Queen of Katwe (2016) User Reviews

chess for the win

[lee_eisenberg · 8/10 · 15 October 2016]

Mira Nair previously focused on Uganda in 1991's "Mississippi Masala" (about an Indian family forced into exile by Idi Amin). "Queen of Katwe" is the true story of Phiona Mutesi, who started playing chess to get out of Kampala's slums. Katwe is the sort of place where you have to bribe people to do even minimal tasks. Lupita Nyong'o plays Phiona's mother, the sort of person who knows the slums all too well and isn't thrilled with her daughter's goal.

One of the most effective scenes is when the Katwe children compete against the students of King's College: the Katwe children wear the traditional Ugandan attire while the rich children wear western clothes, showing the disconnect between the social classes (a scene towards the end of "Mississippi Masala" showed something similar: when the father returns to Uganda, he looks westernized while the Ugandans wear the traditional clothes).

Admittedly, I don't know how accurate the movie is, especially since I had never heard of the story before the movie's release. Nonetheless, it's a powerful, uplifting story. The people involved in this movie deserve ample recognition for their contributions, and I hope that it draws more attention to Phiona Mutesi's achievements.

A life changing game.

[Reno-Rangan · 8/10 · 24 September 2017]

I am not a big fan of Mira Nair. But I like some of her films, particularly 'Amelia'. Because she usually prefers India and Indian subjects and cast as what she's. Outside that circle, she was not that successful, until now. It was a sport film, that revolved around chess game. Inspired by an incredible true story from the dark continent. It all happened less than ten years ago. Disney and ESPN together produced it. So when these two productions come together, you would know what to expect.

Seeing the opening few minutes, it reminded me the recent New Zealand film 'The Dark Horse'. Kind of a similar film, but I was not that impressed with that. But this one was awesome. Simply a miracle. Like any fairy-tale from the Disney. She was not a princess, but in a way she turns to be one. Years ago when I reviewed 'Searching for Bobby Fischer', I said that was the film should be shown in the schools. Now add this title as well to the list.

The opening was the ending. Then followed the flashback, which went to the 4 years ago. Living in a slum of Katwe, a single mother raising her children, but not without their contribution to the family. Now the focus shifts to one of the family members, Phiona. Curiosity on her brother who disappears every day after sold out his goods leads her to a new path. That's when she discovers a game she had never heard of before. After learning the basics, she quickly picks up the rest of the game on her own and becomes a prodigy.

❝Losing teaches me how to play better.❞

This is like most of the true stories you have seen, but that's the truth as well in here. What might come later could impress you. Because it was not like she has a superpower, so she can clear her life path just like that. Honestly, the real test begins now for her, how she uses her gift. But it was her coach who understood the situation, and tried his best to push her further with the big tournaments, in the national and the international level. Not just her, there has been a team behind her. So the remaining is to reveal how far she would go, as well as the story of her struggling family.

They have got the cast perfectly. Everyone was brilliant. David Oyelowo was amazing, surely one of my favourite British actors for now. This is the second consecutive time he's making a such impression. Not long ago with 'A United Kingdom'. Definitely the Oscars is just a corner. And then Lupita Nyong'o, she was not the centre of the story, but had enough part and she excelled every bit of it. The rest of the actors, including the one who played Phiona was amazing. At the end credit, both the cinematic and the real life characters appeared. I felt that was a result of excitement, but liked it.

The sad part was why such films were ignored at the big stages! This is a must see film, especially if you have a kid(s) in the home, show it to them. Being the parents, uncle and aunt, that's one of the best thing you would do for them. Because no one knows when and where kids gets their confidence boost, inspiration or discovering a new path. You can't compare films with real life, even it was a biopic. But still the true story always remains a true story, even after they're compressed to 120 minutes. Particularly the Disney film gets rid of harsh parts, making a family friendly film. So watch it for a change, you have no other reasons, you could be impressed!

