Customer Reviews

Queen To Play

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Viewed inflight on Turkish Airlines. Our heroine is an unfulfilled housewife/cleaner who becomes empowered through her discovery of chess. Intrigued by the game but without knowing how to play, she soon learns that the Queen is the most powerful piece. This discovery becomes a metaphor for her own self realisation as she perseveres to learn and takes on what is unfortunately still a male province ( most chess clubs such as mine in Guildford UK have few if any women members). Although chess is featured throughout the movie, knowledge of the game itself is not required of the viewer - although chess enthusiasts will immediately identify with magical as well as the cerebral and competetive nature of the game. This is a really nice film - and if it inspires anyone to take up the game itself, that would be great.

I like films where the main character experiences a self awakening. My guess is a lot of Americans (particularly now) feel like they're just plugged into the wall. They grind it out day to day and look for whatever little time they can to find some peaceful corner to do something that means something to them. This is one of those films.

Sandrine Bonnaire and her husband live, with their teenage daughter, on an Island off of the French mainland. They are both laborers. They eke out a living but not much more. While working as a maid in a hotel, she sees a young, in love, couple absorbed in a game of chess. It somehow captures her imagination and she convinces a local doctor (Kevin Klein) to teach her to play. This leads to her personal adventure.

This is a heck of a movie. Kevin Klein does his usual good job but this movie belongs to Sandrine. She is great. Her face runs through so many subtle expressions throughout the film that I was simply riveted. During much of what happens she wears a weary, worried look. It's as though she's always waiting for the other shoe to drop. As she becomes more absorbed in chess, and you see her crack a smile now and again, the sun comes out. The way her relationships change wither her daughter, husband and the doctor is also something to behold. Hollywood would have done this but it probably would not have been as subtle. Then there's the tournament. I found it to be handled in a mature fashion. This could have been too overwrought in the hands of a lesser director. Much of this movie thrives on that same understatement.

I do wonder how much this movie was trimmed. I have a feeling there were many more scenes with her and her girlfriends. And one scene with Klein looked to have been edited with a machete. The jump in the action was so jarring it freaked me. But these are minor quibbles compared to how good it is overall. If you're into this sort of thing you couldn't do much better.

I saw this film at the Palm Springs Film Festival and it is a wonderful interplay of human romantic emotions and inner ambition to escape the mundane, all evolving around the game of chess. The acting was superb and the scenery unique of the Mediterranean.

Kevin Kline speaking French? Who knew! He gives a wonderful performance in "Queen to Play" and even made me appreciate the game of chess (which I am sad to say I don't play - but maybe will, now.)

Award-winning French actress Sandrine Bonnaire is someone I've watched in a couple of films in the past, but is remarkable in her role here. Jennifer Beals isn't a major player, but it's nice to see her included.

The scenery will make you long to visit the French countryside; brilliant cinematography! I highly recommend Queen to Play for anyone; it's a great date movie, too.

This is simply the best chess related film I have seen to date. Its better than Searching for Bobby Fisher in my opinion. Very well acted with a good story that can be appreciated by those who don't know a thing about chess.

SPOILER ALERT:
Great film... Who knew Kevin Kline could speak French? This film
reminded me a little of another one of my favorite films- namely "A
Brief Vacation" because both films capture the loneliness of menial
work and of not being understood by one's husband. In all fairness, in
this movie, the husband tries, however.

The scenes of Corsica are intoxicating. The story unfolds beautifully -
even though some degree of willing suspension of disbelief is required.
The film captures the chess world (male dominated, intimidating, turned
inward) well although it is not credible that the protagonist could
become so good playing against only one opponent and a mechanical chess
set...

The film is ultimately quietly empowering. Bonnaire is a terrific
actress. Watching her assimilate what she sees and make the chess moves
of her life in an effort to achieve her dream is wonderful.

Thankfully, the film leaves many key questions for the viewer to
contemplate after the final credits have rolled by. This film resonates
and lingers.

Chess is one of the stars of this lovely little movie, but Sandrine Bonnaire's Helene steals the spotlight from Mme. Chess. You simply can't take your eyes off her. Kevin Kline is a possibly dying chess expert who reluctantly tutors his femme du menage (maid) Helene in the intricacies of the game. The subtleties and development of their relationship are exquisitely portrayed, as is the arc of resentment, acceptance and eventual pride of Helene's husband Ange and daughter Lisa.

This is simply a wonderful movie. This is not only a chess story, it's a Pygmalion as well. It's typically French in that all the loose ends aren't tied up. We don't know, for example, what's wrong with Dr. Kroger's health, nor if Helene's colleague at the hotel marries her fiance and has four children. That's OK. The story that's there is perfection and it's not necessary to know chess to love it. Just watch Helene's face as she puzzles out a move. "That's the work," says Dr. Kroger when she complains it's too hard. Yes it is, and such a perfect little parable of life.

This is one of those quiet little stories that come along every so often that you just sit back and enjoy. Not a lot of action here,just a good story done well. We are not chess players, but you don't have to be to enjoy it. It's more about personal triumph, about discovering that thing you didn't realize you could do really well and doing it. Highly recommended.

Absolutely loved this movie! I first watched it randomly (as I'm not usually a big fan of foreign films) on Netflix instant play and enjoyed it so much I decided to buy the DVD. Wonderful story of an evolving relationship between a middle aged man and woman with the focus related to playing chess rather than having sex. I know it sounds corny, but with the caliber of these actors it works!

This is director Caroline Bottaro's debut film and stars Sandrine Bonnaire and Kevin Kline (speaking French). The story takes place in Corsica and is an excellent character study of two people whose lives are changed through the game of chess. And no, you don't need to know anything about chess to enjoy and follow the movie.

The heroine is a maid who lives with her husband and teenage daughter. She works in a hotel and does private cleaning for the hero, a retired doctor who's also a recluse. The two have nothing in common. They barely speak when their paths cross. Each has settled into a routine, resigned to their lives, to their social status.

Then one day the heroine takes an interest in chess, an interest that soon becomes an obsession. To become a good chess player, however, she needs someone to play against. The only person available is the doctor.

This isn't an action-packed or fast paced movie. Rather it's a sweet movie, a thinking person's movie, a study of social classes--and a woman's role at the lower end of the spectrum. I liked it. And I recommend this movie.

Plot

Chess is the vehicle for pulling two people out of their unfulfilled lives. It opens their eyes to what's possible, to a different future than what they'd resigned themselves to.