Life of a King does an outstanding job of portraying the realities of using chess as a means of saving young men who come from dysfunctional homes with drug-addicted parents. First, studies show that juveniles lack the ability to understand long-term consequences; chess teaches them to think four moves ahead, to see the “end game.” Second, It also teaches teens to see how major drug dealers get rich by using them as pawns.
Life of a King is an inspiring and moving movie about the use of chess to shape young minds. This movie, based on the real life of Eugene Brown, is a gripping tale of Brown’s (Cuba Gooding Jr.) struggle to teach others not to repeat his mistakes.
The movie begins with Eugene’s release from prison after serving 17 years for armed robbery. He passed his time playing chess with Chessman, a man whose only relief from prison is playing chess and reading the Bible. By playing chess, Eugene learns to see the “end game.”
As an ex-con, Eugene lies on a job application to acquire a janitor position at a high school, but winds up being a detention monitor when a tough drug-dealing kid named Clifton (Carlton Byrd) runs the teacher off. Meanwhile, Eugene’s former crime partner, Perry (Richard T. Jones), tempts him with offers of big money “with no strings attached.”
Eugene resists Percy’s seduction and introduces the kids to chess. The class mostly takes to his teaching, except for Clifton and Tahime Sanders (Malcolm Mays). Tahime shows promise as a chess player, but chooses to follow Clifton — until their friend, Peanut (Kevin Hendricks), dies while running with Clifton.
Eugene strives to get accepted back into the lives of his children, Katrina, a law student, and Marco, a juvenile drug dealer. They are both angry with Eugene for missing most of their entire lives during his 17-year bid.
Things get even harder when it’s discovered that Eugene lied about his felony conviction on the job application and he is fired. Thereafter, he seeks to form a chess club on his own and manages to get past the anger and abandonment feelings of his kids.
Gooding Jr. does a great job as Eugene and Mays stands out as Tahime. This movie is a good one to see for anybody who loved Coach Carter, Stomp the Yard or Lean on Me.
