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The Queen’s Gambit Review

The Queen’s Gambit is a Netflix drama miniseries created by Scott Frank and Alan Scott and starring Anya Taylor-Joy. It’s a standard biopic that is so well crafted nonetheless.

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“Anger’s a potent spice.

A pinch wakes you up.

Too much dulls your senses“

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It follows the life of a fictional adult orphan chess prodigy as she rises through the ranks of the chess world while also dealing with addiction. I found the overall storyline just okay and certainly familiar in its rising through the ranks and addiction basic storylines, but it was so well realized in characters and plot points that I ultimately really liked it, though I did not love it due to its populist nature.

Let’s talk about the characters. Beth Harmon is the main figure here (pun intended) and she is superbly developed as this very complex woman who has her issues, but her confidence drives her through life successfully. Although not that likable, she was very grounded in reality for me that I really respected her character. I find it problematic that this very biopic-like miniseries is just fiction and not based on a true story, that is weird to me, but she remains great regardless.

What this will do to Anya Taylor-Joy’s career, I can only imagine. The future is bright for this talented girl who was before in indie horror outings, but will now undoubtedly receive bigger work and deservedly so as she’s awesome here. Her look is terrific, she is very charismatic and she sold her every scene in what is basically her show.

As for the others, none of the supporting players are as memorable, but I did adore her adoptive mother. She was so much fun and the relationship between the two is one of the most moving parts of this series. But others are fleeting presences with the gay and black characters being token additions and the love interests not being all that memorable.

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The Queen’s Gambit is weaker in its first episode, but the mid section is the best. My favorite moment is the ending itself with the older men on the street playing chess with Beth. That was wonderful to witness. It is uneven in tone and pace overall, but the costume work is splendid, the score is frequently beautiful and the sixties soundtrack is fabulous.