So, is Critical Thinking your standard teacher/mentor who sees the potential in a group of underprivileged students and changes their lives through sports or the arts? Absolutely. The basic story structure of the film is there: students in a tough situation, teacher who sees potential, life at home makes it challenging to take part in the program, students overcome obstacles to compete and win, and all ending with a “where are they now?” segment during the credits.
Despite a fairly standard story, Critical Thinking has moments of inspiration and hope making it worth watching. Due to the district’s unwillingness to fund their trips to state and nationals, the students find creative (if slightly illegal) ways of raising funds. Their success captures the attention of outside sources of sponsorship. It illustrates the rolling snowball of hope as long as you refuse to give up.
“…has moments of inspiration and hope making it worth watching.”
Then there’s the chess or at least the metaphors of chess in life. There’s a fantastic moment during class when Coach Martinez teaches a lesson in life using Morphy’s Opera game—described as the most beautiful game of chess played during an opera. Also hit hard is the idea that a draw in chess is often better than the win.
Although a standard story of teacher and students overcoming their environment, Critical Thinking has enough thrills, excitement, and, most of all, hope to recommend. You can see Leguizamo’s passion for the story and rarely overplays its hand to get its core message across.
Critical Thinking was scheduled to screen at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival.
"…there’s the chess or at least the metaphors of chess in life."
