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Critical Thinking Movie True Story Where Are They Now

Critical Thinking is a 2020 American drama film directed by John Leguizamo, which tells the true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team that won the 1998 U.S. National Chess Championship against all odds. The movie follows the journey of five talented and diverse students from an underprivileged neighborhood in Miami as they navigate the challenges of competing in the world of competitive chess.

While Critical Thinking is a fictionalized account of the real-life events that took place in 1998, many viewers may be curious about where the real members of the Miami Jackson High School chess team are today. In this article, we will explore the true story behind the movie and provide updates on where the real-life individuals are now. Additionally, we will delve into some interesting facts about the film that may surprise you.

1. The Real-Life Characters

In the movie Critical Thinking, the characters portrayed by actors are based on real individuals who were part of the Miami Jackson High School chess team in 1998. Some of the key players include:

– Marcel Martinez: Played by Jorge Lendeborg Jr. in the film, Marcel was the team captain and a talented chess player who led his team to victory.

– Ito Paniagua: Played by Angel Bismark Curiel, Ito was a skilled chess player who contributed to the team’s success.

– Rodelay Medina: Played by Will Hochman, Rodelay was another key member of the team who played a crucial role in their championship win.

– Rene Martinez: Played by Jeffry Batista, Rene was Marcel’s younger brother and a talented chess player in his own right.

– Gil Luna: Played by John Leguizamo, Gil was the team’s dedicated coach who believed in his students and helped them achieve their full potential.

2. Where Are They Now?

Since the events depicted in the movie took place over 20 years ago, many of the real individuals involved have moved on to pursue different paths in life. While some have remained involved in the world of chess, others have pursued careers in various fields. Here is an update on where some of the real members of the Miami Jackson High School chess team are today:

– Marcel Martinez: After leading his team to victory in 1998, Marcel went on to pursue a career in computer science and currently works as a software engineer in Miami.

– Ito Paniagua: Ito continued to play chess competitively for several years after high school and now works as a math teacher at a local school in Miami.

– Rodelay Medina: Rodelay pursued a career in law enforcement and currently works as a police officer in Miami.

– Rene Martinez: Rene followed in his brother’s footsteps and also pursued a career in computer science. He currently works as a software developer in Miami.

– Gil Luna: While Gil no longer coaches a chess team, he remains involved in the world of chess and volunteers at local schools to teach the game to young students.

3. Chess as a Tool for Success

One of the central themes of Critical Thinking is the idea that chess can be a powerful tool for success, especially for individuals coming from underprivileged backgrounds. The movie highlights how the discipline, critical thinking skills, and strategic thinking required in chess can be applied to various aspects of life, including academics, career, and personal development.

4. The Importance of Mentorship

Another key aspect of Critical Thinking is the role of mentorship in helping individuals achieve their full potential. Gil Luna, the coach of the Miami Jackson High School chess team, serves as a mentor to the students and helps them navigate the challenges they face both on and off the chessboard. His guidance, support, and belief in the team are instrumental in their success.

5. Overcoming Adversity

The members of the Miami Jackson High School chess team faced numerous obstacles on their journey to the national championship, including financial struggles, personal challenges, and societal stereotypes. Despite these adversities, they persevered and ultimately emerged victorious, proving that with determination, hard work, and belief in oneself, anything is possible.

6. The Power of Teamwork

Critical Thinking also emphasizes the importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving success. The members of the chess team must work together, support each other, and trust in one another’s abilities in order to succeed. Through their collective efforts, they are able to overcome their individual limitations and achieve greatness as a team.

7. The Legacy of the Miami Jackson High School Chess Team

The victory of the Miami Jackson High School chess team in the 1998 U.S. National Chess Championship left a lasting impact on the school, the community, and the world of competitive chess. The team’s success inspired other underprivileged schools to invest in chess programs and highlighted the potential for students from all backgrounds to excel in the game.

8. Critical Thinking as a Tribute

Critical Thinking serves as a tribute to the real individuals who were part of the Miami Jackson High School chess team in 1998 and celebrates their achievements, resilience, and spirit of determination. The movie honors their legacy and reminds viewers of the power of education, mentorship, and the human spirit in overcoming challenges and achieving greatness.

9. The Message of Critical Thinking

At its core, Critical Thinking delivers a powerful message about the importance of critical thinking, perseverance, and the belief in oneself. The movie encourages viewers to think outside the box, challenge conventional wisdom, and pursue their goals with passion and determination. It serves as a reminder that success is not defined by one’s circumstances but by one’s mindset and willingness to overcome obstacles.

In conclusion, Critical Thinking is a powerful and inspiring film that tells the true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team and their remarkable journey to victory. The movie highlights the importance of critical thinking, mentorship, teamwork, and perseverance in achieving success, and serves as a tribute to the real individuals who made it all possible. While the events depicted in the film took place over two decades ago, the legacy of the Miami Jackson High School chess team lives on, inspiring others to believe in themselves, pursue their dreams, and strive for greatness.

Common Questions about Critical Thinking:

1. Is Critical Thinking based on a true story?

Yes, Critical Thinking is based on the true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team that won the 1998 U.S. National Chess Championship.

2. Who were the real members of the Miami Jackson High School chess team?

The real members of the Miami Jackson High School chess team included Marcel Martinez, Ito Paniagua, Rodelay Medina, Rene Martinez, and their coach Gil Luna.