8/10

Heartfelt, positive sample outlook of African culture through the eyes of young chess champion

[Turfseer · 7/10 · 2 April 2020]

One of the really good things about Disney's Queen of Katwe is that someone finally decided to make a positive film about African people. As director Mira Nair cogently points out, most of the films about Africa involve war, dictatorships, child soldiers and famine. What's lost is the complexity and rich culture of many African communities. Here that complexity is richly on view, with the tale of Phiona Mutesi, a young girl who became an international chess champion from Katwe, an impoverished neighborhood in the capital city of Kampala, Uganda. In addition to an extraordinary cast, Nair is the real star here; I urge everyone to listen to her commentary about the film as part of the DVD extras. She is a brilliant woman who will keep you entranced with all the stories about the making of the film.

Nair went through hundreds of girls before she found dancer Madina Nalwanga and cast her as Phiona. The film star Lupita Nyong'o is great as her mother, Nakku Harriet, who can be best described as mother courage, keeping a strong, protective eye over her entire brood, consisting of a younger and older brother and an older sister Night (Taryn "Kay" Kyaze).

Phiona's "call to adventure" begins when she joins a chess club for Katwe kids run by government worker (and aspiring engineer) Robert Katende. David Oyelowo is brilliant as Katende, Phiona's mentor, teaching her the game of chess and encouraging her to fulfill her dreams. There is conflict throughout including when Phiona first joins the Pioneers (the Katwe chess kids) and is taunted for her lack of education (she's completely illiterate and doesn't begin school until she's 13 years old), her lack of good hygiene (as the family is too poor to have indoor plumbing) and also the fact that she is a girl. With Katende's help, Phiona gradually overcomes her lack of confidence and succeeds in the chess world, mainly populated by much more economically advantaged children.

The class differences in Ugandan society are highlighted in high relief when Nair shows us how the Katwe kids are treated when they arrive at their first formal chess competition at an upper class boarding school (the rich kids wipe their hands at every turn, for fear of infection by the kids from the "other side of the tracks). More conflicts emerge beyond Phiona's quest to leave Katwe and achieve true independence. Katende ends up giving up a much better paying job as an engineer, to continue to coach his kids. Meanwhile, Harriet butts heads with Katende as she wants to protect Phiona from disappointment. There's also the mother's conflict with the older daughter Night, who has been going out with questionable men who Harriet is convinced will eventually do her harm.

Phiona reaches her dark moment at the end of the second act when she loses at the Chess Olympiad in Russia. The "road back" is difficult as she's back home with her mother and realizes she no longer fits in at all in the impoverished Katwe world. The family endures one crisis after another: the younger brother is hit by a motorbike and Harriet doesn't have the money to pay the doctors at the hospital after they perform surgery; Harriet and the kids must endure a flood and are also evicted from their home. Phiona finally asks to stay with Katende and his wife where she begins to go to school and regain her confidence.

The denouement is heartfelt, as Phiona finally wins the national championship and is able to buy her mother her own home. Nair and her cinematographers capture the wonderfully colorful landscape of Uganda, utilizing a wide number of African pop songs, casting music pop stars in cameo roles. The film's only real drawback is the difficulty of making chess into something visually exciting. Nair actually does her best in that department, as there were actually 15 separate chess scenes, each having their own distinctive character (the focus is always on the players and spectators' visual reactions).

If you wish to learn something about African culture, The Queen of Katwe is the place to go. Africa will no longer be a threatening place after watching this film.

Good, heart-warming entertainment

[Red_Identity · 10 January 2017]

I can see why this type of film would be hard to market. It may not be as complex to appeal to an adult audience and it may also not appeal to kids of young ages. I feel like it could have made a splash at the Academy Awards had it been handled better with its release. As it is, it's a good film and pretty much everything that I expected. Its screenplay is good, if predictable, and the performances really elevate the story and make all of its more formulaic emotional beats work as well. Oyelowo and Nyong'o really bring a lot of heart to the story in the background while Nalwanga is able to carry the film. Definitely recommended, although it's probably not for all types of audiences.

Beautifully filmed, original and inspiring tale of triumph over adversity.

