Watch Queen to Play For Free

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Redundant and unnecessary.

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

I so LOVE this one. It has everything for a romantic feel good with intelligence: Sandrine B, who I adore ( see Un Ceour Simple, her role makes me cry every time), she is SO expressive, every nerve of her face can tickle , tremble, frown, an amazing aura. Will always love her ( just for comparison: J.Binoche is levels lower IMO, she's too manieristic ( and can't make me cry) . Stephane Audran is BTW another fab actress) All other actors are excellent, also the American who teaches her chess and stole her heart and mine too , only in THIS role....and oh......Jennifer Beale has a gorgeous (small) part !!! And yes,I love CHESS, watch all chess films available to me. Then we have the gorgeous countryside views and how the people talk and behave, it's just all these tiny things typical for provincial life in S-Europe, in this case France. SHE SO ROCKS. She bikes a lot, in simple but feminine skirts, over bridges , from one house to another, helping, working, meanwhile her typical FROWN shows that she has only the NEXT MOVE in her mind.....LOL . Watching her makes you feel stronger when you're in a down mood..... FEEL GOOD. I don't watch Pretty Woman. I watch this gorgeous chess lady on her bike................ ;) ;)

a game. refuge, ladder, clothe. a woman. and her sense. an isle, gray family and meeting. a victory. slices of a friendship. Sandrine Bonnaire and Kevin Kline in a charming movie.a fake tale about chess. strange love story with nuances of fairy tale. or only exercise to define importance of heart for a shadow. not a great film but one like a Chopin fragment. puzzle of small and not important pieces. few drops of sentimental perfume and crumbs of ordinaries lives. some drawing of feminism and work of good cast. a movie about nothing as many others. but just emotions, fragments of images, dust of memories are important. this is chess lesson. a long and tense chess match and look of a woman as fruit of desire of a passing ghost.

For those who like to see character transformation, this movie is for you. When we first meet Hélène she cleans houses and hotels to help her family (husband and teenage daughter) make ends meet. Hélène's daily life is routine--she is ignored by her husband and disrespected by her daughter. Seeing an attractive couple playing chess as if it were foreplay, Hélène is excited by the idea of the game and buys a computer chess game. She becomes absorbed by the game but can only make limited progress with the computer. She cleans house for a widowed American Dr. Kröger who just happens to be a chess player. She asks Kröger to play and he finally agrees to a game. I thought I knew where the story was going from there, but it did not go there.The main theme touched on is how a passion can change a life. Through her passion for chess Hélène's life is transformed as is the life of her family. Hélène proves false the stereotype that a mere cleaning lady could not be good at chess, or for that matter that a woman should not have talent for the game.The relationship that develops between Hélène and Dr. Kröger is at the heart of the movie. The excellent performances of Kevin Kline as Dr. Kröger and Sandrine Bonnaire as Hélène are what put this movie over the top. They are a delight. The scene where they play a game only by voicing the moves is about as intimate as any love scene.I had a little difficulty believing that Hélène's skill could advance as quickly as portrayed, particularly her learning the game in middle age. I would think that the latent talent required would have expressed itself in some manner at an earlier age.For a much more believable chess story, see "Searching for Bobby Fischer." Based on a true story, the kid's development in that movie is exceedingly well presented. A movie that treats the same theme of a passion surfacing at a later age is, "Everlasting Moments." The passion there is photography and again I found the development in that movie more believable, probably due to the fact that that movie is based on a true story. "Queen to Play" is a fictionalized conflation of these two fact-based movies.The gentle musical score makes a good accompaniment. Corsica, where this was filmed, makes for good background scenery.Although there are elements bordering on fantasy, I found this movie engaging and well worth seeing.

On some levels this movie works. Its' slow paced, languid, and the characters draw you in – particularly Sandrine Bonnaire. It's about the addiction of the game of chess and its appeal. So if you feel nothing for the game then you have been warned! The scenery on the island of Corsica is very colourful.However it's also a somewhat self-indulgent film – it's about addiction after all. There are many long and lingering shots of Sandrine and Kevin staring at each other and then at chess pieces. Sandrine's family is so very much accommodating to her new found passion. There is certain lack of logicality – it takes years with many different chess partners to become a solid player and then participate successfully in a tournament. Still the movie does dreamily captivate.