A new mini-series with Anya Taylor-Joy.
This limited series consists of 7 episodes, and is probably one of the best series of that length I've seen so far. It is based on the novel The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis, and tells the story of an orphaned girl who discovers her talent for chess. Even if you don't know much about chess, this is a serious that is very entertaining and so well-shot and written that it's a joy to watch.
The beginning of the series has some Jane Eyre-like elements (which is always a great thing in my opinion), with a protagonist who is an orphan and is sent to a strict school. There she not only finds a friend, but also gets interested in chess when she sees the janitor play it in the basement. This changes the course of her life, and she becomes interested in competing and attending tournaments.
The plot is told in a non-linear fashion, including flashbacks to her childhood, as well as some interesting jumps in the chronology. This is mainly done (I presume) to avoid lengthy chess games without any interruptions, so there are some creative ways around that, creating suspense. This is done in a seemingly effortless way, which matches many other great achievements: the writing, dialogue, setting and costumes are outstanding.
The cast is stellar, mainly because of Anya Taylor-Joy in the leading role. She plays Beth Harmon from an awkward teenager to a confident young woman, convincing at every age and portraying a wide range of complex situations. By her side, there are Marielle Heller as her adoptive mother, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Harry Melling as fellow chess players and Moses Ingram as her boarding school friend. The contrast of the wide-eyed, red-haired girl among the many interesting male players in the chess community is both visually and content-wise very interesting, and allows the actors to have many funny and tense moments.
Besides the main themes of chess and coming-of-age, there is a focus on addiction and health, as well as life choices. So even if chess is not your favourite game, there are many interesting psychological and tactical elements to it, and other universal themes. Overall, I found this mini series to be immensely enjoyable for various reasons. Anya-Taylor Joy has emerged as one of the young actresses to watch, after her performances in Emma (2020) and her recurring role in cult series Peaky Blinders.
(Images: IMDB)