[CineMuseFilms · 7/10 · 14 December 2016]

Walt Disney's Queen of Katwe (2016) follows a familiar story formula and at the same time is a totally original cinema experience. How can these opposites co-exist? It is another 'inspiring teacher' story with a fairy tale theme of a lowly maiden who finds fame, but instead of a prince, she finds a missionary devoted to helping impoverished Ugandan children. Vivid cinematography takes you right into the villages and ghettos and walks you through dirt streets and shacks that have no windows or doors. It is this hyper-realistic photography with a mainly amateur cast that takes this film to the next level. Ten-year old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) sells corn on the streets of Katwe in Uganda to help her destitute single mother provide food and shelter for the family. Generations of girls like her face a daily struggle to survive and she has no future except in dreams of escape. Brought together by fate, she meets Robert (David Oyelowo) a missionary who coaches soccer and chess to get aimless kids off the street. She has never seen a chess board before but her curiosity draws her to learn the game despite the taunts from boys who shame her for her smelly ghetto clothes. Excelling quickly, she becomes a top player in the local club and her new confidence gives her identity and purpose. The film follows the predictable narrative arc of poor kids rising to take on the country's best. With Robert's mentoring and financial help, Phiona leads a team to compete at the national chess championships, a personal journey troubled by tensions with her mother. The story is kept sanitised for general Disney audiences by avoiding the kind of high-stake risks facing the teacher of the same storyline in The Fencer (2016). As a Disney production, you might expect to see every cliché that can possibly be squeezed out of this genre. Instead the story is light on melodrama, mainly because of the natural authenticity of Phiona and the other cast. Career actors could not have pulled this off so well. The metaphor of pawns over-powering queens and the importance of practice, planning, and confidence are a little obvious. The move-by-move close-up shots of chess competition will no doubt delight chess players but may be found tiresomely repetitive by others. But these are minor quibbles given what this film achieves: an original story told honestly on an exotic location without the usual Hollywood baggage. It is quietly inspiring and a minor triumph for Disney.

The people are the story

[jonbower · 9/10 · 10 October 2016]

Queen of Katwe goes far beyond the usual cliché movie: underdog overcomes adversity to win championship. Here, wonderful actors depict real people struggling with the realities of their lives: single motherhood, overcoming poverty, feeling out of place, and the challenges of playing high level chess. Particularly compelling is the story of Phiona's mother who lost her husband and struggles to provide for four children by selling cooked maize in the market. The actress who portrays her depicts her strength, and also her limitations with integrity. A wonderful performance. Of course, Phiona's story as a chess prodigy from the slums of Katwe, Uganda is harrowing, inspiring and insightful. The movie doesn't settle for a trophy as the outcome, focusing on the impacts on Phiona and her family along the way. The story of Phiona's coach is as inspiring as her story. His sacrifices, his wife's sacrifices and his challenges providing for his family as he tries to help the children of Katwe is a movie unto itself. That's why the whole thing is so satisfying. It is an amazing story of real people, only lightly changed for film-making, well acted and compelling.

The movie really gets to you.

[subxerogravity · 7/10 · 27 September 2016]

It's such a great inspiring story. Watching the story unfold is very heartwarming. I could not help but to get teary eyes as I watched this girl Phiona take her talents all the why to the top.

In one of the best sports movies I have seen, from the slums of Uganda, 10-year-old Phiona discovers that she has the skills of a chess master, when a man named Robert Katende comes to her village and teaches the kids how to play the game.

It's very insightful, being that this story based on real events only occurred around six or so years before this movie came out. It does a good job of showing us the life around Phiona, which makes her underdog struggle to the top of the chess world even more amazing.

As good as the performances of David Oyelowo and academy award winner Lupita Nyong'o, are, the child actors in the movie also gave great performances as well.

All I can say is that it moved me. It is the type of film that you see and it makes you feel good in the most positive way imaginable

Strong depiction of urban slums

[dibeyendu · 9/10 · 10 October 2016]

Mira Nair returns to Uganda once again, three decades after she made Mississipi Masala. This is a much better film. While Mississipi Masala centered around an upper middle class Indian-Ugandan family, Queen of Katwe is set in the slums of Uganda. Nair doesn't attempt to go easy on the slum visuals here. The filth and squalor are in your face here, from beginning to end. I haven't seen a film depicting poverty in this way for a long time. Even Slumdog Millionaire wasn't so strong. Otherwise Queen of Kawate is a fairly predictable story of an under-privileged girl rising to success against the odds. The medium of her rise is chess. She's the pawn who turns into a queen, as sometimes happens in chess. The performances are uniformly good, especially given that most of them are child actors (Mira Nair's first film was Salaam Bombay and she is pretty good at handling children). I found the end credits rather moving, where the real characters pose with the actors who played them on screen. All in all a very warm, watchable film.

