Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

What a powerful movie. I think the kiwis due to their culture make the rawest movies. You wonder what might happen next. So much real tension in scenes.It is great to have movies that empower people to have a sense of purpose. Cliff Curtis plays the part of a kind of Rainman of Speed Chess back in the day. I wont give too much away but this is established early in the film. He is a simple man that really knows his chess. His nephew Mana, played brilliantly by James Rolleston (Boy) isdestined to be part of a gang that is father Ariki is a key part of.Mana wrestles with this future. The dynamic between his father and uncle and what is best is incredible. It really hits at the heart of a group insisting you be part of that when you are torn. Cliff Curtis is great in whatever I see him in. He can play any part and all of them are memorable. He has had a lot of powerful cameos but this was a lead role. I think this was his best and he won awards for it deservedly.Please watch this movie and hopefully walk away with a better appreciation for yourself

Behind the beautiful cinematography, engaging and detailed performances, and deftly-paced editing is a master work of a screenplay. A wholly empathetic protagonist, with his wellbeing so delicately balanced, bombarded by obstacles. The stakes continue to rise, the subplots interweave seamlessly, with the whole story building to a perfectly weighted, moving, climax. Once filmmakers could be just "good" or "interesting" and pull a crowd to the cinema to see their kitchen-sink dramas. The new Golden Age of television has put paid to that. We get great storytelling and interesting ideas pushing boundaries all the time, delivered on-call to our living rooms. if filmmakers are not making blockbusters, or special effect laden sensual experiences, then the stories must be wonderful and totally captivating to get a crowd in the car and front up with the ticket price. There's no place to hide...This film is a great reminder of why there is still a place at the cinema for a low budget, domestic drama, they just need to be this good!

One of New Zealand's BEST actors, and one of the world's most talented. Cliff is totally convincing in any role, and I believe he is terribly under-appreciated. Hollywood needs to wake up and start looking around away from their little private club, and to realise that there are staggeringly talented actors out there who deserve top roles. Cliff Curtis has made me hate him and love him in his many guises, and is a true talent without the hype. What a superb portrayal of a character in this moving, yet heart-warming film. I knew nothing of this story and now I realise how much I missed, so Cliff has honoured the telling in a full and complete way. What a brilliant job.

This movie is the story of a man, Gen who suffered from bipolar disease and he tried to live his life as a normal person. Gen had a nephew who was living with a gangster father that badly affected him. Gen himself loved playing chess and having a big desire to live a positive life, he proposed local teenagers to participate in a chess competition, encouraging his nephew to play as well. The main role of Gen was played by Cliff Curtis. He was trying to overcome his "disease" by helping guys to teach playing chess. He had a responsibility; he looked after himself and his nephew. He had a big desire to win chess competition. The play of the actor was very well and I believed that Cliff was a patient in reality. To summarize, the movie has impacted on my feelings by showing Gen's love to the nephew and how he lead all guys in the team to a victory. Now, I see that the bipolar disease is not so bad, because it depends on person. As for Gen, he wanted to be the man that would bring benefits to a society by teaching children playing chess. -The Bright Horse-