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In the press materials for “Critical Thinking,” producer Carla Berkowitz drops this line about her reaction to reading the true story that inspired the film: “The image and story was haunting and I felt like I had a quantum shift in my perception of chess and who plays it.” The who in question are five Miami-area Black and Latino men who, along with their teacher, Mr. Martinez, brought back to their underprivileged Florida neighborhood the U.S. National Chess Championship. This happened in 1998. The film chronicles the loving camaraderie of the players and the events leading up to their victory.

In that same press release, acclaimed writer and actor John Leguizamo , who plays Martinez and also directs, states that he wanted to make this film because there were very few representations of Latin people on-screen when he was growing up. He also mentioned that the book The Bell Curve  harmfully depicted people of color as being mentally inferior due to our genetics. I wondered if, like me, Leguizamo grew up in an environment where the Black and brown people he knew played chess, so that it wouldn’t seem unusual nor an anomaly that they did. Because Berkowitz’s statement really made me consider what exactly the standard issue chess player was supposed to look like.

Chess has appeared in a lot of movies, from Boaz Yakin ’s “ Fresh ” to Steven Zaillian ’s “Searching for Bobby Fisher” to 2016’s superb Mira Nair film, “ Queen of Katwe .” I even remember it being prevalent in a crappy Gary Coleman TV movie about a smart Black kid. The game always carries the same symbolic qualifier: the person who plays it has a mental capacity for strategy and is intelligent. Chess is often employed to teach life lessons in these movies, to the point where it has become a cliché that just so happens to be used differently depending on who’s playing it. This difference is something that I admit often sticks in my craw, so I found myself wrestling a bit with this movie even though it seemed to be addressing my concern.

Unlike Zaillian’s film, which I guess answers my question of what a “standard issue” chess player is supposed to look like, the protagonists in the other films I’ve mentioned, and in “Critical Thinking,” are people of color whose economical circumstances are far from ideal. This tends to be the model when minorities are seen playing chess in films, which bends the cinematic chess player cliché toward making the ability to play the game the audience’s reason to offer empathy. Sure, they’re broke, probably in crime-ridden areas and may even do a crime or two, but see, they’re smart, so it’s OK to feel for them! This line of thinking has to do with who stereotypically plays chess and who does not.

Leguizamo’s Mr. Martinez speaks to this early in “Critical Thinking” by asking why chess is never associated with brown people despite a Latin man playing a major role in its evolution. “Why don’t you think we know about him?” he asks the students in his critical thinking class before delivering a great, pointed monologue that speaks about how history is taught in schools. The script by Dito Montiel has some sharp commentary about the education system, from what gets funded to the over-reliance on test scores to the differences between Martinez’s inner city school and the posh preppy institutions who fall victim to our heroes on the tournament circuit. There’s a bit more bite than you may be expecting, and the writing is just prickly enough to balance out the moments when the film dives headfirst into its tropes. And there are numerous tropes to swim in; not only is this a sports movie, it’s also an entry in the “Beloved Teacher” genre.

Our chess champion team is comprised of Sedrick Roundtree ( Corwin C. Tuggles ), Ito Paniagua (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), Gil Luna ( Will Hochman ), Rodelay Medina (Angel Curiel) and later, Marcel Martinez ( Jeffry Batista ) who joins the team after dispensing a hustler’s ass-whipping in a speed chess match. Their dialogue is peppered with the language the PG-13 won’t allow but realism will. Martinez is often telling them “watch your mouth” in his class, even if, in his less guarded moments, he’s prone to occasional profanity. Leguizamo gets good performances from each of them, especially in moments where you really feel the bond between teammates, both in the tournaments and in the streets. When they tell each other that they’ve got each other’s backs, there’s a real emotional pull that emanates straight from the actors.

Though this is an inspirational movie, Leguizamo and Montiel never sugarcoat the dangers of the environment their characters inhabit. The potential for violence, temporary homelessness, crime, and police harassment are always hovering in the margins, sometimes even invading the safe space of Martinez’s class or the school. An early sequence that shockingly ends in violence shows how good Leguizamo is at quickly establishing the audience’s tie to a character. When Rivera (Dre C) is thrown into critical thinking class after a disciplinary problem (“my class is not detention!” Martinez yells at frenemy Principal Kesler [ Rachel Bay Jones ]), he immediately runs afoul of Ito. Rivera’s lack of response is due to Spanish being his primary language, which may also have something to do with the infraction that got him sent to this class. Martinez talks to him in Spanish, lectures Ito and all seems well.

Rivera is then brutally assassinated in broad daylight after accidentally bumping into another person on the street. The film is barely 15 minutes old when this happens, but it immediately establishes that “Critical Thinking” has no plans of abandoning reality for its feel-good message. That sense of realism extends to the way the characters bond with, rib, and defend each other. Additionally, Leguizamo plays Martinez as someone who understands the temptations and frustrations of his students’ world. He challenges them to do for themselves because he knows all too well that the system has no intention of lending a helping hand.

Like Nair does in “Queen of Katwe,” Leguizamo also blatantly refuses to impose on poverty any notions of shame or requests for pity. “Chess is the great equalizer,” Martinez tells his team as they navigate snooty tournament heads and appearances against challengers from much posher ‘hoods. Even when things get expectedly dire for some of the characters, “Critical Thinking” remains focused on the characters’ response to the situation, never once stripping them of their dignity for cheap emotional manipulation.

