Film Snail

6.7

Pawn Sacrifice

PG-13·2015·115m

Thriller

Drama

Thriller

Drama

Summary

American chess champion Bobby Fischer prepares for a legendary match-up against Russian Boris Spassky.

Cast

Tobey Maguire

Bobby Fischer

Peter Sarsgaard

Father Bill Lombardy

Liev Schreiber

Boris Spassky

Michael Stuhlbarg

Paul Marshall

Lily Rabe

Joan Fischer

Sophie Nélisse

Young Joan

Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick

Teen Bobby Fischer

Conrad Pla

Carmine Nigro

Aiden Lovekamp

Young Bobby Fischer

Evelyne Brochu

Donna

Robin Weigert

Regina Fischer

Andreas Apergis

Uncle Paul

Katie Bird Nolan

Maria

Ilia Volok

KGB Agent

Peter Janov

KGB Agent

Spiro Malandrakis

Reporter

Arthur Holden

Party Guest #3

Raphael Grosz-Harvey

Donald Byrne

John Maclaren

Theodore Tremblay

Vitali Makarov

Yovanovic

Eric Lee Huffman

KGB Bodyguard

Brett Watson

Lothar Schmid

Shawn Campbell

Cyril Pustan

Eugene Nomura

Japanese Anchorman

Norman Lehnert

German Reporter

Edward Zinoviev

Geller

Sam Stone

Deli Customer

Jonathan Dubsky

Tremblay's Aide

Mark Slacke

Icelandic Journalist

Alexandre Gorchkov

Iivo Nei

Igor Ovadis

Russian Bookstore Owner

Bobo Vian

Bookstore Owner's Wife

Joe Cobden

Motel Clerk

Brent Skagford

Businessman (Motel)

Richard Jutras

Referee - Santa Monica

Yanick Bousquet

Foreign Reporter #1 (French)

Shanmugasunder Chetty

Foreign Reporter #2 (East Indian)

Mohsen El Gharbi

Foreign Reporter #3 (Dutch)

Andrew Peplowski

ABC News Anchor

David Pryde

50's Reporter

Roc LaFortune

Official (Soviet Accres.)

Vito DeFilippo

Russian Opponent (Bulgaria 1967)

Ellen David

Party Guest #1 (Fischer Apt.)

Rosaruby Kagan

Party Guest #2 (Fischer Apt.)

Alain Goulem

Reporter #1 (Vancouver)

Carlo Mestroni

Reporter #2 (Vancouver)

Glen Bowser

Bus Driver

Zach Fraser

Long Haired Hippy

Alexandra Van Loon

Joan's Daughter

Marco Verdoni

Joan's Husband

Matt Keyes

JFK Airport Journalist

Edward Yankie

President Nixon

Al Vandecruys

Arbiter - Bulgaria

Al Dubois

NBC Reporter

Francois Cote

Marshall Heavy

François Ducharme

Bent Larsen

Maurice Demers

President Brezhnev

Grace Anne

Bobby Fischer Fan (uncredited)

Nathaly Thibault

Press Conference (uncredited)

Benoit Priest

Texan Trucker (uncredited)

Sigurbjörn Guðmundsson

Icelandic Policeman (uncredited)

Natalija Ugrina

Bikini Babe (uncredited)

Lydia Zadel

Kissing Woman (uncredited)

Dennis Staroselsky

(uncredited)

André Sogliuzzo

Henry Kissinger (voice, uncredited)

Bobby Fischer

Self (archive footage)

Crew

Director

Edward Zwick

Screenplay

Christopher Wilkinson

Screenplay

Stephen J. Rivele

Screenplay

Steven Knight

Reviews

Rangan

September 29, 2016

**With this 'Searching for Bobby Fischer' is over for me.**

I know Bobby Fischer a genius American chess player, in fact, after watching the 'Searching for Bobby Fischer', which is another biopic as this one. Other than that I know nothing about his life, so I'm very thankful for this film. From the director of many sensational flicks comes this to inspire you. Wait, did I say inspire, but I'm little confused over how this film to be considered. Bobby Fischer was a great player, but he had some mental issues. So you can compare him to John Nash from 'A Beautiful Mind', except they're from different fields, but very intelligents.

This film was a little patriotic abut the American nation, especially defeating the Russians in the chess game. So I'm being neutral here. Bobby was the one to focus how he makes his life big with the game that requires a brain. The story began with short span of childhood and then soon skipped to adult Bobby Fischer competing in a biggest tournament in the world, a championship against the best. Nicely filmed with lots of exciting scenes, particularly Tobey Maguire as the main lead was brilliant. Liev Schreiber was another surprise with his frequent on and off role.

Good film, but feels it is not complete, there should have more to it and like I said earlier, it has impacted, but not inspiring way which is why I'm doubting the screenplay. A man like him and a film about him should have nominated for several international awards, including the Golden Globe and the Oscars. Sadly, it failed at the box office, as well as to get recognised at the film festival circuits. Still, it got praised, looks not for the artistic work, but as the compensation. If you watch it, you will know there's something wrong, otherwise a film like this won't go unnoticed. I hope someone else makes another film about him in a grand way. Meanwhile, it is a good watch, but what do you expect from the Bobby Fischer like his game or personal issues will decide how much you liked it.

_7/10_