Miami - 1998. Poverty, broken families, and a prejudiced system push underprivileged youth to the fringes of society. But for a magnetic group of teens, there's a reprieve. A game where it's not about where you come from, but how you play. That equalizer is chess. Mr. "T" Martinez, a chess militant and passionate coach, leads them to a completely foreign field of battle.... (Full plot summary below)
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Miami - 1998. Poverty, broken families, and a prejudiced system push underprivileged youth to the fringes of society. But for a magnetic group of teens, there's a reprieve. A game where it's not about where you come from, but how you play. That equalizer is chess. Mr. "T" Martinez, a chess militant and passionate coach, leads them to a completely foreign field of battle.
Leave your thoughts about Critical Thinking.
| SlashfilmEthan AndertonUnlike some movies that feature a group of urban teens inspired by a teacher and their lessons, it doesn’t make it seem like merely winning a chess tournament will make all the problems in their lives go away. It’s one victory that might make everything else feel less overwhelming, at least for a little bit. |
| The PlaylistJoe BlessingCritical Thinking shows that Leguizamo makes a good teacher on screen and behind the camera –he’s telling a story that is truly inspiring and educational, but also revealing its relevance and keeping it fun. |
| Film ThreatAlan NgAlthough a standard story of teacher and students overcoming their environment, Critical Thinking has enough thrills, excitement, and, most of all, hope to recommend. |
| RogerEbert.comOdie HendersonI 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. |
| Austin ChronicleMatthew MonagleStill, even at its most rote, Critical Thinking captures the appeal of chess without defaulting to a white perspective of these students. |
| The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisCritical 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. |
| VarietyOwen GleibermanIt’s still, in the end, a bit of a connect-the-inspirational-dots movie, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be inspired. |
| Screen DailyTim GriersonCritical Thinking has plenty of heart, which unfortunately can’t make up for its fairly uninspired design and predictable trajectory. |
| Movie NationRoger MooreCritical Thinking is a cluttered, cliched and ungainly story. |
| User ReviewJLuis_001It's pretty much a text book inspirational film, so you have to know where you're getting yourself into. I admit that I wasn't impressed but even if there are no surprises, at least Leguizamo made it entertaining. |
