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    Searching for Bobby Fischer

    • 19931993
    • PGPG
    • 1h 49min
    IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    37K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,484
    1,313
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    A prepubescent chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.
    Trailer2:27
    1 Video
    46 Photos
    BiographyDramaSport

    A prepubescent chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.A prepubescent chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.A prepubescent chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.A prepubescent chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.A prepubescent chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.

    • Director
      • Steven Zaillian
    • Writers
      • Fred Waitzkin(book)
      • Steven Zaillian(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Joe Mantegna
      • Ben Kingsley
      • Max Pomeranc
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Steven Zaillian
    • Writers
      • Fred Waitzkin(book)
      • Steven Zaillian(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Joe Mantegna
      • Ben Kingsley
      • Max Pomeranc
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 119User reviews
    • 46Critic reviews
    • 89Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 5 wins & 10 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:27
    Official Trailer

    Photos46

    Steven Zaillian in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Joan Allen, Laurence Fishburne, William H. Macy, Ben Kingsley, Laura Linney, Joe Mantegna, and Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Joe Mantegna and Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Ben Kingsley in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Joan Allen in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    Max Pomeranc in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Joe Mantegna
    Joe Mantegna
    • Fred Waitzkinas Fred Waitzkin
    Ben Kingsley
    Ben Kingsley
    • Bruce Pandolfinias Bruce Pandolfini
    Max Pomeranc
    Max Pomeranc
    • Josh Waitzkinas Josh Waitzkin
    Joan Allen
    Joan Allen
    • Bonnie Waitzkinas Bonnie Waitzkin
    Laurence Fishburne
    Laurence Fishburne
    • Vinnieas Vinnie
    Michael Nirenberg
    • Jonathan Poeas Jonathan Poe
    Robert Stephens
    Robert Stephens
    • Poe's Teacheras Poe's Teacher
    David Paymer
    David Paymer
    • Kalevas Kalev
    Hal Scardino
    Hal Scardino
    • Morganas Morgan
    Vasek Simek
    • Russian Park Playeras Russian Park Player
    William H. Macy
    William H. Macy
    • Tunafish Fatheras Tunafish Father
    Dan Hedaya
    Dan Hedaya
    • Tournament Directoras Tournament Director
    Laura Linney
    Laura Linney
    • School Teacheras School Teacher
    Anthony Heald
    Anthony Heald
    • Fighting Parentas Fighting Parent
    Steven Randazzo
    • Man of Many Signalsas Man of Many Signals
    Chelsea Moore
    • Katya Waitzkinas Katya Waitzkin
    Josh Mostel
    Josh Mostel
    • Chess Club Regularas Chess Club Regular
    Josh Kornbluth
    Josh Kornbluth
    • Chess Club Regularas Chess Club Regular
    • Director
      • Steven Zaillian
    • Writers
      • Fred Waitzkin(book)
      • Steven Zaillian(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Josh Waitzkin is just a typical American boy interested in baseball when one day he challenges his father at chess and wins. Showing unusual precocity at the outdoor matches at Washington Square in New York City, he quickly makes friends with a hustler named Vinnie who teaches him speed chess. Josh's parents hire a renowned chess coach, Bruce, who teaches Josh the usefulness of measured planning. Along the way Josh becomes tired of Bruce's system and chess in general and purposely throws a match, leaving the prospects of winning a national championship in serious jeopardy. —Rick Gregory <rag.apa@email.apa.org>
    chessmentorgeniuschild prodigynew york city53 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Every journey begins with a single move.
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Drama
      • Sport
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG for thematic elements
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Max Pomeranc was chosen because he is, in real life, a chess player (or was at the time of this movie). The producers wanted someone who would be at ease and "correctly" playing chess. None of this movie's other stars played chess in the beginning, but eventually Joe Mantegna learned.
    • Goofs
      Josh tells Vinnie he learned the "Schliemann Attack" from his teacher. Actually there's no such thing. It's the Schliemann Defense. Also, when Vinnie asks, "What's that?" referring to the "attack," Josh actually hasn't yet made the move that would prompt him to say this, he's just playing the opening move of the standard Ruy Lopez (1. ... e5), so there'd be no reason for Vinnie to say "What's that?" at that point. The move that makes it "Schliemann" (3. ...f5) hasn't yet been played.
    • Quotes

      Josh: Maybe it's better not to be the best. Then you can lose and it's OK.

    • Alternate versions
      The original film ends with a title card stating that Josh still plays chess along with several other activities, indicating that he has a well-rounded life. When the film was broadcast on NBC in 1996, this title card was updated: it now stated that Josh was working to become a Grandmaster, and that he now considered Jack Kerouac, not Bobby Fischer, to be his primary influence.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Rising Sun/Tom and Jerry: The Movie/Robin Hood: Men in Tights/So I Married an Axe Murderer/Searcing for Bobby Fischer (1993)
    • Soundtracks
      Enough Is Enough
      Written by Anthony Criss, Kier Gist, Vincent Brown, A. Bahr, J Ray

      Performed by Rottin Razkals

    User reviews119

    Review
    Top review
    Zaillian's genius in "Searching for Bobby Fischer"
    In SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, Steven Zaillian's is the most complete and near-flawless film-work of the 1990s. I can't say merely "director's work" because he also wrote the screenplay. And (I have to presume) he chose Conrad Hall as d.p., James Horner for the music, Wayne Wahrman as film-editor, and he worked with a lighting director, sound director, set director and more -- each of whom did a job worthy of the highest praise. And the cast, the supernal cast -- many of whom have had larger and more celebrated roles, but none of whom has ever nailed a role more satisfyingly -- Kingsley, Mantegna, Allen, Fishburne -- even the smaller and cameo bits are effectively faultless -- by Linney, Stephens, Shalhoub, Pendleton. And of course, Pomeranc's work is a kind of miracle. Every part of it evokes from me applause for Zaillian's imagination, sensibility, knowledgeability, intelligence, judgment.

    I confess I post this comment because none of the other comments I've seen on SEARCHING seems to me to realize how much Zaillian must have contributed to making this -- and I think it deserves this adjective -- GREAT movie. (I further confess I didn't first watch the movie until some three years after its debut because of its title. I was damned if I wanted to spend two hours in the presence of someone as nasty-seeming as Fischer. But the title of course was Fred Waitzkin's, the author of the source book. Fred, you cost me a few years -- but Steven Zaillian has made up for it many times over.)
    helpful•30
    12
    • cheerskep
    • Feb 28, 2004

    FAQ3

    • Is "Searching for Bobby Fischer" based on a book?
    • Has there really ever been a chess player named "Jonathan Poe"?
    • Are the actual moves in the Waitzkin versus Sarwer match avaliable?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 11, 1993 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Innocent Moves
    • Filming locations
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Production company
      • Mirage Enterprises
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $12,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,266,383
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,121,354
      • Aug 15, 1993
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,266,383
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 49min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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