Of all the team members, Sedrick has the most detailed arc. He has a girlfriend, Chanayah ( Zora Casebere ), who is supportive and tougher than she looks, and a father ( Michael Kenneth Williams ) whose sole job here is to fill that chess movie trope of the angry guy who uses chess as a means of brutal domination. Williams is an always welcome presence, but I could have done without him. Still, there is one very good moment where he shows some growth, and his son makes a snide comment that he silently acknowledges as being right.

The chess scenes are good even if you know nothing about chess. I’ve been playing since I was five, so of course I wanted more detailed representations than Leguizamo provides. I found his classroom lessons and the team’s banter about moves fascinating, and every time I was given a good look at a chessboard, I got closer to the screen to investigate. And yet, despite its acknowledgement of my aforementioned issues, I still felt a little itchy watching “Critical Thinking.” I am always game for a movie that makes me reckon with my personal feelings and biases, and I’m glad this one exists because representation will always speak volumes. If nothing else, “Critical Thinking” reminds you what a chess player can look like.

Odie Henderson

Odie "Odienator" Henderson has spent over 33 years working in Information Technology. He runs the blogs Big Media Vandalism and Tales of Odienary Madness. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire  here .

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Critical Thinking (2020)

117 minutes

John Leguizamo as Mario Martinez

Rachel Bay Jones as Principal Kestel

Michael Kenneth Williams as Mr. Roundtree

Corwin C. Tuggles as Sedrick Roundtree

Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Ito Paniagua

Angel Bismark Curiel as Rodelay Medina

Will Hochman as Gil Luna

Jeffry Batista as Marcel Martinez

Zora Casebere as Chanayah

• John Leguizamo
• Dito Montiel

Cinematographer

• Zach Zamboni
• Jamie Kirkpatrick
• Chris Hajian

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Tim meadows, jaboukie young-white, jamilah rosemond & jayson lee round out cast of michel gondry-pharrell williams musical, ‘critical thinking’ review: director-star john leguizamo makes all the right moves in true story of underdog chess kings.

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Movies set in the classroom with inspiring stories about teachers and their students has been a staple of Hollywood films from  Goodbye Mr. Chips  and  To Sir, with Love to Up the Down Staircase  and Dead Poet’s Society . A new one,  Critical Thinking,  has more in common with the grit and outsider spirit of the likes of  Lean on Me, Stand and Deliver and Denzel Washington’s  The Great Debaters, and, like the latter three, it is based on real people and true stories.

Ever since a ragtag underdog group of inner-city kids at Miami’s Jackson High School found themselves going from zero to 60 in the world of competitive scholastic chess in 1998, Hollywood has been trying to figure out how to bring their story to the screen. It finally came together when John Leguizamo was offered the starring role as teacher Mr. “T” Martinez and was so taken with the story of bringing a group of underprivileged students to the National Chess Championships against all odds and expectations that he also signed on to direct; it’s his first feature behind the camera since the 2003 TV movie Undefeated.

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It is easy to see why he was attracted to the material as it also offered a real opportunity to bring some much-needed Latinx representation to movies in a way that isn’t stereotyped but rather human and inspirational. In the two years since the film was shot (in under a month on a tight indie budget), it seems more important than ever, especially now as it heads to a VOD release rather than the originally hoped-for wider theatrical route that became impossible in light of the pandemic. With the whole idea in joepardy of even having kids actually go  to school in person in this COVID age, the movie brings a bit of comfort about what one on one connection and shared purpose can mean for the human spirit. Among other things, it serves at the very least as a much-needed reminder.

The real participants served as consultants on Critical Thinking, and that gives the mechanics involved some real street cred as the young actors were put through what essentially is a chess boot camp in bringing this story to life with real authenticity. Leguizamo also has cast the film exceptionally well, with each key player owning a distinct personality and the message of the film’s title coming through as a life lesson worth learning.

The script from Dito Montiel — a fine director in his own right — can’t avoid all the tropes of underdog sports stories but does remarkably well in making Critical Thinking  stand on its own in the genre. It’s honest without caving to predictable forced moments of sentimentality. Much credit to Leguizamo, who nicely underplays Martinez, getting his determination to succeed for his kids first and foremost but avoiding the gung-ho clichés. As members of the chess team, chief among standouts is the excellent Jeffry Batista as Cuba-born Marcel and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Ito, a kid unfortunately involved in drug violence. Corwin C. Tuggles, Angel Bismark Curiel, and Will Hochman all have their moments as well. The strong ensemble favors the younger stars-to-be but still sports some good support from the likes of Rachel Bay Jones as the hardnosed and not-too-helpful principal, Michael Kenneth Williams and others.

Critical Thinking  has teachable moments and real heart in a movie that was well worth all the years it took to reach our screens. Producers are Scott Rosenfelt and Jason Mandl. Carla Berkowitz is the executive producer who helped shepherd the film over the course of a couple of decades as well. The movie originally had been slated to premiere at SXSW in March, but those plans obviously changed when the physical fest was canceled. Vertical Entertainment sends it out on September 4 just as school year, such as it is, begins in earnest. Check out my video review with scenes from the film at the link above.

Do you plan to see  Critical Thinking? Let us know what you think.