3. Where are the real members of the Miami Jackson High School chess team now?

Marcel Martinez works as a software engineer, Ito Paniagua is a math teacher, Rodelay Medina is a police officer, Rene Martinez is a software developer, and Gil Luna volunteers as a chess instructor.

4. What is the central theme of Critical Thinking?

The central theme of Critical Thinking is the idea that chess can be a powerful tool for success, especially for individuals coming from underprivileged backgrounds.

5. What role does mentorship play in the movie?

Mentorship plays a crucial role in Critical Thinking, with Gil Luna serving as a mentor to the Miami Jackson High School chess team and helping them achieve their full potential.

6. How does the movie address the theme of overcoming adversity?

Critical Thinking highlights how the members of the Miami Jackson High School chess team overcome financial struggles, personal challenges, and societal stereotypes to achieve success.

7. Why is teamwork important in Critical Thinking?

Teamwork is essential in Critical Thinking as the members of the chess team must work together, support each other, and trust in one another’s abilities to succeed.

8. What is the legacy of the Miami Jackson High School chess team?

The victory of the Miami Jackson High School chess team in the 1998 U.S. National Chess Championship inspired other schools to invest in chess programs and highlighted the potential for students from all backgrounds to excel in the game.

9. What message does Critical Thinking deliver to viewers?

Critical Thinking delivers a message about the importance of critical thinking, perseverance, and belief in oneself in achieving success.

10. How does the movie honor the real individuals who inspired it?

Critical Thinking serves as a tribute to the real members of the Miami Jackson High School chess team and celebrates their achievements, resilience, and spirit of determination.

11. What impact did the victory of the Miami Jackson High School chess team have on the community?

The victory of the Miami Jackson High School chess team inspired others to believe in themselves, pursue their dreams, and strive for greatness.

12. What lessons can viewers take away from Critical Thinking?

Viewers can take away lessons about the power of education, mentorship, teamwork, and perseverance in overcoming challenges and achieving greatness.

13. Why is Critical Thinking an important film to watch?

Critical Thinking is an important film to watch as it highlights the potential for individuals from all backgrounds to achieve success through critical thinking, mentorship, and teamwork.

14. How does Critical Thinking inspire viewers to think differently?

Critical Thinking inspires viewers to think outside the box, challenge conventional wisdom, and pursue their goals with passion and determination.

15. What is the lasting impact of Critical Thinking on its audience?

The lasting impact of Critical Thinking on its audience is a reminder of the power of the human spirit in overcoming obstacles and achieving greatness.

16. What makes Critical Thinking a unique and compelling film?

Critical Thinking is unique and compelling in its portrayal of real-life events, themes of mentorship and teamwork, and messages of perseverance and belief in oneself.

17. How does Critical Thinking honor the legacy of the Miami Jackson High School chess team?

Critical Thinking honors the legacy of the Miami Jackson High School chess team by telling their story, celebrating their achievements, and inspiring others to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.

In summary, Critical Thinking is a powerful and inspiring film that tells the true story of the Miami Jackson High School chess team and their journey to victory. The movie highlights the importance of critical thinking, mentorship, teamwork, and perseverance in achieving success, and serves as a tribute to the real individuals who made it all possible. By watching Critical Thinking, viewers can be inspired to believe in themselves, think differently, and strive for greatness in their own lives.

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Critical Thinking

In the press materials for “Critical Thinking,” producer Carla Berkowitz drops this line about her reaction to reading the true story that inspired the film: “The image and story was haunting and I felt like I had a quantum shift in my perception of chess and who plays it.” The who in question are five Miami-area Black and Latino men who, along with their teacher, Mr. Martinez, brought back to their underprivileged Florida neighborhood the U.S. National Chess Championship. This happened in 1998. The film chronicles the loving camaraderie of the players and the events leading up to their victory.

In that same press release, acclaimed writer and actor John Leguizamo , who plays Martinez and also directs, states that he wanted to make this film because there were very few representations of Latin people on-screen when he was growing up. He also mentioned that the book The Bell Curve  harmfully depicted people of color as being mentally inferior due to our genetics. I wondered if, like me, Leguizamo grew up in an environment where the Black and brown people he knew played chess, so that it wouldn’t seem unusual nor an anomaly that they did. Because Berkowitz’s statement really made me consider what exactly the standard issue chess player was supposed to look like.

Chess has appeared in a lot of movies, from Boaz Yakin ’s “ Fresh ” to Steven Zaillian ’s “Searching for Bobby Fisher” to 2016’s superb Mira Nair film, “ Queen of Katwe .” I even remember it being prevalent in a crappy Gary Coleman TV movie about a smart Black kid. The game always carries the same symbolic qualifier: the person who plays it has a mental capacity for strategy and is intelligent. Chess is often employed to teach life lessons in these movies, to the point where it has become a cliché that just so happens to be used differently depending on who’s playing it. This difference is something that I admit often sticks in my craw, so I found myself wrestling a bit with this movie even though it seemed to be addressing my concern.

Unlike Zaillian’s film, which I guess answers my question of what a “standard issue” chess player is supposed to look like, the protagonists in the other films I’ve mentioned, and in “Critical Thinking,” are people of color whose economical circumstances are far from ideal. This tends to be the model when minorities are seen playing chess in films, which bends the cinematic chess player cliché toward making the ability to play the game the audience’s reason to offer empathy. Sure, they’re broke, probably in crime-ridden areas and may even do a crime or two, but see, they’re smart, so it’s OK to feel for them! This line of thinking has to do with who stereotypically plays chess and who does not.

