Though he's only seven, Josh looks at a chessboard and anticipates moves that mature chess players don't even see. He's a malleable young boy with an incredible talent for the game of masterminds. When Josh begins honing his talent, playing a speedy version of the game called "blitz" with hustlers and hobos, his father decides to take him to world reknowned coach Bruce Pandolfini, who claims Josh may well be the second coming of chess legend Bobby Fischer. But family struggles ensue when the mother worries that in cultivating the genius, they may be hurting the child.

A sportswriter is thrilled to find his son is a chess prodigy. Taking his son into the amazing world of championship chess, he learns that loving his kid is the best way to mold a champion in this intelligent and fascinating film. Academy Award Nominations: Best Cinematography.

"Searching For Bobby Fischer" is a true story based on the book of the same title by Fred Waitzkin about his experiences with his chess-playing prodigy son Josh. This is screenwriter-director Steven Zaillian's directorial debut.

Producer Scott Rudin can be credited as having first brought the book to Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Steven Zaillian's attention. Zaillian, nominated for his "Awakenings" script, has turned many stories about ordinary people into compassionate screenplays dramatizing life's mysteries.
For the part of Josh, casting agent Avy Kaufman issued a national talent search, hoping to find a child actor capable of balancing the challenges that accompany playing a child prodigy: familiarity with chess, ability to memorize lines, and acting skill. Kaufman provided the same assistance for Jodie Foster's 1991 directorial debut, "Little Man Tate."
According to the film's production notes, the real Bruce Pandolfini, responsible for discovering Josh's talent, was technical advisor on the film. To Pandolfini, verisimilitude was the goal. According to Paramount's press kit, he worked with the cast to coach them on chess techniques, perfect their chess style and help them memorize their moves.

Rated BBFC PG by the British Board of Film Classification.

"Innocent Moves" is the British title; "Searching for Bobby Fisher" is the U.S. title.

DVD Features

Region 1
Keep Case
Sensormatic
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Additional Release Material:
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Selection

Joe Mantegna: American Actor
Laurence Fishburne: American Actor, BOYZ N THE HOOD (1991), THE MATRIX (1999)
Ben Kingsley: British actor, GANDHI/SCHINDLER'S LIST
Joan Allen: American Actress - The Ice Storm
Max Pomeranc: American Child Actor

Steven Zaillian: Screenwriter/ Director

James Horner: Composer, COMMANDO (1985)

"...Works movingly and most effectively as a family drama..."
"...Riveting." -- Rating: A-
"...Earnest and well-acted....Mantegna adds to his portfolio with a fine, subdued performance....Joan Allen is strong..."
"...Wonderful....A film of remarkable sensitivity and insight....By the end of SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISHER we have learned something about tournament chess, and a great deal about human nature..."
"Accessible, involving..."