A delightful experience from "Queen of Katwe".....and from Mira Nair also

[fillerruth · 6/10 · 14 September 2016]

I like Mira Nair's storytelling style and I like her film also. She is a talented director and she has made some very good movies. Those movies are critically acclaimed and good rated. I know she always concentrates about the critic value of her movies, not the box office report. That's why maybe her films are not famous in mass people. I know she is a good director and already has made some very good movies but the main problem is those movies are not for general audiences.

Well, this movie is a biography and the movie is based on some true stories. Here is a good point, the movie is totally harmless and the movie's emotional scenes are very well executed. The script and the screenplay are very good and well written. William Wheeler has written a very good screenplay for this movie and when the cinematic knowledge is the concern, he is undoubtedly good. Here is another thing, I am not telling Mira Nair's direction was not good, but the screenplay is the heart of this movie and maybe, for this reason, the direction of Mira Nair was good. The emotional scenes, the background story and the plot development are very good and I want to give a thumbs up for this.

The another plus point is the casting. All of the lead cast are non- caucasian and that is another good thing for this kind of movie. Lupita Nyong'o, David Oyelowo, Madina Nalwanga all these actors has done a very good job and I think they are perfect for these roles. Maybe Lupita Nyong'o will be nominated for her role. Rest of the cast of this movie has also done a good job. I want to give all the credit to Mira Nair because she is the true compiler of this movie.

Another thing is this movie is a little bit formulaic but I want to tell this formula does work and the emotional touches of this movie are not irrelevant. So if you want to achieve some good delightful experience, this movie is for you.

Not Your Typical Feel Good Disney Movie, and that Makes it All the More Inspiring

[cwjohnsonjr · 9/10 · 2 October 2016]

From the trailers one would guess that The Queen of Katwe is the typical formulaic and inspirational sports story, but it is much more. While segments of it are the same old story told and retold so beautifully, with a few unexpected twist and turns, is also a study of how success affects family ties and how character is king, even in the grim slums of Uganda. It offers a realistic and harshly honest, for a Disney film, look at Africa, with prostitution references and poor medical care reoccurring throughout the story. While the harsh environment might not make the viewer feel good, it makes the story all the more inspiring. The cinematography is excellent, with great shots of the children reacting to a world they had never seen before, be it an upper crust school, snow or the view from a airplane window. Great performances from the cast.

I highly recommend The Queen of Katwe.

A Game of Strategy, Drama, and Unbalanced Editing. Checkmate to Inspiration

[rgkarim · 7/10 · 1 October 2016]

Robbie K here with another movie review and this time one focused on the game of… chess? Disney Studios latest creation Queen of Katwe is a tale on a Phiona Mutesi's journey to becoming a chess master. As there are few movies where the board game is the focus, I was interested in seeing what the entertainment giant could do with such a tale. As always, I'm here to give my thoughts on the tale. Let's get started.

