"It takes a strong woman to stay herself in a world where people will settle for anything just to say they have something."
Director: Scott Frank
Where Available: Netflix
Rating:
Review:
I consume A LOT of entertainment. It seems that nowadays all content is based entirely off of entertainment from the past or includes the same plot points and characters. I don't remember the last time I saw completely original content. Its not the industry's fault though. It's their job to create content that they know we will love, so sometimes following the formula is the way to go. However, every once in a while I watch a TV show that completely throws me off guard. This year, that would be The Queen's Gambit. I said the same thing when I watched Mr.Robot (in that case, computer hacking) that I am going to say for The Queen's Gambit: a show that can make chess sexy deserves all the praise in the world.
The Queen's Gambit tells the story of Beth Harmon: an orphan who accidentally finds a love for chess, and an equal love for drugs and alcohol. Her passion for the game brings her to the world stage, competing against some of the best chess players in history. Will she be able to hold onto this love for one of the most difficult board games in the world, or will the little blue tranquilizer pills take over?
You do not have to like chess to watch this show. You don't even have to understand how chess is played. Even though Beth Harmon's life is based completely around the idea of playing chess, it doesn't take away from the drama if you don't know all of the game terminology. Like I said before, a show that can make chess interesting and intense to non-chess players has done its work perfectly.
The Queen's Gambit is an escape from the universe we live in right now. In a world where every news source continually spits more crazy stories about politics every day, there is something so incredibly reassuring about a series that celebrates a game where nobody cheats. Every game is followed by a handshake, no argument or discussion following. There is a clear winner every single time. In addition to this, Beth's traveling lifestyle during chess competitions is something we all hope to do again someday. Trips? Traveling? Hotel rooms? All those things seem like a past time, but The Queen's Gambit lets us experience that again, even if its just for a short period of time.
Beth Harmons pill dependence adds to the question of whether Beth will live another day without falling off this infinite chess rollercoaster. Yet, the way Beth deals with addiction is more like what expect from classic male characters. It is less about internalized self-destruction - the more female based storyline - and more about hanging onto the high of tranquilizers for as long as she can. Her addiction is humanizing but not embarrassing, and in no way follows the religious reawakening fate that I have seen so many times before.
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ACTING. ACTING. ACTING. Wow. Lets go through a few of the cast members and see where else in Hollywood you may have seen them:
Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon:
This woman is going places. If you are an A24 film nerd like me, you will recognize her from The Witch. She can also be seen in movies like Split, The New Mutants, and the critically acclaimed Emma. Anya Taylor-Joy embodies Beth from age 16 to 22, making a completely fictional character come to life. I am looking forward to her future projects (The Northman, Last Night in Soho, Weetzie Bat) and can't wait to share her radiating talent in The Queen's Gambit with everyone I know.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts:
If you only think of this man as playing Newt in The Maze Runner, you are mistaken. I found this out while researching the show but he also happens to be the voice of Ferb in Phineas and Ferb. Trying to compare these two roles to his character Benny in The Queen's Gambit is a disservice. Benny is so close to being arrogant, but Thomas Brodie-Sangster's cowboy charm is so hard not to fall in love with. Girls, get you a man who can play chess and rock a cowboy hat!
Harry Melling as Harry Beltik:
If you told me five years ago that the actor who played Dudley in Harry Potter would make a comeback in 2020 and become one of my favorite actors this year, I would have laughed. I don't know if the universe is trying to tell me something, but during quarantine, Harry Melling popped up in so many movies I was watching. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Old Guard, The Devil All The Time, and now The Queen's Gambit. Harry Beltik is making his way back into the eyes of Hollywood and I can't wait for you to watch him shine!!
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I am going to make a bold statement and say that The Queen's Gambit is one of the best shows on television, ever. I don't think I have ever seen a "perfect show." Actually, I don't think there is such a thing. However, The Queen's Gambit is the closest I have seen any TV show come to it. There is literally nothing negative or critical I can say about this show because it was, in every aspect, flawless.
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