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‘Critical Thinking’ Review: John Leguizamo’s Inspirational High-School Chess Drama

The true story of the Miami Jackson High chess team — five brainy wizards from the inner city — is told in a rousing but conventional way.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

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“ Critical Thinking ” is one of those up-from-the-streets high-school competition movies where just mentioning the true story it’s based on kind of gives the game away. Set in 1998, it’s about the five chess wizards from Miami Jackson High who became the first inner-city chess team to win the National Championship. Boom! But, of course, it’s how they got there that matters, and even if this movie weren’t based on a true story, you’d know more or less know where it’s going. “Critical Thinking” has some appealing young actors, and it’s been directed, by John Leguizamo (who costars as the film’s tough-saint teacher), in a way that gives them the space to clown around and then get serious. It’s still, in the end, a bit of a connect-the-inspirational-dots movie, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be inspired.

Leguizamo plays Mario Martinez, who teaches an elective class in chess at Miami Jackson, where his students call him “Mr. T.” They’re a rowdy, bellicose, street-smart bunch, hard to control in class, so at first we think we’re seeing one of those movies, like “Stand and Deliver” or “To Sir, with Love,” about a captivatingly square gadfly instructor who shows a bunch of underprivileged kids how to transcend the expectations (or lack thereof) that have been thrust upon them.

In a way, “Critical Thinking” is one of those movies, though with a crucial caveat: The basic training — the intellectual whipping into shape — has all happened before the drama even starts. Martinez, in his thankless underpaid plaid-shirts-off-the-rack way, is beloved by his students, and he has taught them well; they’re chess players who’ve got the game in their blood. (It’s the only thing that gets them to settle down .) Leguizamo, who spent a number of his early one-man stage shows sketching in (often quite brilliantly) the lives of young people from a similar background, knows how to create scenes that bubble with spontaneity. And he himself plays Martinez with an effusive, slightly weary middle-aged demeanor that’s touching, because what he nails is the unabashed corniness of certain great high-school teachers — their willingness to put on a show for their kids, to turn the life of the mind into energized nerd theater.

At one point, using the magnetic chess board at the front of the class, he plays out a chess match authored (and recorded) by Paul Morphy in 1858, and he makes it sound as exciting as something on Roblox. He employs silly accents (Southern, French, Austrian) and puts on wigs and fake beards to enact the game, and he draws the kids into it, challenging them in his geek-with-cool-slang way (“Why is it a wack move, Sedrick? Don’t just talk to me, man, show me!”).

It’s one of the only scenes where we actually witness the mechanics of chess, and while that’s always a challenge for a chess drama (there’s only so much it can lure the lay audience into the heady intricacies of the game), I wish the students’ connection with chess were less of a given, and a little less abstract. Watching “Critical Thinking,” you’d never even know that the art of chess is rooted in thinking several moves ahead. Yet Leguizamo stages the matches with percussive power, the kids pounding their time clocks even as their eyes burrow into the board like lasers.

Much of the film’s appeal lies in the way it revels in chess as a pure symbol of leveling the playing field of opportunity. As Mr. T explains, chess is “the great equalizer.” It doesn’t matter how rich or poor you are, what Ivy League college or prison you’re in: The elemental nature of the game shears away everything but intellectual ability. So in a drama like “Critical Thinking,” where five students (four Latinx and one African-American) bust out of a high school with limited resources to attend a series of tournaments, there’s a democracy-in-action, anyone-can-win-in-America spirit.

The actors are terrific; the roles, as written, less so. Leguizamo is working from a script, by Dito Montiel, that walks the line between lived-in experience and overboiled cliché. Sedrick is played by Corwin Tuggles, who has a great pensive face, and he lends conviction to the character’s struggles at home. But it still feels like a contrivance that his father (Michael Kenneth Williams), an angry curmudgeon who treats his son’s chess victories as if they were beneath contempt, is also…the guy who plays chess with him every day! The other pivotal character is the canny hothead Ito (Jorge Lendeborg Jr,.), who begins to moonlight as a drug dealer, and though it’s not that we don’t buy it, it plays out like one of those obligatory flirtation-with-delinquency subplots from the 1980s.

There’s also a newly arrived immigrant from Cuba who joins the class — a sleek prodigy named Marcel (Jeffrey Batista), who can play (and win) four simultaneous games with his eyes closed. Always good to have someone like that on your team! As likable an actor as Leguizamo is, “Critical Thinking” never generates the teacher/student face-off intensity that “Stand and Deliver” did. The issue of how the team members fund their trips, with Martinez having to win over a skeptical principal (Rachel Bay Jones), creates some tension along the sidelines, yet once these kids start to win their tournaments it seems like they can do no wrong. The picture is pleasant enough, but watching it you’re always one or two moves ahead.

Related: 

Reviewed online, Aug. 31, 2020. MPAA Rating: Not rated. Running time: 113 MIN.

• Production: A Vertical Entertainment release of a Chaplin/Berkowitz production, in association with NRSP, Cinema Veritas. Producers: Scott Rosenfelt, Jason Mandl. Executive producers: Harvey R. Chaplin, Carla Berkowitz, Emilio Estefan Jr.
• Crew: Director: John Leguizamo. Screenplay: Dito Montiel. Camera: Zach Zambone. Editor: Jamie Kirkpatrick. Music: Chris Hajian.
• With: John Leguizamo, Corwin Tuggles, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Will Hochman, Angel Curiel, Jeffrey Batista, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rachel Bay Jones, Zora Casebere.