LIKES: • Good Chess Montages • Major Character Development • Inspirational When it comes to sports movies, we always enjoy seeing scenes that involve the game right? The same thing can be said for a movie about a board game loved by so many. Disney will do their fans justice and give players plenty of shots at our players bouts on the board. Phiona's numerous challenges are shown throughout the two hour time limit, each showing her evolution into chess champion. If you're not a fan of the game, don't worry too much as the sequences move fast enough to keep it exciting and are often accompanied by her fellow chess players reacting to each move. But Robbie, I hate chess and therefore will certainly hate this movie! No problem my friend, Disney's got you covered. Queen of Katwe is far more than just moving piece on a board. A large part of the plot is focused on Phiona's life, especially on the struggle she and her family faced. Drama lovers will eat up the family tension between mother and daughter, or perhaps get caught up in how many people looked down on the young girl and her obsession for a title. I myself appreciated the other characters' tales running in tandem with Phiona's tale, especially watching the coach and her fellow players grow alongside her. The intermingled tales, alongside great actor chemistry, brings a complete tale that makes you feel a part of the Katwe Pioneers. Amidst the drama and chess though, one will certainly find some inspiration buried in the film. Like all Disney movies, our writers have gone through great lengths to motivate their audiences to accomplish great things. Queen of Katwe is no different, as it uses orchestral work, ideal camera shots, and well written dialogue throw the emotional punch. The coach in particular preaches these lessons, using various analogies and life experiences to make his point across. Whatever message comes across to you, know that Queen of Katwe has a future place in many classrooms and Sunday Schools.

DISLIKES: • Editing/Plot Gaps • Intense focus on close ups instead of the game • Family extremes are a little too extreme

The major dislike for this reviewer is how unbalanced the editing was in this movie, especially in terms of the plot. As mentioned, Phiona's tale has a lot of moving pieces, some of which have a lot of buildup and focus such as tensions with her sister or the fears of her fellow teammates). After such focus you would expect a decent wrap up right? To me, many of these plot points were dropped or hastily concluded, probably to allow more "suspenseful" game scenes or another celebration montage to premier. While this help expand the diversity of the movie, this move weakened the story and made some of the drama kind of pointless in the end. Plot points aren't the only editing blunder though. Queen of Katwe's chess scenes also suffer at times, especially in terms of making dramatic tension in the game. If you remember movies like Bobby Fisher, you got caught up in the game as you followed each of the protagonist's moves, with someone explaining the maneuver. The Queen however, sometimes lost that suspense either due to the quick pace they played, or that they chose to put their focus on the player's faces. Yes, if you wanted to see numerous close-ups of people looking tense, disappointed, and occasionally happy, you've come to the right movie, as our director thought this would bring more suspense. For me though, it only provided more drama and less of the game I wanted to see. Finally the family extremes were a little too much for me. You will find in Queen of Katwe that most of the characters are stuck to one major quality, some of which are good and others that get used a tad much. What do I mean by this? One example is Phiona's lack of smiling or expression at all, her lines and flat attitude doing nothing to help me relate to the character. Her mother on the other hand, lost her cool at the slightest drop, yelling at everyone, pouting, or dropping to her knees at the drop of a hat. I understand this had much to do with the harsh life, but to be subjected to these and other extremes for two hours didn't help entertain me as much.

The Verdict: Queen of Katwe gets props for the inspirational power contained in its writing and cinematography. Phiona's tale is one with many complex pieces that revolve around character developing drama and the thrill of the game. I have no doubt many audience members will find motivation in this movie and use this to teach generations to come. Unfortunately the editing and direction take away from this tale, and proves yet again that too many things in one movie reduces the quality. Is it worth a trip to the theater? I can't say it is, but check this one out when it hits shelves in a few months.

My Scores: Biography/Drama/Sport: 7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0

Queen of Katwe - Oscar worthy.

[shirleyanthonynow · 10/10 · 2 October 2016]

Loved it well made and well acted. Teary in parts. It has been a while since a movie has had all the components of this movie. It captures how privileged we are in the west and out of pure will and following your passion you can come to be whom you really are against all odds.

The actors portrayed the story with great depth and conviction. I loved the end and hope all true story's have the chance to show (Those that are still living) their real persons as I felt it adds a realness to the story and movie final. Well directed as well.

There is a star in the making with actress Madina Nalwanga i am sure we will see allot more of her out standing performance.

Overall, it's...fine.

[matthewssilverhammer · 6/10 · 23 March 2020]

This is exactly what you might expect from a true-life Disney sports movie about chess; good, but kinda basic. As someone who knows nothing about chess, the movie does the heavy-lifting so I could understand how to feel at each moment. The performances are very good, especially Oyelowo, but the most notable aspect of the film is its soulful representation of single motherhood.

