delicate and touching drama that takes us deep inside the eccentric competitive mystique of grandmaster chess. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Chess may not be the most exciting activity to watch, but Searching for Bobby Fischer makes for engaging entertainment. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: If we can operate at the genius level in a given field, does that mean we must -- even if the cost is the sort of endless purgatory a Bobby Fischer has inhabited? It's an interesting question, and this movie doesn't avoid it. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: True, James Horner's score seems to have strayed in from a fists-in-the-air crowd-pleaser, but it's the one weak link in an accomplished, unexpectedly winning movie. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Pomeranc is wonderfully real and wide-eyed as Josh, with a raspy voice and slight lisp recalling Linus from the Peanuts cartoons. Read more

Brian Lowry, Variety: Earnest and well-acted, Steve Zaillian's directorial debut explores the price of being a child prodigy while seeking to bring excitement to chess - becoming a kind of cerebral "The Karate Kid." Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: As the boy with a cute little lisp, who emerges from his toy room to mastermind his kings, queens and bishops to tactical victory, Pomeranc imbues the movie with irresistible naivete. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: Searching for Bobby Fischer does for chess what The Karate Kid did for martial arts, albeit with considerably more complexity and class. Read more