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‘Critical Thinking’ Review: All the Right Moves

John Leguizamo directs and stars in this warmhearted drama about underprivileged teenagers who enter a national chess championship.

• Share full article

By Jeannette Catsoulis

Whether championing math, poetry, or just how to be a decent human being , the inspirational teacher is as familiar to movie audiences as the class stoner. “Critical Thinking” does little to detach itself from genre cliché; yet this heartfelt drama about a rough-and-tumble group of high-schoolers who claw their way to a national chess tournament has a sweetness that softens its flaws.

Based on a true story and set in an underserved Miami neighborhood in 1998, the movie drops us into the boisterous classroom of Mr. Martinez (played by the director, John Leguizamo).

“Chess is the great equalizer,” he tells his multiethnic students, using the game to teach his critical thinking elective — with a side of racial history discouraged by his school board. The principal (Rachel Bay Jones) might treat his classroom like a dumping ground for miscreants, but Martinez, assisted by wigs and funny accents, explains complicated chess moves with a deftness that cuts through their indifference.

With goals as modest as the lives of its characters, “Critical Thinking” follows the predictable arc of the underdog drama as the chess team overcomes troubled home situations and other setbacks on the road to a Beverly Hills-set finale. Slow and straightforward, the movie knows that a chess match is hardly a barnburner; but its lively young performers and their eventual triumph are easy to warm to. Drugs and gangs might beckon — and immigration officers hover just outside the frame — but they’re no match for the values of sportsmanship and teamwork. And Mr. Martinez’s pep talks.

Critical Thinking Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 57 minutes. Watch through virtual cinemas, or rent or buy on iTunes , Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators.

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John Leguizamo Stars in Directorial Debut Critical Thinking: Watch Powerful Trailer for Chess Drama

Based on a true story, Critical Thinking follows John Leguizamo as a Miami high school teacher leading his underserved students to the National Chess Championship

John Leguizamo makes his directorial feature film debut with a story that hits close to his heart.

In a PEOPLE exclusive look at the first trailer for Critical Thinking , Leguizamo stars as Mario Martinez, a Miami high school teacher determined to lead his underserved Black and Latinx students to the National Chess Championship — despite challenges standing in their way.

"Now people, this is going to be very basic for some of you," Martinez tells his skeptical students when introducing them to chess.

He continues, "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 may not go to because chess is the great equalizer."

When Martinez faces opposition from the school board on sending his students to a competition, he pushes back.

"The board is fine putting $400 on footballs but not with sending kids on a road trip to improve their minds," he says. "You're underestimating me, and more importantly, them."

The film has notes of the Edward James Olmos 1988 film Stand and Deliver , with both films centering on the true stories of high school teachers trying to guide their students toward a better life.

Based on the true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team, Leguizamo's first film as a director focuses on the talents of students played by Corwin C. Tuggles, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Will Hochman, Angel Bismark Curiel and Jeffrey Batista.

Critical Thinking is available On Demand on Sept. 4.

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Critical thinking.

Directed by John Leguizamo

Chess is the great equalizer

Based on a true story from 1998, five Latino and Black teenagers from the toughest underserved ghetto in Miami fight their way into the National Chess Championship under the guidance of their unconventional but inspirational teacher.

John Leguizamo Rachel Bay Jones Michael Kenneth Williams Corwin C. Tuggles Jorge Lendeborg Jr. Angel Bismark Curiel Will Hochman Jeffry Batista Zora Casebere Ramses Jimenez Todd Allen Durkin Brandon Somers Isaac Beverly Ruben E. A. Brown Sydney Arroyo Carlos Guerrero Michele Lepe Tatum Price

Director Director

John Leguizamo

Producers Producers

Scott M. Rosenfelt Elayne Schneiderman Schmidt Jason Mandl Joseph Krutel John J. Brunetti Jr.

Writer Writer

Dito Montiel

Casting Casting

Avy Kaufman

Editor Editor

Jamie Kirkpatrick

Cinematography Cinematography

Zach Zamboni

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

John Leguizamo Emilio Estefan Jr. Carla Berkowitz Harvey Chaplin

Production Design Production Design

J. Mark Harrington

Art Direction Art Direction

Lewis Zucker

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Composer composer.

Chris Hajian

Costume Design Costume Design

Danny Santiago

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Carol Raskin

Cinema Veritas NRSP Perfect Balance

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English Spanish

Releases by Date

18 dec 2020, 21 jan 2021, 04 sep 2020, 05 may 2021, releases by country, russian federation.

• Theatrical 18+
• Theatrical 輔12級

117 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Dave Taylor ★★½ 5

I know nothing about chess, but based on the overview given in this movie, it is the most random game in the whole world.

I think therein lies the problem for casual viewers checking this out. I watch hockey about as much as I play chess, but I know if the puck goes in the net, the team that put the puck in the net gets a point. They try to film the chess matches in a similar fashion to your standard sports movies, but I didn’t feel any tension mount (except for the last match) because there didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to what pieces were being moved. I only knew the good guys won after…

Review by JBird ★★★

Leguizamo wants his students to Critical Think, Like how to draw or come back from the brink. Although no one planned it, The year of the Gambit, With two chess submissions that don't stink.

Review by Joshua Arispe ★★★ 4

I should probably start off by mentioning that I’m an avid chess player. Chess is the greatest game ever invented and I play it quite often. Some friends of mine also worked on this movie, which I think is pretty cool. So I had many reasons to give Critical Thinking a watch. 

