Anya Taylor-Joy is simply phenomenal in her award winning performance as Beth Harmon. A 'broken,' pill popping, alcohol induced, chess student and eventual master.
Isla Johnston is just as good as nine-year-old Beth. She is the Beth we get to know first. The younger Beth, who grows up in a girl's group home, alongside best friend & rebellious teenager, Jolene (a brilliant Moses Ingram.)
The superb cast includes: Harry Potter's Harry Melling, as the Kentucky State Champion, who befriends Beth, Marielle Heller as Beth's adoptive mother, Alma and Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts, a brash young New Yorker and the reigning United States Chess Champion.
The 1950's / 60's setting is appealing and the attention to detail is exemplary, from the sublime costume / set design, to the beautiful cinematography. By the time Beth sits down for her final game against Soviet World Champion, Vasily Borgov (Marcin Dorociński), you will be on the edge of your seat!
This is as good as television gets. Checkmate Netflix. Winner of 11 Emmy Awards.
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OTHER CAST: Bill Camp, Christiane Seidel, Rebecca Root, Chloe Pirrie, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Marielle Heller, Patrick Kennedy, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd and Marcin Dorociński. DIRECTED BY: Scott Frank. SCREENPLAY BY: Scott Frank. CREATED BY: Scott Frank, Allan Scott. BASED ON: The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis. RUNNING TIME: 46–67 minutes. CERTIFICATE: 15 / R (Suggested.) USA.
