The Luzhin Defence = this is most certainly another of those cinematic 'Lost-Treasures' (i.e. sadly underappreciated/ undervalued but totally awesome!), circa2000 starring John Turturro & Emily Watson. Turturro plays Aleksandr Luzhin (from a Nabokov novel) = possessing frighteningly intense (laser-sharp) cognitive focus, which allows him to become a most formidable chess-master but unfortunately, also precipitates his tenuous/ unstable grip on 'reality' (i.e. Luzhin can easily devise incredibly complex & winning chess-strategies - but the routine activities/ interactions of daily Life pose a seemingly insurmountable & bewildering challenge for him!).
Turturro's acting seems especially uncanny = perfectly rendering the highly eccentric characterization of Luzhin = who seems completely Lost in his intensive (all-consuming) 'thought' only occasionally/ momentarily taking notice of the other living human beings that happen to be in his direct vicinity!
Of course Luzhin does take particular 'notice' of the beautiful Natalia Katkov played by Emily Watson! Luzhin impulsively asks her to marry him (talk about Love at first sight!) The funny thing is that Luzhin's somewhat hasty actions seem authentically true to his nature (i.e. he must have already instantaneously calculated all the multitude of probabilities, and determined that this was the absolute Best course of action - so why waste any time on formalities!) The most surprising thing is that Natalia eventually accepts - but her well-heeled parents (particularly her mother), think that Luzhin is simply an unkempt, hopelessly-eccentric 'loser' (why can't they see what Emily does = that Luzhin is destined to be a World-champion Chess-master in a short while!) Of course, this is another case of "the best laid plans/schemes o' mice an' men / gang aft a-gley." (the original R. Burns quote seems most appropriate here).
But suffice to say that Emily/Natalia herself must ultimately step up-to-the-plate to redeem Luzhin's honor, and translate his brilliant winning strategy!
I seriously think Turturro's performance here is a fine example of thespian-brilliance of the highest-degree (should have at least garnered an Oscar nomination!)
Turturro's acting seems especially uncanny = perfectly rendering the highly eccentric characterization of Luzhin = who seems completely Lost in his intensive (all-consuming) 'thought' only occasionally/ momentarily taking notice of the other living human beings that happen to be in his direct vicinity!
Of course Luzhin does take particular 'notice' of the beautiful Natalia Katkov played by Emily Watson! Luzhin impulsively asks her to marry him (talk about Love at first sight!) The funny thing is that Luzhin's somewhat hasty actions seem authentically true to his nature (i.e. he must have already instantaneously calculated all the multitude of probabilities, and determined that this was the absolute Best course of action - so why waste any time on formalities!) The most surprising thing is that Natalia eventually accepts - but her well-heeled parents (particularly her mother), think that Luzhin is simply an unkempt, hopelessly-eccentric 'loser' (why can't they see what Emily does = that Luzhin is destined to be a World-champion Chess-master in a short while!) Of course, this is another case of "the best laid plans/schemes o' mice an' men / gang aft a-gley." (the original R. Burns quote seems most appropriate here).
But suffice to say that Emily/Natalia herself must ultimately step up-to-the-plate to redeem Luzhin's honor, and translate his brilliant winning strategy!
I seriously think Turturro's performance here is a fine example of thespian-brilliance of the highest-degree (should have at least garnered an Oscar nomination!)