She didnt get a dime from the movie

[bente_rogne · 1/10 · 29 September 2020]

Like the movie, but was shocked when I learned that she didn't get any money from Disney from making a movie about her. When you see their poverty, and know how wealthy Disney is and how many lives they could have changed, it's just sad. The rich will be richer.

An inspiring story

[Gordon-11 · 21 January 2017]

This film tells the story of a teenage girl from a Ugandan ghetto. She is discovered by a chess teacher to be brilliant in chess, and hence she embark on a journey on international chess championships to lift her out of the ghetto.

"Queen of Katwe" tells a story that inspires people across the socioeconomic spectrum. Phiona and her family struggles to make ends meet, and yet she does something that is not conventionally economically active. The hardship of living in a ghetto is well depicted in the film, especially in the eviction scene and the car accident scene. The story is touching, especially when it tells how Phiona is under pressure. I notice how they depict Phiona under pressure during a chess game, and the opponents looking confident by staring fiercely into Phiona. This adds dimension to the story.

Okay but could have been better

[proud_luddite · 6/10 · 24 April 2018]

Based on a true story: Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) is a ten-year old living in the slum district of Katwe, Uganda. Through the kind and able mentoring of a local missionary (David Oyelowo), she discovers the joys of chess and realizes a potential that is beyond her life circumstances. "Queen of Katwe" is an American film and in the English language.

The film's first half is very appealing especially as it exposes class struggle and prejudice in various situations. Phiona is seen as the poorest of the poor when she first learns chess among neigbourhood peers; later, she and her new peers face further barriers and snobbery as their collective and individual talents take them to much higher places. It is more than just a battle against other chess opponents. The bigger battle is the internal voice that says, "I don't belong here" when sent to places that radically differ from the Katwe slums.

Sadly, the film sags in the second half. It is even more disappointing that the directing is by Mira Nair who has done so well with other films especially "Monsoon Wedding" back in 2001. Despite the depth of the inspiring story in the first half, a blandness takes over in the second. This is unfortunate considering the movie's potential. In any case, Oyelowo is moving as the father-like figure - not surprising considering his fine work in "Selma".

Cinematography of this film is Breathtaking!

[apioneer · 9/10 · 25 November 2016]

Here is another beautiful film by Mira Nair who made 'Monsoon Wedding'. The cinematography captures the true colors and life in a slum of Uganda, Africa. The characters were really believable and the acting was excellent. Madina Nalwanga's acting was very convincing and true to her heart. She understands how to portray her emotions in front of the camera. The children in the film were brilliant and all the cast gave good performances. Some scenes were heartbreaking and moving. Mira Nair directs her actors with great skill and confidence which is visible on the screen. Its really beautiful to experience another culture and I was very happy to experience Uganda. A big congrats to Mira Nair for a good film. I met Mira Nair few years ago when she came to San Francisco for a film premiere. She was very nice and sweet lady.

It's good

[doomedmac · 7/10 · 19 August 2020]

This... is a good movie. Totally worth a watch. Go ahead and watch it.

Queen of Katwe is a must watch inspirational sports biopic of Phiona Mutesi by Mira Nair.

[binducherungath · 9/10 · 11 October 2016]

Queen of Katwe is an inspirational sports biopic of Phiona Mutesi by Mira Nair. Mira has beautifully captured and presented the story of how Phiona Mutesi, born and raised in Katwe (a slum) went on to become a Chess Champion creating history for Uganda. Her life story is recorded in a book "The Queen of Katwe: A story of Life, Chess and One Extraordinary Girl's Dream of Becoming a Grandmaster". Mira has kept the storytelling pattern very realistic and authentic. While the film focuses on Phiona's journey of evolution from a poor girl born and raised in a slum to a self-confident chess champion, the game of chess is used as a metaphor to convey great philosophies of life. This film is also the journey of a selfless coach Robert Katende who not only taught Phiona how to play chess but also how to conduct herself in life. Overall, Mira Nair's film Queen of Katwe is an uplifting film which has the celebration of making of a chess champion, the journey from 'not-having any hope' to 'dare to dream and achieve the same', the journey from 'nowhere' to 'the top position', the art of handling success etc.

Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) is a 10-year old, who lives in the slum of Katwe along with her mother and siblings. The family is very poor and has to really struggle hard to make both ends meet. Selling maize in the Katwe Street Market is the source for earning money for them.

Phiona coincidentally meets Robert Katende (David Oyelow) at a missionary programme. Robert is a soccer player turned missionary who sets up a chess club for underprivileged children. When Phiona sees Robert teaching children to play games, she is also curious to learn the same. This is where Phiona's journey begins. When Roberts starts coaching Phiona, he notices Phiona's immense talent, cognitive thinking, and her ability to see eight moves in advance. He grooms her for international tournaments.

The film moves ahead answering many queries. How does Phiona's mother Nakku Harriet (Lupita Nyong) react to, when she comes to know regarding Phiona's interest in the game and her staying away from selling maize ? How Phiona grows to becomes a top player under Robert Katende's guidance? How Robert balances his own life's commitments with his passion for coaching these underprivileged children to play chess? What all challenges are faced by Robert to at least manage to get opportunities for these children to showcase their talent to the world in the game of chess? What happens when Phiona tastes success initially, does arrogance engulf her ? Is Phiona able to resume her school once again? How does Robert respond when he realizes that Phiona is at least 8 moves ahead of him ? A few inspirational dialogues: 'You belong where you believe you belong', 'I may be down, but not out'. Robert Katende's story of cat and dog chasing meal is really inspiring, which says, the one who chases for life wins.

Even after the film finishes, the credits are inspiring since these bridge the reel with real. Each actor and actress is shown along with the real individuals whom they enacted on screen. Madina Nalwanga is excellent as Phiona Mutesi, she has very well projected various emotions of Phiona, be it her initial amusement about the game, her realization about her own potential, her sense of urgency to be a master, her frustrations of falling back into old routine in spite of creating history in the world of chess, her disillusionment etc. David Oyelowo has infused so much warmth, kindness, determination, empathy, go-getter's attitude into the role of selfless coach Robert Katende.

Lupita Nyong as Nakku Harriet is also very good, who has handled complex emotions effortlessly, be it her protective attitude, or her being suspicious and dismissive initially of Phiona's dream to be a chess champion.

A special mention of all the child artists, who are also coached by Robert Katande. There is so much humour in their interactions, their astonishment in experiencing lives beyond Katwe.

The film also inspires us to explore such prodigies in and around us and facilitate their growth. In India also, we have so many stories of people who fought the hardships of poverty, poor playing conditions, lack of basic amenities viz. food, shelter etc. to be a champion in life.

Queen of Katwe is an inspirational sports biopic of Phiona Mutesi by Mira Nair. It is an uplifting film which beautifully captures the evolution of Phiona to be a Chess Champion, when this child prodigy is identified and coached by a selfless coach Robert Katande. The film has so many positive ingredients - the celebration of 'Making of a chess champion', the journey from 'not-having any hope' to 'dare to dream and achieve the same', the journey from 'nowhere' to 'the top position', the art of handling success etc.

The Power of Belief

[tanujpoddar · 7/10 · 27 August 2021]

I decided to watch this movie as it was directed by Mira Nair and I am happy that I did. It is based on a real story captured in a book by the same name. While I haven't read the book, the way the movie was made, it doesn't seem the makers tried to go overboard to make to over-dramatic. The story itself is very impactful. The movie takes us to a small fishing village in Uganda and gets us acquainted with Phiona, who along with her younger brother, sells maize in the market to support her single mother, who is trying to raise her 4 kids against all odds. One day she stumbles upon a club where Robert is training kids in the game of chess. He is a part time worker, whose life was changed by chess and he wants to give these kids the same chance. His vision is also supported by his wife, who is a primary school teacher. Phiona has a natural knack for the game and the rest of the story is how she grows proficient in the game, overcoming her obstacles. While it has all the general elements associated with any other movie of showing a child fighting to overcome all the odds and come out as a winner in the end, but the way it is shown makes all the difference. The game chosen here was chess, which is a game of tactics and strategy and it takes a different kind of preparation to be better at it. Thankfully, the movie wasn't about long motivational speeches, but was rather about believing in a better future and working towards it. The biggest obstacle that was shown in off hand remarks was the need to believe that the kids belong to the big league. When they are playing a game, they often think that they can't win because they are from a marginalized background, but once they are able to believe in themselves that they can, then they do it. While most of the actors did reasonably well, I think the most impactful role was that of Phiona's mother. She was shown as a strong mother, who is righteous and keeps fighting her circumstances everyday for her children.

