Inspirational high school sports movies are a dime a dozen. “Critical Thinking” flips the genre on its head by bringing chess into the mix. The film tells the true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team going on to win the 1998 U.S. National Chess Championship, making them the first inner-city team to ever do so. The new trailer for “Critical Thinking” demonstrates that chess is in fact the great equalizer.
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John Leguizamo pulls double duty in “Critical Thinking” as a first-time director and starring as coach Mario Martinez. He coaches chess at a rough inner-city high school, where his team consists of five Latinx and Black teenagers. Even though the school administration shows no interest in supporting the chess team, Martinez is determined to show the students how chess can change their lives and improve their minds
Rachel Bay Jones (“Modern Family”), Michael Kenneth Williams (“12 Years A Slave”), Corwin C. Tuggles (“Detachment”), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (“Brigsby Bear”) and Angel Bismark Curiel (“Pose”) join Leguizamo in the cast of “Critical Thinking.” The film was written by Dito Montiel (“A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints”) and produced by Scott Rosenfelt and Jason Mandl.
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Take a look at the official summary for “Critical Thinking” below:
Based on a true story from 1998, five LatinX and Black teenagers from the toughest underserved ghetto in Miami fight their way into the National Chess Championship under the guidance of their unconventional but inspirational teacher.
“Critical Thinking” will be released on virtual cinemas, VOD, and digital on September 4. Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, “Critical Thinking” never debuted at any film festivals. Its digital debut will act as the true premiere for Leguizamo’s forthcoming film. Take a look at the new trailer for “Critical Thinking” below.