Brooklyn Castle

Film (2012)

With Alexis, Rochelle Ballantyne, Pobo Efekoro, John Galvin, Justus, Patrick, Fred Rubino, Elizabeth Vicary
as themselves

The scene is a public middle school, I.S. 318, in the inner city in Brooklyn. As the principal tells it at the beginning of the film, it all began a decade or so before with a few kids bringing in chessboards to play after school. As interest took hold, the school got the idea to send the kids to a national chess competition and unexpectedly they won a prize. Support from the school began to grow, and gradually, over the years, the school became famous for its chess club, which routinely began to win national championships.

This wonderfully conceived and executed documentary is to chess what the film directed by Marilyn Agrelo, Mad, Hot Ballroom (2005), was to dancing. Both focus on school clubs in inner city schools in New York City and both do a wonderful job of showing how seriously, given the opportunity, children take to challenging disciplines like these.

The curiosity of Brooklyn Castle, of course, is that chess is an intellectually challenging game and not the first thing one thinks of in connection with inner city kids. Mad, Hot Ballroom is a beautifully done and charming film, but the mastery of dance moves – even ballroom dance moves – is not quite as unexpected a capacity for inner city kids as is chess.

There are several central and engaging tales in Brooklyn Castle. In particular, we are drawn into the career of Rochelle, a charming and elegant young woman who is exceedingly talented at chess, so talented, in fact, that she has a good shot at becoming the first African-American woman to attain Master ranking.

Small and intense, Justus, also Afro-American, comes into I.S. 318 decked abundantly in dreadlocks, is also a chess whiz and, at any even younger age, hovers on Master ranking as well.

There are others who are endearing, but less talented, like the very popular Pobo, who runs for school office, but for whom exceeding at chess is also a priority. And there is Patrick, who, though not particularly successful at chess, is highly motivated and works hard towards his personal best.

The teachers are quite something, as well, particuarly Elizabeth Vicary, who we see coaching the team through several years and whose intensity and support for it and for the kids is striking.

This film is an eye opener in many ways. Without being didactic, it shows persuasively that certain stereotypes do not hold water, and that given half a chance talent shows up in quite unexpected places. It subtly puts forward its inspiring message, but does so in a dramatic and entertaining way.

I was telling the four year old son of some friends who is fascinated with chess about Brooklyn Castle and his ears perked right up. He would certainly enjoy the film, as would his parents.

– BADMan