Harry Beckwith

Superb. I found myself staring at Ms. Taylor-Joy--we will hear the word mesmerizing often. It dealt with her addictions intelligently rather than going for the big cinematic moments that so often hit false notes. Ms. Geller as her mother is a find, and the great Bill Camp is the great Bill Camp, all under terrific direction. How hard must it be, after all, to make chess dramatic? As a former DJ of this period, I loved the choice of music and the overall production design captures the look of the time, too. The Russian men in the final scene look so authentic you can smell the vodka on their breath and the chill in their hands. What a gift this is, especially for this young woman's extraordinary performance.