BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD (USA 2011) ****
Directed by Liz Garbus

BOBBY FSICHER AGAINST THE WORLD is a documentary of the troubled life of the most famous and notorious chess champion of the world.  If the most interesting subjects make the most interesting films, it is no doubt that Liz Garbus has created one such film.

The height of Bobby Fischer’s fame is his world championship match with Russian Boris Spassky.  Reasonably, director Garbus devotes a fair portion of the film’s running time to the match, as seen in archival footage.  She recaptures the tension, excitement and madness of the match.

Interviewees include those involved with Fischer in the world competition, his mother and friends.  Fischer though camera shy, appears in the majority of the footage, thus giving the film the feel of a complete whole.

Though Fischer missed a few matches, Garbus makes a point that Spassky did the same.  Though more collected, she hints that Spassky suffers for his genius as well.  Spassky thinks that the Americans are radiating bad vibes at him during the competition.

But Garbus has great respect for Fischer, her subject.  She never judges him, and always allows him to offer an excuse for his behaviour.

Garbus’ film is well researched, thorough in execution and well laid out.  Yet something seems amiss and her film comes across as a brilliant account with little insight into the man’s illness.  She hints that all geniuses suffer from some form of madness and his loneliness stemming from his mother’s lack of devotion.  No messages or lessons to be learnt are provided either, except that a strong family unit is essential to sanity and a meaning in life.