I watched Searching For Bobby Fischer (imdb | rotten tomatoes) over the past week. I was completely wrong about what to expect; I don’t remember the movie being released and for some reason thought it was a documentary. It wasn’t, but in the final scene I was again surprised to find out that it was based on a true story. I found the website of the kid (the main character) right after I watched the movie. Weird.

Anyway, the movie itself was terrific. The same cliches as a sports movie, but with a necessary softening that comes with using chess as the subject. Lots of great actors, and some in tiny bit parts (William H. Macy, Laura Linney, Dan Hedaya, etc.), made it feel authentic enough that I never felt as if I were watching a lecture or a monument.