Leguizamo’s Mr. Martinez speaks to this early in “Critical Thinking” by asking why chess is never associated with brown people despite a Latin man playing a major role in its evolution. “Why don’t you think we know about him?” he asks the students in his critical thinking class before delivering a great, pointed monologue that speaks about how history is taught in schools. The script by Dito Montiel has some sharp commentary about the education system, from what gets funded to the over-reliance on test scores to the differences between Martinez’s inner city school and the posh preppy institutions who fall victim to our heroes on the tournament circuit. There’s a bit more bite than you may be expecting, and the writing is just prickly enough to balance out the moments when the film dives headfirst into its tropes. And there are numerous tropes to swim in; not only is this a sports movie, it’s also an entry in the “Beloved Teacher” genre.

Our chess champion team is comprised of Sedrick Roundtree ( Corwin C. Tuggles ), Ito Paniagua (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), Gil Luna ( Will Hochman ), Rodelay Medina (Angel Curiel) and later, Marcel Martinez ( Jeffry Batista ) who joins the team after dispensing a hustler’s ass-whipping in a speed chess match. Their dialogue is peppered with the language the PG-13 won’t allow but realism will. Martinez is often telling them “watch your mouth” in his class, even if, in his less guarded moments, he’s prone to occasional profanity. Leguizamo gets good performances from each of them, especially in moments where you really feel the bond between teammates, both in the tournaments and in the streets. When they tell each other that they’ve got each other’s backs, there’s a real emotional pull that emanates straight from the actors.

Though this is an inspirational movie, Leguizamo and Montiel never sugarcoat the dangers of the environment their characters inhabit. The potential for violence, temporary homelessness, crime, and police harassment are always hovering in the margins, sometimes even invading the safe space of Martinez’s class or the school. An early sequence that shockingly ends in violence shows how good Leguizamo is at quickly establishing the audience’s tie to a character. When Rivera (Dre C) is thrown into critical thinking class after a disciplinary problem (“my class is not detention!” Martinez yells at frenemy Principal Kesler [ Rachel Bay Jones ]), he immediately runs afoul of Ito. Rivera’s lack of response is due to Spanish being his primary language, which may also have something to do with the infraction that got him sent to this class. Martinez talks to him in Spanish, lectures Ito and all seems well.

Rivera is then brutally assassinated in broad daylight after accidentally bumping into another person on the street. The film is barely 15 minutes old when this happens, but it immediately establishes that “Critical Thinking” has no plans of abandoning reality for its feel-good message. That sense of realism extends to the way the characters bond with, rib, and defend each other. Additionally, Leguizamo plays Martinez as someone who understands the temptations and frustrations of his students’ world. He challenges them to do for themselves because he knows all too well that the system has no intention of lending a helping hand.

Like Nair does in “Queen of Katwe,” Leguizamo also blatantly refuses to impose on poverty any notions of shame or requests for pity. “Chess is the great equalizer,” Martinez tells his team as they navigate snooty tournament heads and appearances against challengers from much posher ‘hoods. Even when things get expectedly dire for some of the characters, “Critical Thinking” remains focused on the characters’ response to the situation, never once stripping them of their dignity for cheap emotional manipulation.

Of all the team members, Sedrick has the most detailed arc. He has a girlfriend, Chanayah ( Zora Casebere ), who is supportive and tougher than she looks, and a father ( Michael Kenneth Williams ) whose sole job here is to fill that chess movie trope of the angry guy who uses chess as a means of brutal domination. Williams is an always welcome presence, but I could have done without him. Still, there is one very good moment where he shows some growth, and his son makes a snide comment that he silently acknowledges as being right.

The chess scenes are good even if you know nothing about chess. I’ve been playing since I was five, so of course I wanted more detailed representations than Leguizamo provides. I found his classroom lessons and the team’s banter about moves fascinating, and every time I was given a good look at a chessboard, I got closer to the screen to investigate. And yet, despite its acknowledgement of my aforementioned issues, I still felt a little itchy watching “Critical Thinking.” I am always game for a movie that makes me reckon with my personal feelings and biases, and I’m glad this one exists because representation will always speak volumes. If nothing else, “Critical Thinking” reminds you what a chess player can look like.

Odie Henderson

Odie “Odienator” Henderson has spent over 33 years working in Information Technology. He runs the blogs Big Media Vandalism and Tales of Odienary Madness. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire  here .

• John Leguizamo as Mario Martinez
• Rachel Bay Jones as Principal Kestel
• Michael Kenneth Williams as Mr. Roundtree
• Corwin C. Tuggles as Sedrick Roundtree
• Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Ito Paniagua
• Angel Bismark Curiel as Rodelay Medina
• Will Hochman as Gil Luna
• Jeffry Batista as Marcel Martinez
• Zora Casebere as Chanayah
• Chris Hajian
• Dito Montiel
• Jamie Kirkpatrick
• John Leguizamo

Cinematographer

• Zach Zamboni

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Mario Martinez: Is He Based on a Real Chess Teacher? Where is He Now?

‘Critical Thinking’ is a 2020 sports drama film that follows a chess coach and a group of students who fight against all odds and try to win the National Chess Championship. The coach, Mr. Mario Martinez, is a chess teacher at the Miami Jackson High School and teaches chess to people who want to take an easy elective and pass the semester. However, amongst these is a group of boys who seem serious about the game.

