The Queen's Gambit
A Fantastic Show
I'm a fan of chess, I'm a fan of Anya Taylor-Joy, and I'm a fan of film. What do you get when you mix the three? Something incredible.
The Queen's Gambit follow Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) an orphan who learns chess from her orphanage's Janitor, Mr. Shaibel (Bill Camp). Turns out Beth is a prodigy. She excels at Chess and after getting adopted she starts to compete in tournaments.
The acting is great, the portrayal of chess is pretty well done, and the show is just plain entertaining. It is a bit slow and that can throw some people off, but for me the show mastered its slower pace and outdid itself.
Longtime readers of this blog might have noticed I'm somewhat of a fan of Anya Taylor-Joy. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses performing today. She owns her character and completely embodies her. In my opinion it's a flawless performance. The remaining cast all stood out in there own way and everyone played their part every well.
I'm a chess player. I don't play in tournaments or anything like that (yet) but I play casually. I'm not a beginner but I'd say I'm an average player. I enjoyed the portrayal of the game in The Queen's Gambit. I believe I heard somewhere that all the games in the show were designed by Grand Masters, and that was a wise choice on the show's part.
The music was good, but a bit cliche at times. A blend of piano and violins seem to always sneak their way into shows or movies like this. The music wasn't bad, but it did feel as though I've heard it before. The camera work was solid and there are some interesting shots in the series. I really enjoyed the color scheme; it reflected the show so well.
One knock on The Queen's Gambit I could see for some people is that it can be a bit slow. But for me, I think the pacing is perfect. Nothing is rushed and everything feels as though it's happening when it's supposed too. I personally believe that the pacing is more of a plus than a minus for The Queen's Gambit.
I don't really have any complaints about the series. I loved every minute of it from start to finish. It's probably something I will rewatch. I also hope it comes out on DVD so I can buy myself a copy. I would love to see some of the behind the scenes features about the production and the design of the game. Cast interviews would also be pretty cool to see.
If you're a fan of chess, I would highly recommend watching The Queen's Gambit. If you're just looking for something new to watch, I would recommend watching The Queen's Gambit. The creators, cast, and crew really outdid themselves with The Queen's Gambit. Bravo.
final score: 5/5
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