Xeque-Mate

I liked the movie, although it wasn't perfect. The acting is decent, although some of the interactions between people seem forced. I would bet the book was better than the film, but I haven't read it. The story is about a cleaning lady who somehow discovers she likes chess and she convinces one of her clients to teach her to play. The entire chess angle is about female emancipation and not about the game itself, though.

What I liked most about the film is that at first people are resistant to the idea, assuming that no one can do anything to get out from their predestined little box, but then they snap out of it and are supportive to the lead character. There is no villain, perhaps except the guy she beats during her first tournament, but his role is minor. The entire film is about a woman discovering herself and what she can do. An important scene is when she reads Martin Eden and interprets the end as the natural thing to do. Of course, she rejects that idea later on.

A surprising thing is that the film stars three American actors. Kevin Kline speaks perfect French with an American accent and Jennifer Beals is there for just a few scenes to inspire Sandrine Bonnaire's character to play the game. I don't know what the angle was, but surely they didn't do it for the money, which is always soul cleansing for actors.

Bottom line: if you liked Queen's Gambit, you might like this one, too. It's a very similar story of emancipation through tallent, effort and the support of others. But if you want to watch it for the chess, there is very little of it.

I largely agree with what others have said here. But there is one flaw that nobody seems to have noticed: not one game of chess in this movie ends with a draw. As everybody with some knowledge of the game is aware of, draws are the rule among advanced players of chess, so a tournament such as the one shown in the movie that works by elimination (quarterfinals, semifinals, final), with only one game between a pair of contestants, is simply not realistic. (The tie could be broken through a game of fast chess, but this is not shown either.) It goes without saying that the whole dramaturgy of the movie would be significantly altered by the sheer possibility of draws. To sum it up, I consider chess a poor choice for communicating the message of this movie. Choose a game that does not permit draws and the problem is solved--although then the somewhat heavy handed symbolism of the queen as the strongest piece would have to be sacrificed.

There are movies about baseball and swimming and even pool and poker. This one is about chess. And it is a superb film, one of the few I've rated ten. Where to start? The rich photography and the stunning scenery? The captivating, believable characters? The subtleties that Europe does so well but Hollywood doesn't even understand? Perhaps the thing I liked best was the wonderful facial expressions. Anyone can learn a line. It takes much more talent to convey a story with a raised eyebrow, a cunning smile, an expression of shocked surprise. The movie is a winner even if you don't know the difference betaken a pawn and a rook. But if you play chess and understand its culture, it is especially engaging. Chess is wrongly regarded as a slow and boring game. Here it has the excitement of a bobsled run. Just a heluva great movie!

Joueuse is one of those French films that tenderly and charminlgly warms the heart - it is beautifully made with fine acting, a measured script, never too much or too little - and it rewards the viewer.

The plot of the cleaning lady who discovers chess and a mentor has strong fairytale tones: she is poor, he lives in a château but has withdrawn from the world. She has a husband who struggles to understand his wife's new found interest and growth, he struggles with human interaction. Throughout there is a nice balance around the relationships that makes sense.

Above all, this is a film about discovering that the things we do for pleasure bring their own reward. The chess is very well-handled throughout the film and it makes it fun to watch.

The film has heart, humour, and is nicely unmelodramatic. One of the better films I have seen recently, a pleasure to watch and simply enjoy.

the delicate beauty of the performance of Sandrine Bonnaire. not a surprise. but a seductive demonstration of fine explore of nuances. Kevin Klein. as the admirable guide not only to the subtle universe of game but as wise remember of the figures of middle - old strangers giving the perspectives to a different life. and, sure, the story. charming, seductive, clear, delicate, touching, complex. because it seems be a parable. about refuge, about freedom, about the grace to be yourself. about the force to define , in simple and precise manner, the existence. a film who preserves great flavors. this is its basic virtue. and the source of its special beauty.