Critical Thinking (2020)

The true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team which was the first inner city team to win the U.S. National Chess Championship.

Director:

John Leguizamo

Writer:

Dito Montiel

Stars:

John Leguizamo, Rachel Bay Jones, Michael Kenneth Williams

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Leguizamo	...	Mr. Martinez
Rachel Bay Jones	...	Principal Kestel
Michael Kenneth Williams	...	Mr. Roundtree
Corwin C. Tuggles	...	Sedrick Roundtree
Jorge Lendeborg Jr.	...	Oelmy 'Ito' Paniagua (as Jorge Lendeborg)
Angel Bismark Curiel	...	Rodelay Medina
Jeffry Batista	...	Marcel Martinez
Will Hochman	...	Gil Luna
Zora Casebere	...	Chanayah
Ramses Jimenez	...	Andre
Isaac Beverly	...	Pickle
Todd Allen Durkin	...	Detective Ransone
Dave Baez	...	Detective Vargas
Dre C.	...	Michael Rivera
Sydney Arroyo	...	Cornelia

Storyline

Miami - 1998. Poverty, broken families, and a prejudiced system push underprivileged youth to the fringes of society. But for a magnetic group of teens, there's a reprieve. A game where it's not about where you come from, but how you play. That equalizer is chess. Mr. "T" Martinez, a chess militant and passionate coach, leads them to a completely foreign field of battle.

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Plot Keywords:

city | miami florida | chess | chess game | chess player | 

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Taglines:

Chess is the great equalizer

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Leguizamo's character "Mr. Martinez's" first name is Mario (he is called this by the principal when they are talking about the board rejecting the $400 to send the chess team to regionals as well as a few other times). John Leguizamo Played "Luigi" (the brother of Mario) in 1993's Super Mario Bros movie. Effectively, he has played characters of the names of both Mario bros.

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Quotes

Mr. Martinez: All right, now, people, this is gonna be very basic for some of you, but for the fish, or the newbies as I like to call you, this is gonna be eye opening because what you've got is 64 squares, 32 pieces, it doesn't matter how rich or poor you are, what Ivy League school you may go or you may not go to, what prison you hopefully never set foot in, because chess is the great equalizer.

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Crazy Credits

Over the credits, there are interviews with the real people who the movie is based on.

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Soundtracks

Cubanito
Performed by Frank Aacencio
Courtesy of Essential Media Group

User Reviews

John Leguizamo

John Leguizamo is a straight beauty, a directing pioneer, artist, aka a Legend

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

4 September 2020 (USA)

Also Known As:

Critical Thinking

Filming Locations:

Miami, Florida, USA

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,407

Company Credits

Production Co:

Critical thinking, Cinema Veritas, Hialeah Park Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Color:

Color