Queen Of Katwe * * *

Here's a film that seems incapable of earning a bad review.  I don’t know why, it’s not that good. It’s a very predictable cliched storyline, it’s got some clunky acting and it goes on for too long. But it’s also a feel good movie where you can’t help but cheer the main character on.

She will kick yo ass on the chess board

It’s set in a slum area in Uganda.  Interestingly I don’t think I saw one white face from beginning to end in this film, not even when they went to the posh city. (Now I know how black folks must feel when they see western movies).

In the slums of Katwe a Christian Mission runs programs for the kids.  Most popular of these is football of course. But the coach is also a fine chess player and so he starts a chess club too. A young girl Phiona proves to be a natural at the game.

Her widowed mother objects at first. It’s hard enough to get food on the table as it is, without losing a daughter to sit around playing chess all day. She needs Phiona to sell corn.  You get the impression, everyone is buying and selling bits of this and bits of that, but no one is making any real money.

The film does not shy away from the poverty they have to endure.

But step by step Phiona works her way up the competition ladder, until she finds herself playing at the highest level. (Didn’t see that coming did ya?)

Hearteningly it’s a true story.