Martinez encourages their passion and enables them to make something out of it. In the film, Mario Martinez is an ordinary and unassuming character whose extraordinary belief in the boys empowers them to break out of their socio-political status. The character seems grounded in reality and makes us wonder if Mario Martinez is based on a real chess teacher/coach. Well, let us find out.

The Real Mario Martinez: Inspiration Behind the Movie

Yes, Mario Martinez is a real chess teacher/coach. In the film, written by Dito Montiel and directed by John Leguizamo, the real-life figure is essayed by actor-director John Leguizamo. Mario Martinez was a social studies teacher who began teaching chess at Miami Jackson in 1992. After a colleague with whom Martinez used to play chess regularly left for another school, he played with several students. Following this, he realized chess is an important game that teaches kids critical thinking. In essence, he believes chess is a metaphor for life itself, so, he convinced the school authorities and began a chess club .

In the first year, Martinez coached the team to score the county and state championships; they had to share the latter with another team. In 1998, Martinez and his team ( Marcel, Sedrick, Gilbert, and Rodelay) won the first national championship title. Interestingly, no other school in Miami had won a national championship in chess. By 2002, Martinez had helped Miami Jackson School bag 8 county championships, 5 state championships, and 5 national titles.

The fictional portrayal of Mario Martinez is very close to the real-life figure and his personality. The belief in students, the idea behind playing chess, and the ultimate zest to show how everyone can be good at something, are a few facets of Martinez that we witness in the movie. The man is portrayed as someone who truly changes the lives of several kids who do not come from privileged parts of Miami and struggle to get to the top.

Mario Martinez Has Retired Today

In a 2020 interview with CineMovie, Mario Martinez mentioned how he retired a few years ago, which was his fourth year of retirement. He also mentioned how he had taught robotics besides social studies and chess. In 2015, Martinez completed 32 years of teaching and spent time with children in Miami with schools partnered with Learning Chess . In a blog for Learning Chess, he wrote about how technology has enabled kids to train better.

Martinez also described how technology is changing how kids play chess, and he is excited to be a part of it. He also told CineMovie how it is always important to create a space for children to explore and discover what they’re good at and like. Almost every child is good at something, and the only way to find out what that field is is to ensure they can experiment in a safe space and decide what they are passionate about and what they’d like to do with their lives.

Therefore, to reiterate, Mario Martinez is a real-life chess teacher who helped underprivileged kids from Miami to win championships in chess and make something of themselves. Before retiring, he was teaching kid chess with the help of technology and enabling kids to polish their skills in new and evolved ways.

Read More: Is Critical Thinking Based on a True Story?

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Home › Reviews › True story “Critical Thinking” is a gripping drama powered by strong performances and fantastic direction.

True story “Critical Thinking” is a gripping drama powered by strong performances and fantastic direction.

By Douglas Davidson on September 2, 2020 • ( 1 )

May 8 th – 10 th of 1998 marked the 30 th anniversary of the U.S. Chess Federation’s National High School Championship. With 230 schools from 32 states, the Wyndham Hotel at Los Angeles Airport was filled with some of the brightest minds of the time. Each one a capable competitor, each one requiring intense focus in hopes that seeing 10 moves ahead would be enough, even as they know the person across from them is likely counting on the same. That tournament would see Cuban immigrant Marcel Martinez defeat the 1997 defending champion Harry Akopyan to win the individual competition and his team would win the tournament as a whole, a first for Miami Jackson Senior High. (The full account of the riveting battle is available via the article written by Steve Immitt, USCF Organizer .) The story of triumph for Marcel, his couch Mario Martinez, and his teammates, Sedrick Roundtree, Ito Paniagua, Roedelay Medina, and Gil Luna, is the foundation for powerhouse drama Critical Thinking , the second directorial feature for actor John Leguizamo.

L-R: Will Hochman, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Corwin C. Tuggles, and Angel Bismark Curiel in CRITICAL THINKING.

There have been many “school story” films throughout the history of cinema. In brief, films like Stand and Deliver (1988), Lean on Me (1989) Dead Poets Society (1989), and Dangerous Minds (1995), whether based on real events or not, seek to exalt teachers and students alike by showing what happens when a bright mind is challenged by a wizened instructor. Critical Thinking bears some similarity to these stories in that the film, written by Dito Montiel ( A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints ), does focus on five students from an underfunded school in a less affluent part of Miami, Florida, who rise above their station in part because of the influence of their teacher. What’s different is that the teacher within this adaptation is not the sole heart of it. Rather, Montiel’s script rises and falls on the students themselves with their intersection being Mario “Mr. T” Martinez’s high school elective chess class. Directing, Leguizamo begins with Corwin C. Tuggles‘s ( Generation Um… ) Roundtree waking up at home, trying to get ready for school, and getting interrupted by his father, played my Michael Kenneth Williams, who challenges him to a chess match in order for Roundtree to earn milk. Leguizamo then shifts to Jorge Lendeborg Jr.’s ( Brigsby Bear ) Paniagua, for comparison, who’s trying to get off a late night shift at a garage so he can run several blocks to catch the school bus. The dichotomy of this introduction sets up not only the two dramatic anchors of Critical Thinking , but also presents two sides of what life at home is like for the kids of Miami Jackson Senior High. One has a parent who pushes too much, while the other has to work nights to provide for himself and his family. Both are just kids trying to get through, yet these are their situations. Of the core students, only Roundtree and Paniagua are explored with any measure, which might make you think they are emblematic of the time/place, except the message of Critical Thinking asks its audience to look deeper. Instead of seeing what weighs them down, Leguizamo wants you to see what pushes them forward, even when they make choices whose consequences come to bite them.

