Pawn Sacrifice
4 stars
Director: Edward Zwick
Stars: Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber, Peter Sarsgaard
Duration: 105 mins
Class: 12
KRS Releasing Ltd

Tobey Maguire shines as Bobby Fischer, the American chess prodigy who made waves in the 1970s. Yet, he suffered from acute paranoia which threatened to derail his greatest moment of triumph.

We first meet Bobby as an intense, young child from Brooklyn who takes to the game of chess like a duck to water. He is a chess prodigy and grandmaster by his teens and clearly headed for greatness.

As he grows older, Fisher becomes obsessed with taking on the unbeatable Soviet grand-master Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber). After overcoming many obstacles, the stage is set for the showdown between the two – the 1972 Match of the Century held in Reykjavik, Iceland, based on a best-of-21 games scenario. All this, of course, unfolds against the backdrop of the Cold War. The confrontation between the American and Soviet players was also subject to great scrutiny by the CIA and KGB.

Tobey Maguire channels Fischer’s traits, warts and all

And yet, despite having his wish granted, Fischer’s confidence that he would win the encounter with Spassky was beset by the growing paranoia that overcame him. His behaviour became more and more erratic – from making unreasonable demands of his manager Paul Marshall (Michael Stuhlbarg) and coach Father Bill Lombardy (Peter Sarsgaard) to walking out halfway through games, convinced that everyone was out to get him. This is much to the bemusement of Spassky and the growing dismay of the chess authorities, unsure how to deal with him.

It may seem, on the surface, that Pawn Sacrifice charts the course of a typical sports movie as the underdog triumphs against all odds.

Yet, there is nothing typical about the character of Fischer. Under Edward Zwick’s sturdy direction. The movie is not only a gripping character study but also provides a fascinating glance at Cold War politics, the era perfectly illustrated with real footage of the time slot in to enhance the sense of time and place.

The battle between Fischer and Spassky became an international event, with millions, not only in the US, cheering for Fischer, in the process making the man an unlikely superstar.

The numerous chess scenes, that are of course integral to the narrative, may be confusing to some who know zilch about the game. The constant strategising admittedly flew over my head. But this does not lessen the impact of the drama, thanks in no small part to Maguire’s committed performance.

Maguire channels Fischer’s traits, warts and all. The man was arrogant, obnoxious and did not make life easy for himself or those around him. He did and said whatever he wanted regardless of the consequences.

He was also a very angry young man, clashing at a very young age with his mother. Regina Fischer (Robin Weigert) was a Communist so committed to her activities she was under constant surveillance from the authorities. This surveillance shifted to Bobby as he began taking on Soviet adversaries in the game, often playing in Eastern European countries. This constant scrutiny may well have been partially responsible for the creeping paranoia that eventually took hold of him.

In one of his most mature roles to date, Maguire eschews histrionics. Instead, he uses his facial expressions and body language effectively in a performance that requires him run the gamut from quietly intense concentration to nervous paranoia, to manic thrashing of a hotel room, convinced his phones are bugged.

Commendably, he does not try and make the man likeable. Yet, his unquestionable brilliance and commitment to the game is admirable. The implication that it was in fact he himself that was the pawn sacrifice – a man used by the authorities as a tool in the Cold War efforts –  invites sympathy. This is compounded by a coda explaining Fischer’s life in later years.

Schreiber makes an impact as the impassive Spassky – taciturn, intense and unsure whether his opponent’s behaviour is merely tactical or genuinely driven by instability. Yet, he was a man gracious enough to acknowledge Fischer’s genius.

So does Saarsgard, as the former potential chess champion turned priest, the only person who seems to be able to get through to Fischer in his darkest moments.

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