It clicked with me right away. Not as inspiring as it tries to be (thanks to some lame subplots and side characters) but I enjoyed the in-depth look at chess and John Leguizamo as the instantly likeable teacher. Reminded me a lot of Edward James Olmos’ Jaime Escalante from Stand and Deliver . He nails the role and made me wish I had a teacher like him. Hell, I…

Review by Karl ★★★

The true story of a chess team from an underfunded, underserved Florida public high school. Fortunately they have a passionate teacher, Mr. Martinez, who will do whatever it takes to get them to the chess finals in Beverly Hills. Sure it's cliche and you've seen variations of this underdog can-do spirit/inspirational story before, but when it's done right it can be among the most rewarding of viewings.

It's the kind of film that feels great while watching it, but won't likely stay with you, preventing from transcending the formula. The young actors make things worthwhile, particularly Jorge Lendeborg Jr., who has it the roughest of the five players. Also on hand is the late Michael Kenneth Williams. John Leguizamo, who…

Review by Luke Robertson ★★★½

I love this genre of movie. Underdog sports team come together to completely overcome the odds. It’s not my favourite in the genre but it is still a good movie. The cast are decent as well. If you are a fan of high school dramas then I think you’ll enjoy this.

Review by danielle ⚡ ★★ 1

movies can't be formulaic and long like pick a struggle

Review by Tim McClelland ★★★½ 1

There are many films of this type. We've seen the inspirational teacher with the underdog students fighting for their time to shine. When you start watching a film that follows that formula, it will need something special to help it stand out. This movie has cliched elements, but it also has heart and it had me on edge even though I knew the outcome. It took a little time to get me invested, but once I was, I was all in on the movie. It is a great true story so to see it made into a pretty decent film is awesome. I really enjoyed watching this. There is a great story here that has some wonderful characters and it will leave you feeling good. If a movie like this leaves me with a smile on my face, I'd say it did its job just fine.

Review by Justin Decloux ★★★½

I am a sucker for an 'Based on a True Story' underdog sports movie, and the fact that this is about chess (a game I have no interest in playing, but I love due to ti's simple complexity), and stars (and was directed by) John Leguizamo makes this even more my kind of thing. It hits all the expected beats, kind of muddles it's finale (Oh, that's it?), and is directed in a workman like fashion, but I still found it a thrill.

I will continue to not play chess.

Watched for The Bay Street Video Podcast :https://soundcloud.com/thebaystreetvideopodcast

Review by Nicholas Faron ★★★½

I've never understood chess, but hot damn is it exciting to watch (on screen that is).

Review by Jacob Knight ★★★

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

John Leguizamo’s feature directorial debut is an R-rated, Dito Montiel scripted after school special about inner city Miami kids winning the US National Chess Championship in ‘98. It hits every beat you expect it to, including Leguizamo (who plays the boys’ coach/teacher/mentor) reading poetry to his class, and even has one of the would-be champs return to the streets to sell drugs for a local assassin after he loses his job. And you know what? That’s fine, because even though Leguizamo isn’t a born filmmaker (the direction here is the very definition of “workmanlike”) he injects street smarts and a POV that, when combined with the troupe young/non-actors, makes it all feel lived-in as opposed to schmaltzy (which, I mean, it still totally is). Maybe I’m just a sucker for this sort of thing, but the amount of screen time devoted to the strategic history of chess alone made the dorkier parts of my brain light up.

Review by waz ★★★½ 2

Coach Carter meets Fresh meets The Queen’s Gambit . There’s truly nothing more exhilarating than seeing two individuals duke it out on one of the most ancient boardgames in history.

With the release of The Queens Gambit  as well as the sudden surge by many popular Twitch streamers, 2020 was a great year for chess that brought hundreds of newcomers to the game. Although this film in particular may have slipped under the radar during the chess boom, it has plenty of heart to it and finishes on a strong, inspirational note. There’s a bit of something for all chess players to be able to relate to or enjoy here whether it’s seeing the camaraderie within a tight-knit team or the familiar intrigue of…

Review by Jeremy Kremser ★★★

My dad didn’t make a single racially charged comment during this whole movie it’s a Christmas miracle

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Where to Stream Critical Thinking?

‘Critical Thinking’ is a biographical drama that takes us back to 1998. It is based on a true story and tells the inspiring tale of Mario Martinez, the Cuban-American teacher, and his chess team at the Miami Jackson High School. Just as Mario contributed to the victory, we learn about the individual struggles of the members as they fight to win the national championship. The film highlights the efforts and eventual sweetness of success spectacularly. Curious to know where to stream ‘Critical Thinking’? We have got you covered, but first, let us tell you a little more about the movie.

What is Critical Thinking About?

Real stories about sports victories are perhaps even more uplifting since they encapsulate the fighting spirit, which is an undeniable human characteristic. We see five children from the toughest ghetto in Miami fighting to make their way into the National Chess Championship. Their unconventional teacher guides them. As people of color, they have to face an uphill battle when it comes to acceptance. Moreover, their poverty-stricken background is enough to keep any of these children down – and yet, they rise above adversities to try to win the chess tournament. It shows how grit and determination can overcome almost any odds.

Is Critical Thinking on Netflix?