L-R: Angel Bismark Curiel, Corwin C. Tuggles, and Jeffry Batista in CRITICAL THINKING.

As much as “school” stories uplift audiences by seeing the students succeed, they often make it seem like their success comes from having the right person believe in them at the right time. While Critical Thinking does employ some of that, by keeping the primary focus on the students, the film feels far more universal and imbued with self-empowerment. This is not to say that Leguizamo as Mr. T is insignificant in the film, it’s that the script doesn’t go out of its way to make him anything other than a teacher who cares for his students, especially in his role as coach of the chess team. For those who’ve seen Leguizamo’s Broadway show John Lequizamo’s Latin History for Morons (2018), which you should absolutely take the time to watch (it’s on Netflix), his performance as Mr. T is not far removed from his performance in this show. In both cases, the actor is presenting a version of someone who seeks to improve the minds of his audience. In Latin History for Morons , the actor uses his conversation with his son to explore the removal of Latinx influence from history. In Critical Thinking , that same energy is applied to making sure that characters within the film recognize that the only path to greatness doesn’t involve the path made by White history, that there are pieces of global history from which each of them are a part, that the fact that their minds are sharper than most is enough to escape a system which has been tooled to keep them in place. Whether or not audiences are familiar with any of his other one-man shows like Freak (1998) or Ghetto Klown (2014), the actor/playwright/director is profoundly inspired by his own life and the Latinx community, using both to create a wonderfully moving, yet understated and natural performance.

L-R: Angel Bismark Curiel, Jeffry Batista, John Leguizamo, Corwin C. Tuggles, and Will Hochman in CRITICAL THINKING.

With much of the direction feeling like it was shot free-hand, the camera bobbing and weaving a bit, trailing just slightly behind the actors’ movements, Critical Thinking takes on an almost dream-like cinema verité style, creating the sense that the audience is being invited in to observe something private and personal, as opposed to something being displayed to the world. As much drama as Critical Thinking possesses, naturally as we are introduced to the main five characters, portions of their lives, and where chess fits in, what you may not expect is how griping the actual chess matches become. Within the 117-minute film, there are a total of three competitions the team engages in and each one will put you on the edge of your seat. The game itself isn’t as flashy as other sports, but it is no less athletic, something which Leguizamo captures beautifully via staging of the camera and pacing of editing. In one scene, a mixture of mid-range shots showing the respective players and a close-up of the board create a rapidly rising energy that absolutely sucks you into the match. Granted, some of this is because the script takes its time developing the individual characters as well as the group, so that when game time comes, the audience is as deeply invested in their success as they are. Whether you know the difference between the French Defense, the Caro Kann, or the Englund Gambit, or simply that there’s a white side and black side, you will find yourself holding your breath as Roundtree, Paniagua, Medina, Luna, and Martinez take on one challenger after another, each opponent calling upon them to test their mettle in ways which have zero baring on socio-economics status and everything to do with their ability to think critically, to examine actions, and understand the rippling consequences.

John Leguizamo on the set of CRITICAL THINKING.

Critical Thinking is not without its own imperfections. Rachel Bay Jones’s tight-budget Principal Kestel and Williams’s emotionally withholding Mr. Roundtree are given just enough to not appear stereotypical, and there’s a narrative thread with Lendeborg Jr. that’s left hanging in such a manner as to drape a shadow across the truly tense climax. Even still, Critical Thinking is a solid second directorial feature from Leguizamo, in no small part achieved due to the solid script structure and performances from the cast. Too often school films like to make the educator the focal point, but, in Leguizamo’s hands, Critical Thinking is a prime example of how stories should be when celebrating victories from students. It’s their story, their victory. Everyone has a role to play, a move to make. In this case, it’s almost entirely an easy checkmate.

In virtual cinemas, on VOD, and digital September 4 th , 2020.

For more information on Critical Thinking , head to the official Facebook page .

Final Score: 4.5 out of 5.

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Categories: Reviews , streaming

Tags: adaptation , Angel Bismark Curiel , Corwin C. Tuggles , Critical Thinking , Dito Montiel , drama , Jeffry Batista , John Leguizamo , Jorge Lendeborg Jr , Michael Kenneth Williams , Rachel Bay Jones , Ramses Jimenez , streaming , True Story , Vertical Entertainment , Will Hochman , Zora Casebere

Would like to know what’s become of those students today (20 yrs later). The film should have included some informative notes at the end before the credits.

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‘Critical Thinking’ Review: John Leguizamo’s Inspirational High-School Chess Drama

The true story of the Miami Jackson High chess team — five brainy wizards from the inner city — is told in a rousing but conventional way.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

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“ Critical Thinking ” is one of those up-from-the-streets high-school competition movies where just mentioning the true story it’s based on kind of gives the game away. Set in 1998, it’s about the five chess wizards from Miami Jackson High who became the first inner-city chess team to win the National Championship. Boom! But, of course, it’s how they got there that matters, and even if this movie weren’t based on a true story, you’d know more or less know where it’s going. “Critical Thinking” has some appealing young actors, and it’s been directed, by John Leguizamo (who costars as the film’s tough-saint teacher), in a way that gives them the space to clown around and then get serious. It’s still, in the end, a bit of a connect-the-inspirational-dots movie, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be inspired.

