Critical Thinking

Mario Martinez, a teacher known for his relaxed manner and his belief in his students, runs a chess elective for teenagers in one of Miami's most disadvantaged neighborhoods. The young players face the daily pressures of streets where trouble is easy to find, yet their teacher is convinced they can hold their own against competitors at the national level. Based on events from 1998, the story follows five Latino and Black teenagers from the same underserved community as they work toward a national chess championship.

The drama was directed by John Leguizamo, who also plays Mario Martinez in the film, working from a screenplay by Dito Montiel. The cast includes Rachel Bay Jones as Principal Kestel, Michael Kenneth Williams as Mr. Roundtree, Corwin C. Tuggles as Sedrick Roundtree, Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Ito Paniagua and Angel Bismark Curiel as Rodelay Medina. It was produced by Scott M. Rosenfelt and Jason Mandl, with Cinema Veritas, NRSP and Perfect Balance among the production companies, and runs 117 minutes.

Critical Thinking was released on December 18, 2020. On TMDB it holds a rating of 6.5 out of 10 based on 53 votes.