“Inspirational” is a dangerously overused word. But it’s the only word to describe “Brooklyn Castle,” a new documentary that tells the story of a tiny, unlikely talent hotbed: a middle-school chess team from Brooklyn, NY. Daniel Coyle
Why is it important to be excellent at one thing and not good at lots of things? Well, your efforts are rarely recognised for being good, few people are rarely recognised for being good at anything. So to the point of the post, the story of Brooklyn Castle tells the stories of five members of the chess team. I.S. 318 school, is a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victoriesis. The story is powerful assembly fodder, a story that shows with a determination and hard work, that when you practice a little each day, yours skills consolidate and your successes spill out into others areas of your life, a virtuous and upward spiral.It demonstrates how their identities are transformed through acquiring these chess skill.