Leguizamo plays Mario Martinez, who teaches an elective class in chess at Miami Jackson, where his students call him “Mr. T.” They’re a rowdy, bellicose, street-smart bunch, hard to control in class, so at first we think we’re seeing one of those movies, like “Stand and Deliver” or “To Sir, with Love,” about a captivatingly square gadfly instructor who shows a bunch of underprivileged kids how to transcend the expectations (or lack thereof) that have been thrust upon them.

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In a way, “Critical Thinking” is one of those movies, though with a crucial caveat: The basic training — the intellectual whipping into shape — has all happened before the drama even starts. Martinez, in his thankless underpaid plaid-shirts-off-the-rack way, is beloved by his students, and he has taught them well; they’re chess players who’ve got the game in their blood. (It’s the only thing that gets them to settle down .) Leguizamo, who spent a number of his early one-man stage shows sketching in (often quite brilliantly) the lives of young people from a similar background, knows how to create scenes that bubble with spontaneity. And he himself plays Martinez with an effusive, slightly weary middle-aged demeanor that’s touching, because what he nails is the unabashed corniness of certain great high-school teachers — their willingness to put on a show for their kids, to turn the life of the mind into energized nerd theater.

At one point, using the magnetic chess board at the front of the class, he plays out a chess match authored (and recorded) by Paul Morphy in 1858, and he makes it sound as exciting as something on Roblox. He employs silly accents (Southern, French, Austrian) and puts on wigs and fake beards to enact the game, and he draws the kids into it, challenging them in his geek-with-cool-slang way (“Why is it a wack move, Sedrick? Don’t just talk to me, man, show me!”).

It’s one of the only scenes where we actually witness the mechanics of chess, and while that’s always a challenge for a chess drama (there’s only so much it can lure the lay audience into the heady intricacies of the game), I wish the students’ connection with chess were less of a given, and a little less abstract. Watching “Critical Thinking,” you’d never even know that the art of chess is rooted in thinking several moves ahead. Yet Leguizamo stages the matches with percussive power, the kids pounding their time clocks even as their eyes burrow into the board like lasers.

Much of the film’s appeal lies in the way it revels in chess as a pure symbol of leveling the playing field of opportunity. As Mr. T explains, chess is “the great equalizer.” It doesn’t matter how rich or poor you are, what Ivy League college or prison you’re in: The elemental nature of the game shears away everything but intellectual ability. So in a drama like “Critical Thinking,” where five students (four Latinx and one African-American) bust out of a high school with limited resources to attend a series of tournaments, there’s a democracy-in-action, anyone-can-win-in-America spirit.

The actors are terrific; the roles, as written, less so. Leguizamo is working from a script, by Dito Montiel, that walks the line between lived-in experience and overboiled cliché. Sedrick is played by Corwin Tuggles, who has a great pensive face, and he lends conviction to the character’s struggles at home. But it still feels like a contrivance that his father (Michael Kenneth Williams), an angry curmudgeon who treats his son’s chess victories as if they were beneath contempt, is also…the guy who plays chess with him every day! The other pivotal character is the canny hothead Ito (Jorge Lendeborg Jr,.), who begins to moonlight as a drug dealer, and though it’s not that we don’t buy it, it plays out like one of those obligatory flirtation-with-delinquency subplots from the 1980s.

There’s also a newly arrived immigrant from Cuba who joins the class — a sleek prodigy named Marcel (Jeffrey Batista), who can play (and win) four simultaneous games with his eyes closed. Always good to have someone like that on your team! As likable an actor as Leguizamo is, “Critical Thinking” never generates the teacher/student face-off intensity that “Stand and Deliver” did. The issue of how the team members fund their trips, with Martinez having to win over a skeptical principal (Rachel Bay Jones), creates some tension along the sidelines, yet once these kids start to win their tournaments it seems like they can do no wrong. The picture is pleasant enough, but watching it you’re always one or two moves ahead.

Related: 

Reviewed online, Aug. 31, 2020. MPAA Rating: Not rated. Running time: 113 MIN.

• Production: A Vertical Entertainment release of a Chaplin/Berkowitz production, in association with NRSP, Cinema Veritas. Producers: Scott Rosenfelt, Jason Mandl. Executive producers: Harvey R. Chaplin, Carla Berkowitz, Emilio Estefan Jr.
• Crew: Director: John Leguizamo. Screenplay: Dito Montiel. Camera: Zach Zambone. Editor: Jamie Kirkpatrick. Music: Chris Hajian.
• With: John Leguizamo, Corwin Tuggles, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Will Hochman, Angel Curiel, Jeffrey Batista, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rachel Bay Jones, Zora Casebere.

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CULTURE MIX

Where Lifestyle Cultures Blend

Review: ‘Critical Thinking,’ starring John Leguizamo, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Angel Bismark Curiel, Corwin Tuggles, Will Hochman, Rachel Bay Jones and Michael Kenneth Williams

Arts and Entertainment

Angel Bismark Curiel , Corwin Tuggles , Critical Thinking , drama , Jeffry Batista , John Leguizamo , Jorge Lendeborg Jr. , Miami , Michael Kenneth Williams , movies , Rachel Bay Jones , reviews , Will Hochman , Zora Casebere

September 5, 2020

by Carla Hay

“Critical Thinking”

Directed by John Leguizamo

Culture Representation:  Taking place primarily in Miami in 1998, the drama “Critical Thinking” has a racially diverse cast (Latino, African American and white people) representing the working-class and middle-class.