Netflix has a stellar collection of films and shows, which makes the platform a fan-favorite among various viewers. While ‘Critical Thinking’ is not on the site, you can check out ‘ Million Dollar Baby ,’ which tells the story of a trainer who is dejected throughout the estrangement with his daughter. When a spirited girl enters his life and convinces him and his crew to help her – the trainer finds new hope in the fighter’s determination.

Is Critical Thinking on Hulu?

Hulu keeps making smart additions to the platform to stay ahead of competitors. ‘Critical Thinking’ is not available for subscribers at the moment, but you should check out ‘ I, Tonya .’ It traces the rise of the competitive ice skater, Tonya Harding. She gains acclaim in the U. S. Figure Skating Championships, but her ex-husband’s intervention throws Tonya’s dreams into a state of flux.

Is Critical Thinking on Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime sources content from all around the world. Thus, their collection of films and shows can satisfy a global base of viewers. ‘Critical Thinking’ is not available for Prime subscribers as is, but you can buy or rent and watch the movie. Check it out here .

Where to Watch Critical Thinking Online?

If you don’t have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can still watch ‘Critical Thinking.’ Just head to Vudu , iTunes , DirecTV , Microsoft Store , or FandangoNow to rent or buy and watch the movie. It is available in SD and HD versions.

Where to Stream Critical Thinking For Free?

Sorry, but you cannot stream ‘Critical Thinking’ for free at the moment. You have to wait for it to arrive on a platform with a trial period. However, we urge readers to pay for the art they consume.

Read More: Best Chess Movies

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Critical thinking, common sense media reviewers.

Underdog chess team defies odds but plays into stereotypes.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Positive themes of teamwork and defiance against t

Main characters are depicted as underdogs whose su

Frequent gun use. One character is abruptly shot a

Occasional kissing.

Frequent use of the words "f--k," "s--t," and "ass

Adults get drunk. Underage characters smoke cigare

Parents need to know that Critical Thinking is a fact-based drama about a high school chess team from an underserved community that defies the odds to make it to the U.S. National Chess Championship. Directed by and starring John Leguizamo, the movie has frequent swearing ("f--k," "s--t," etc.), underage…

Positive Messages

Positive themes of teamwork and defiance against the odds are prevalent. While it exposes some of the broken systems in public education, it fails to fully portray its teen characters' humanity, contributing to problematic stereotypes.

Positive Role Models

Main characters are depicted as underdogs whose success goes against everyone's expectations. Some show determination, but most play into stereotypes associated with Black and Latinx teens from under-resourced communities -- i.e., unmotivated, unintelligent jokesters. That makes it seem like their success is because of some paradoxical talent instead of their strength of character. Failure to see these kids' humanity contributes to their stereotyping, on-screen and off.

Violence & Scariness

Frequent gun use. One character is abruptly shot and killed. Another character is punched and strangled to death. Parents emotionally abuse children.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Frequent use of the words "f--k," "s--t," and "ass."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults get drunk. Underage characters smoke cigarettes. Drug dealing.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Critical Thinking is a fact-based drama about a high school chess team from an underserved community that defies the odds to make it to the U.S. National Chess Championship. Directed by and starring John Leguizamo , the movie has frequent swearing ("f--k," "s--t," etc.), underage cigarette smoking, drug dealing, punching, strangling, and gun violence that results in death. Parents emotionally abuse children. While positive themes of teamwork and overcoming challenges are prevalent, the movie's Black and Latinx teens are stereotypically depicted as unintelligent with little work ethic and their success as an anomaly. Rachel Bay Jones and Michael Kenneth Williams co-star. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

In CRITICAL THINKING, teacher Mr. T ( John Leguizamo ) oversees an unofficial detention hall at Miami Jackson Senior High School, where students are sent if they're deemed troublesome. Mr. T seizes the opportunity to start a chess team, all while navigating limited resources, a school with little faith in his students' abilities, and the stressors of his students' turbulent personal lives. When the team starts to succeed, the students come up with creative fundraisers to pay for travel and lodging at their competitions. But none of this is easy. One teen faces pressures at home from an emotionally abusive father who resents his son's talents. Another is pulled into dealing drugs to make ends meet. All the while, Mr. T is the loving, encouraging adult they crave.

Is It Any Good?

This drama is the classic story of an underdog team overcoming the odds and making it all the way; unfortunately, it falls back on stereotypical characterizations to tell its tale. The Miami Jackson team seems to be in this position because its members -- Black and Latinx teens from under-resourced communities -- have historically underestimated identities. The film plays on the biases that are often held about these identities by depicting the teens as shiftless and unfocused. They're careless in their fundraising efforts, they try to pass notes during tournaments, and they use the threat of physical violence to intimidate their opponents.

Their chess skills are an afterthought, making their success feel like an anomaly. And it certainly doesn't help that a White teen joins the team as they gain momentum and becomes their shining star -- teaching the other kids new chess moves and giving them vocabulary lessons. He's the only teen character whose background, personal life, and stressors aren't explored. So while Critical Thinking is diverse in its casting and exposes some of the broken systems in public education, it misses the mark in humanizing its characters. The failure to see these kids' humanity contributes to their stereotyping, on-screen and off.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Critical Thinking handles stereotypes and biases. Can media offer positive representations while still promoting stereotypical characterizations?

What does Critical Thinking teach viewers about student engagement and the importance of teaching things in a fun way?