warm and uplifting

[neil-476 · 9/10 · 2 November 2019]

Phiona Mutesi, daughter of a widowed mother, grows up penniless and uneducated in Katwe, a slum of Kampala. Then she is introduced to chess and proves to be prodigiously talented at it. Could this be her way out of poverty?

Disney is behind this true story, an unusual sort of project for them to back. Lupita Nyong'o is Mum and David Oyelowo is coach Robert. Apart from them, the entire cast is untried Ugandan talent, with Madina Nalwanga shouldering the lion's share as Phiona. In her sole IMDB credit. she does this effortlessly - she has great screen presence.

Location work looks authentic and, while the story is not unfamiliar, it has the benefit of being true. The closing credits match the actors with their real-life counterparts and are enormously touching.

I enjoyed this a lot.

Wonderful movie

[Sergiodave · 7/10 · 27 August 2020]

This is the true story of a young girl from the Ugandan slums who finds she has an amazing talent at chess. To be honest my expectations for this movie were above average, owing to the fact that it is a Disney Sports movie, and I can't remember the last bad one i'd seen. This movie though, is beautiful and very heartwarming, I had tears in my eyes at the end. The acting is great from all the cast , but the youngsters steal the show. A great film to watch which will leave a wide smile on your face.

More than I expected... More than just Chess

[jacquesibeemassa · 10/10 · 25 September 2016]

I went to see this movie thinking I'll watch a movie about Chess, but that was an emotional roller coaster about life, and its challenges. Lupita Nyongo , and David Oyelowo were not just acting, you could see how they took possession of their characters for 2 hours.

Did "Hoosiers" make you cry? "Queen of Katwe" will wreck you. Coming from Africa, this movie relate more to me, but I believe anybody will feel touched by it. Whenever non African make a movie about Africa, you can see a lot of misrepresented things that tells you the movie was made just by a tourist, but Queen of Katwe is an American film about Africa that doesn't feel like it was made by tourists. Nair knows better. She has deep roots in Uganda, and they've given her enough experience and insight that she's able to treat Katwe's residents as people first, and parts of a familiar narrative second.

If you are still deciding whether to see it or not, stop reading reviews here, and just go to watch this amazing movie.

This Disney-fied underdog story hits all the right notes

[cliftonofun · 7/10 · 27 December 2017]

The Disney-fied underdog "based on a true story" movie is certainly not new or original, but this movie nails it. The cast is stellar. The Ugandan setting is authentic. The emotion is just right. My kids were totally into it. And honestly? So was I.

Affirmative action in chess, lol

[the_doofy · 1/10 · 31 March 2017]

Hi folks, as some of U know, Disney is notorious for taking an event, and drastically changing and bending what actually occurred, often to the point of making a movie that really has little to do with the event or story they claim to be representing --The actual background for this movie is as follows

FIDE awarded Phiona a women's IM title. Their requirements are that a woman must have had a peak rating of at least 2000 elo and scored at least 50% in a qualifying tourney. Apparently they bent the rules a lot to grant Phiona a WIM (women International master) title. Her peak rating was about 1650 elo (350 below the requirement) and she scored only one win (against a 1542 player), three draws and lost three games in the 2012 Olympiad

--So this is basically a fiction movie =Its affirmative action in the world of FIDE, I'm sure there are a LOT of chess players fuming over this, I know of at least one young woman who tried to get an WIM in the USA and peaked at around 1950, and was not awarded the title --guess she is in the wrong country --One very good chess movie starring minorities that really is true is called 'Brooklyn Castle', --A very good fiction chess movie is 'Queen to Play', about as true as this movie is when you get right down to it