Culture Clash:  A dedicated teacher in a tough Miami school encourages his students to learn how to play chess to boost their learning skills, even though they live in an area where some people pressure the students to become school dropouts and criminals. 

Culture Audience: “Critical Thinking” will appeal primarily to people who like feel-good stories about people who overcome obstacles, despite having the odds stacked against them .

There have been many movies about underestimated students, led by an inspirational teacher, who go on to achieve a certain goal together. In these movies, the students are usually underprivileged or disadvantaged in some way when they go up against people who are more privileged and have more advantages than the “underdogs” have. “Critical Thinking” (which is a very bland title for a movie that’s actually quite good) takes this concept and makes a slightly above-average movie, even though it hits a lot of familiar tonal beats that lead to a very predictable ending.

John Leguizamo not only stars in “Critical Thinking,” but he also makes his theatrical-release feature-film directorial debut with the movie, which is based on true events about a group of underprivileged students who competed in a national chess championship. Under his solid direction, “Critical Thinking” has some moments that are less cliché than others. Dito Montiel’s screenplay for “Critical Thinking” doesn’t clutter the movie with too many backstories, although it leaves the impression that the teacher gave higher priority and more attention to the male students than the female students.

In “Critical Thinking,” which takes primarily in place in Miami, it’s 1998 at Miami Jackson High School, where many students are from financially deprived homes in crime-ridden neighborhoods. Mario Martinez (played by Leguizamo) is a teacher for an elective class called Critical Thinking. Mario knows his class is often a dumping ground where delinquent students are sent, but that doesn’t stop him from fighting for the type of respect (and budget) that the financially strapped school gives to regular classes.

Mario’s boss is school principal Ms. Kestel (played by Rachel Bay Jones), a hard-nosed cynic who has an air of racial condescension about her when she deals with Mario and the school’s students, who are mostly people of color. Ms. Kestel comes across as someone who wants everyone to think she’s doing her part to help underprivileged kids, but she’s the type that thinks she’s too good to actually mix with people of color in her personal life.

The threat of violence is always a danger to many of the school’s students. A Spanish-speaking immigrant student who is transferred into Mario’s class doesn’t attend the class for very long, because he gets shot and killed on the street by a local gangster over a petty misunderstanding. Ms. Kestel has this reaction when she and Mario talk about the murder: “While unfortunate, it’s not a total shock anymore.” This police investigation into the murder becomes a subplot to the movie, since one of Mario’s students witnessed the crime, but he doesn’t want to snitch on the gangster.

Meanwhile, life has to go on in Mario’s class, where he teaches a hodgepodge of topics, including art, literature, history and philosophy. The favorite thing he likes to teach is chess. He encourages his students to “dig deeper than your dusty old Britannica encyclopedia” and find things that aren’t taught in textbooks.

He’s not shy about telling his students that influential people of color have often been erased from history because white men were in charge of writing history books for centuries. Mario is aware he could get in trouble for this kind of talk in the classroom, so he peeks outside the classroom door first to make sure that a white co-worker such as Ms. Kestel isn’t lurking nearby to possibly overhear him. On the subject of chess, Mario tells his students, “How come we don’t know that chess was invented in India, perfected in Persia and modernized by a [Puerto Rican] guy named Maura?”

Mario shows the students how chess can help in all aspects of life because it involves the skill of thinking ahead and strategizing. Although he has about 30 students in his classroom on any given day, there are four (and then later five) students who end up being the focus of the story, since they’re the chosen ones for the school’s chess team.

Sedrick Roundtree (played by Corwin Tuggles) is the unofficial student leader of the chess team and the one most likely to encourage the others when they feel defeated. Even before he took Mario’s class, Sedrick was an avid chess player. Sedrick has an unassuming confidence about himself that most people respect.

Oelmy “Ito” Paniagua (played by Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) has a big rebellious streak and is Sedrick’s closest friend. Ito doesn’t really think chess is cool until Sedrick convinces him to join the school’s chess team. Ito is also the student in this chess group who’s most likely to be tempted into joining a gang or becoming a drug dealer. It’s hinted at, but not shown, that Ito comes from an abusive home.

Rodelay “Roddy” Medina (played by Angel Bismark Curiel) is the group’s jokester. He dislikes confrontation and arguments, and he gets easily hurt if he thinks his friends are disloyal. Just like Sedrick, Roddy has a passion for chess and is highly competitive when it comes to the game.

Gil Luna (played by Will Hochman) is the quietest and most mellow member of the group. Although he has a Latino name, he can easily pass for being white. His apparent “whiteness” makes him the target of some teasing by the darker-skinned members of the group, but the teasing is never mean-spirited. All of the members of the group end up getting teased or taunted by one another at some point.

Much later in the story, a fifth student joins the chess team. His name is Marcel Martinez (played by Jeffry Batista), a Cuban immigrant who doesn’t know much English. Sedrick recruited Marcel to enroll in the school and join the chess team, after Sedrick and Roddy were playing some chess in Domino Park, invited some local people to pay chess with them, and were blown away by Marcel’s extraordinary talent. There’s a scene in the movie where Marcel can play chess with multiple people at a time, with his back turned to them and without looking at the chessboard, and by calling out the moves that he wants to play.

Sedrick is also the only student whose unhappy home life is shown in the movie. He lives with his alcoholic widower father (played by Michael Kenneth Williams), whose first name is never revealed in the movie. Sedrick father, when he’s not passed out drunk, frequently gets angry and picks fights with Sedrick.