What role does teamwork play in Critical Thinking ? Why is it an important character strength ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : September 4, 2020
• On DVD or streaming : September 4, 2020
• Cast : John Leguizamo , Rachel Bay Jones , Michael Kenneth Williams
• Director : John Leguizamo
• Inclusion Information : Latino directors, Latino actors, Female actors
• Studio : Vertical Entertainment
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : High School
• Character Strengths : Teamwork
• Run time : 117 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : February 19, 2023

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From 'Good Will Hunting' to 'Jaws': 13 Popular Movies You Didn’t Know Were Based on True Stories

You'd (probably) never guess these took inspiration from real-life events.

Read update

With recent releases of movies based on true stories – for instance, Christopher Nolan 's upcoming Oppenheimer (July 21), starring Cillian Murphy – it isn't hard to find ourselves wondering which movies are actually chronicling real-life events, especially when such facts aren't implied in the film. Below, we look back at other remarkable movies that relied on genuine narratives.

For some reason, watching movies that were based on true stories hits differently. Acknowledging that the entirety — or at least part of — the events reflected on-screen were actually real just makes the whole viewing experience much more intriguing and authentic. While everyone knows that gems like Psycho and Catch Me If You Can are two of the films that take inspiration from real stories, there are other good movies that make the whole thing less obvious.

From the thought-provoking Good Will Hunting to one of the most prized romances of all time, Nicholas Sparks ' The Notebook , these are some of the movies you probably didn't know were based — even if loosely — on real stories.

Updated on May 29, 2023, by Daniela Gama:

13 'goodfellas' (1990).

Told from the point of view of Henry Hill ( Ray Liotta ), a local Brooklyn gangster and drug dealer, Goodfellas focuses on the character's life in the mob, tackling his relationship with his wife Karen ( Lorraine Bracco ) and his mob partners Jimmy Conway ( Robert De Niro ) and Tommy DeVito ( Joe Pesci ).

As it turns out (via ATI ), Martin Scorsese 's notable crime film is more than a fictional story. Based on the 1986 nonfiction bestseller Wiseguy which centered around the life of Lucchese crime family associate Henry Hill , as well as his comrades and their involvement in the infamous Lufthansa heist, this iconic film delivers representations of real-life people.

Watch on Max

12 'The Sound of Music' (1965)

This iconic 1965 musical is apparently so much more than meets the eye – the legendary film by Robert Wise is based on a play that is based on the first section of Maria von Trapp 's own memoir first published in 1949 titled The Story of the Trapp Family Singers .

The book tells the story of Julie Andrews 's real-life character in The Sound of Music , Maria von Trapp, who takes a job as governess to a large family while she decides whether to become a nun. It is said, however, that the movie plot does not always stay true to its source material.

Watch on Vudu

11 'Good Will Hunting' (1997)

The classic inspiring drama Good Will Hunting stars Matt Damon as the extremely gifted but rebellious Will Hunting, and the unforgettable Robin Williams as his kind-hearted, understanding psychologist Sean. This incredibly touching Gus Van Sant movie from 1997 focuses on a highly intelligent boy who needs help redirecting his life path in order to find his true identity.

Good Will Hunting draws inspiration from real-life events. According to Damon , the beloved film, which was beautifully written by the actor himself, featured some scenes loosely based on episodes that happened with his brother: "He was visiting a physicist we knew at M.I.T. and he was walking down the Infinite Corridor. He saw those blackboards that line the halls. So my brother, who is an artist, picked up some chalk and wrote an incredibly elaborate, totally fake version of an equation. And it was so cool and completely insane that no one erased it for months."

Watch on Prime Video

10 'Jaws' (1975)

Everyone has heard about the 1975 classic with the big bad shark that makes the beach community of Cape Cod go absolutely feral (and for good reason). But did anyone know that it was inspired by a real shark story? Starring Roy Scheider as local sheriff Brody, and Richard Dreyfuss as marine biologist Hooper, this enthralling movie is guaranteed to leave viewers on the edge of their seats.

According to Business Insider , the main star from Steven Spielberg 's masterpiece Jaws is partly based on a shark that killed four people in 1916 New Jersey during a "spate of attacks culminated in the town of Matawan, where a 10-year-old boy was killed on July 12, 1916, while swimming in an inland creek more than 10 miles away from the nearest ocean bay."

9 'The Notebook' (2004)

Adapted from Nicholas Sparks' novel of the same name, Nick Cassavetes ' The Notebook tells the admirable story of two lovers of opposite social classes. In a nursing home, resident Duke ( James Garner ) reads to an old woman ( Gena Rowlands ) who lives with senile dementia and memory loss. He tells a very passionate romance story of a low-class young man ( Ryan Gosling ) who falls for a wealthy girl ( Rachel McAdams ).

Who knew one of the film industry's most beloved romances was based on real-life events, even if loosely? According to Mirror , the author actually based his tale on the story of his wife’s grandparents who were together for over 60 years: " The Notebook was originally inspired by the story of my wife’s grandparents. They had a rare and beautiful relationship, one that withstood the test of time and circumstance."

8 'Rear Window' (1954)

One of Alfred Hitchcock 's greatest films , just like Psycho , Rear Window is also a classic inspired by macabre true events; in addition to this, it is also an impactful social commentary. The movie follows L.B. Jefferies ( James Stewart ), a photographer who is set to spend his days stuck at home recovering in a wheelchair and who, in the meantime, attentively spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village apartment window, certain that one of them has committed murder.

