You don’t need to know anything about chess to enjoy Bobby Fischer Against the World, but you may well want to learn more about the game after you’ve seen the film – if you don’t take it as a cautionary tale.

Bobby Fischer’s story is a true American tragedy, and possibly the twentieth century’s most fascinating example of the tenuous divide between genius and madness, as this film makes abundantly clear. The pacing is a bit uneven, but it lingers in the right spot, making a suspenseful centerpiece of Fischer’s era-defining 1972 world championship match against Boris Spassky. The absence of an interview with Spassky, who declined to participate in the film, is surprisingly inconspicuous, which is a good indicator of the storytelling acumen at work here. The people who were interviewed, who encountered Fischer on and off the chess board, paint a captivating portrait that is as well-formed as it is enigmatic.

The success of this doco is its ability to weave a tale that goes beyond the game of chess itself. It is a tragic tale that encompasses the price of fame, the nature of genius, the absurdity of international feuds and the consequences of broken families. The film also largely avoids painting a messianic picture of Bobby as he slides down the slippery slope into paranoia and antisemitism. Having never been a chess fan I was constantly unconvinced that the entire world was as enthralled with Bobby as this doco suggests, and considering the other developments at the time of his heyday this aspect seemed a little bit over the top. But even so, a solid doco that tells a tragic story. It's hard to make chess interesting for non-players and this film succeeds.

A documentary about chess seems like the most boring combination ever, but hold your rooks: This is actually quite fascinating. I haven’t heard much of Bobby Fischer before, and I found his story engrossing, tragic, and overall told rather well.

The documentary is a bit uneven, though – there are short appearances by Malcolm Gladwell and even Kissinger at the beginning, but they lead nowhere and are ultimately distracting. Likewise, the ending is muddled and I think deserved more. But the 1972 match in the middle… edge-of-the-seat-friendly stuff. Worth checking out for this part alone.

Beautifully crafted documentary charting the three acts of one of America's more tragic public lives. The archival footage of a fresh-faced, 15-year-old US chess champion playing 80 simultaneous games against all comers is starkly contrasted with his later dissent and descent.

An exciting and sad documentary that serves as a warning to anyone who loses themselves to anything.

Really interesting guy, a mind crashed by it's own weight in a way, a unique talent to see several moves ahead on chess kinda bleeds into his day to day and makes him see all sorts of conspiracies, and in the end it's a self fullfiling prophecy, by gloating about the September 11 attack he does get into the US shit list, that whole second part of his life is fascinating.

intriguing, captivating, and ultimately rather saddening. definitely one of the better docs that i've watched. recommended viewing.

Potrait of a grand chess master on and off the board. You can see the pain in his eyes right from his young age which still did not go away even at the end of this documentary. A bit sad but a great autobiography of one the world's most unique individuals.

this guy played a lot of chess.

I've seen a lot of people applauding this for making the story interesting, no matter how deep your knowledge of chess, but it sort of misses the mark on Bobby Fischer himself. I feel like it assumes you know something about him going in, which I didn't at all when deciding to watch this.

On the surface it's a good film but as I began to learn about him, I wanted more Bobby Fischer, more of his genius, more of his paranoia, reclusiveness and eventual psychosis. More on his opponents, his matches, the great players of his time, who's this Zita that got him back into playing? I just more, really. The third act focusing on his eventual breakdown feels a bit rushed, too. There's just something missing.

S'alright apart from that.

Well made documentary about a fascinating and frankly horrible man. Well researched, good interviews the whole 9 yards. If you're interested in mental issues this is worth watching.

A bloody fascinating story. That's about all I can say. You don't need to care too much about Chess, or any aspect of for that matter - it's well told and an enjoyable watch.