Hitchcock said it himself: "I used two news stories from the British press. One was the Patrick Mahon case and the other was the case of Dr. Crippen . In the Mahon case, the man killed a girl in a bungalow on the seafront of Southern England. He cut up the body and threw it, piece by piece, out of a train window. But he didn’t know what to do with the head, and that’s where I got the idea of having them look for the victim’s head in Rear Window ."

7 'Hustlers' (2019)

An extremely fun watch, Lorene Scafaria 's entertaining Hustlers stars the iconic Jennifer Lopez as the lead actor – alongside other recognizable faces, including Constance Wu , Keke Palmer , Cardi B , and Lili Reinhart – and follows a crew of former strip club employees who seek revenge on their Wall Street clients.

As for the actual events the film is based on: Jessica Pressler ’s December 2015 New York Magazine article "The Hustlers at Scores," in which the journalist interviewed Keo and Samantha Foxx , two people out of five who were accused of allegedly drugging men.

6 'Chicago' (2002)

This treasured Hollywood musical that features a cast of extremely talented actors revolves around two death-row convicts, Velma Kelly ( Zeta-Jones ), who murdered her husband and sister after finding out about an affair between the two, and Zellwege r's Roxie Hart, who killed her husband when she learned we wouldn't make her a star. Fighting for the fame that will keep them away from the bars in the 1920s (you guessed it) Chicago, this bewitching film will have audiences' eyes glued to the screen.

What may come as a surprise to some is how Chicago was based on a dark true story. Drawing inspiration from the 1926 play that was written by the reporter assigned to cover the trials of murderer Beulah Annan (Roxie Hart) and Belva Gaertn (the inspiration for Velma Kelly), this engaging musical shares a lot of similarities with real-life events.

5 'Footloose' (1984)

Footloose is perhaps one of the most well-known films of the musical genre , and it centers around a rebellious, high-spirited teenager who moves from Chicago city into the small town of Bomont, where rock music and dancing have been banned. At first, Ren ( Kevin Bacon ) tries to fit in, though soon enough he learns that he has no choice but to take up the glove and fight prejudice.

As it seems, in the year 1979 the small town of Elmore City, Oklahoma faced a community crisis – while the seniors of Elmore High School strived to plan a senior prom, dances were against the law due to a not-forgotten ordinance from the late 1800s that claimed dancing a tool of the devil (according to the BBC ).

4 'Almost Famous' (2000)

When a high-schooler is given the chance to write a story for Rolling Stone Magazine about a promising young rock band as he accompanies them throughout their tour, the aspiring rock journalist, William Miller ( Patrick Fugit ), gets to experience a glimpse of fame.

While partly fictional, both the film and musical of the same name are based on a true story (via Distractify ). Drawing inspiration from Cameron Crowe , the film’s writer-director, and his time writing for Rolling Stone Magazine when he was just 16 years old in the 1970s, Almost Famous is considered one of his best works. It features several characters based on real people, including lead groupie Pennie Ann Trumbull , who was a major inspiration for Kate Hudson ’s on-screen counterpart, Penny Lane.

3 'Girl, Interrupted' (1999)

Following eighteen-year-old Susanna's ( Winona Ryder ) long stay at a mental health facility in the late 1960s, Girl, Interrupted offers its viewers a realistic outlook on the sensitive topics it tackles, including Borderline Personality Disorder. Filled with amazing performances from incredibly talented actors (winning Angelina Jolie an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), the James Mangold movie provides its audience with a powerful true story.

Based on the 1993 memoir by Susanna Kaysen that depicts the events during her stay at McLean Hospital, Girl, Interrupted is a wonderful adaptation of a moving story. Following a suicide attempt with aspirin and vodka, Kaysen ended up at the mental health facility. "Their image of me was unstable, since it was out of kilter with reality and based on their needs and wishes," she wrote about her relationship with her parents. "They did not put much value on my capacities, which were admittedly few, but genuine."

Watch on Netflix

2 '50 First Dates' (2004)

Peter Segal 's comedy-drama 50 First Dates centers around Henry Roth ( Adam Sandler ), who is single and ready to mingle in a Hawaiian paradise, constantly jumping from one relationship to another with no strings attached. That is until he meets Lucy ( Drew Barrymore ), a beautiful and charming girl whom he falls for and discovers has short-term memory loss, which causes her to forget him the next day (and every day).

Completely unable to form new memories for more than 23 years, Michelle Philpots is the real woman whose rare condition that developed after two tragic vehicle crashes inspired the story behind the film. According to a report from Cosmopolitan , Philpots' memories don't go past the year 1994, which means that she wakes up every day thinking she's a few decades younger and believing that John Major is still Prime Minister.

1 'The Woman King' (2022)

The Woman King is a thoroughly compelling and powerful 2022 film featuring the powerhouse Viola Davis as General Nanisca. It tells the story of an all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s as she trains the next generation and fiercely showcases that some things truly are worth defending and fighting for.

What may surprise some viewers is how The Woman King is based on a true story , which makes its narrative all the more empowering. As it seems, these unparalleled and revolutionary women actually existed for over a century and have also been around in modern times for a long time, as they have been referenced in the latest pop culture hits, including in Black Panther (Dora Milaje).

NEXT: Most Surprising Horror Movies Based on True Events

Critical Thinking (2020)

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