The only time that Sedrick and his father bond is when they play chess together, but his father is a sore loser. Sedrick’s mother was killed by a hit-and-run accident that Sedrick witnessed when he was 6 years old. It’s obvious that he and his father haven’t been able to grieve or talk about her death in a way that can help them heal from the trauma of their loss.

When Sedrick’s father hears about Sedrick being on the school’s chess team, he scoffs at Sedrick and tells him it’s a waste of time because chess isn’t the kind of thing that most people can do as a job. And his father gets even more irritated when Sedrick’s chess team starts competing with other schools’ chess teams. Although it’s never said out loud, it’s clear that Sedrick’s father didn’t have an opportunity to be part of a school chess team that got to travel to different competitions, and he’s jealous and resentful that Sedrick is doing what he never got to do.

Although “Critical Thinking” has some heavy issues, such as gang violence, alcoholism and abusive homes, the movie also has some humor—namely, the camaraderie that the boys have with each other, especially when Roddy is around. And in a rarity for a movie about high-school students, dating isn’t really the cause of any of the angst or conflict in the story, because the boys are so focused on chess. Sedrick is the only one in the group who has a girlfriend. Her name is Chanayah (played by Zora Casebere), and she attends the same school, but she’s written as a fairly minor character.

In fact, the movie’s biggest flaw is how the female students in the movie are essentially written as background characters, with the implication being that the female students weren’t good enough to be on Mario’s chosen chess team. It’s not clear if the girls in his class aren’t interested in chess or if Mario didn’t think they were worth encouraging as much as he encourages the male students to be on the chess team.

Whatever the case, there’s definitely more than a whiff of sexism about how this chess team was assembled—and the gender imbalance is all the more noticeable when Miami Jackson High School’s chess team competes against other schools who have plenty of girls on their chess teams. That’s not to say that the movie needed to rewrite history and put girls on the Miami Jackson team, which was apparently an all-male team in real life in 1998. But the screenplay should have at least addressed why none of the girls in Mario’s class ended up on the team.

Another big question left unanswered in the movie is: “What is Mario’s own background and why did he want to become a teacher?” In one of his many “tough love” lectures to his chosen chess students when they get discouraged or act too rowdy, Mario hints that he also comes from a troubled and tough background like they do. But that’s as far as it goes. No further details are given about what kind of man Mario is when he’s not working as a teacher. There’s no “home life” shown for any of the movie’s characters except for Sedrick.

“Critical Thinking” is not a disappointing movie, but parts of the story could have done more to fill in some blanks. For example, something happens to Ito toward the end of the film and the outcome is never fully explained. If not for the acting of the main cast members, several parts of “Critical Thinking” would be quite boring to watch. Leguizamo’s fast-talking, sometime wisecracking persona serves him well in this role, since Mario is supposed to be an unconventional teacher who can relate to his students.

Lendeborg (as Ito) and Curiel (as Roddy) also stand out in their roles. Ito is a tough guy who doesn’t want to show his vulnerabilities, while Roddy is a vulnerable guy who doesn’t want to be so tough that he alienates his friends. Both portrayals are nuanced and worth watching, since these two characters are more than just generic roles.

Tuggles (as Sedrick) also does a commendable performance, particularly in some emotionally raw scenes that Sedrick has with his father. Williams is a very good actor, but he’s had many roles in movies and TV shows where he’s a guy with a mean streak/bad temper, so there’s really nothing new or noteworthy that Williams does in this movie.

“Critical Thinking” is worth a look for people who want to see a real-life inspirational story portrayed in a familiar way. The believable performances from most of the cast go a long way in preventing the movie from sinking into forgettable mediocrity. With “Critical Thinking,” Leguizamo also has proved that he can do well as a director who makes very good casting choices and who has a knack for telling a crowd-pleasing story.

Vertical Entertainment released “Critical Thinking” in select U.S. virtual cinemas, on digital and on VOD on September 4, 2020.

John Leguizamo Talks Critical Thinking, John Wick, And More - Exclusive Interview

With more than 140 credits in film and television (and even more on stage) since 1984, John Leguizamo is one of the hardest-working talents in the entertainment industry. And while most actors would be happy with so many turns in front of the camera, Leguizamo's is clearly determined to take his work to the next level. In fact, to further enhance his already impressive resume, he's directed the new chess drama Critical Thinking , which debuted on video on demand September 4.

Leguizamo is no stranger to directing — he helmed the HBO boxing drama Undefeated in 2003 — but this time around, he went back behind the camera with all of the knowledge he's accumulated working with several acclaimed filmmakers .

In addition to directing Critical Thinking , Leguizamo plays the supporting role of Mario Martinez, a real-life high school teacher and coach who in 1998 guided the Miami Jackson High School chess team to becoming the first inner-city school in history to win the U.S. National Chess Tournament. The incredible true-life event transformed the lives of the team's five players — Sedrick Roundtree (Corwin C. Tuggles), Ito Paniagua (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), Rodelay Medina (Angel Bismark Curiel), Gil Luna (Will Hochman) and Marcel Martinez (Jeffry Batista) — showing the Latinx and Black youth possibilities they once believed were beyond their reach.

Leguizamo discussed the making of  Critical Thinking  — along with several other highlights from his eclectic, prolific career — with Looper in an exclusive interview.

Learning from the best

There's a wonderful quote from your Romeo + Juliet  and Moulin Rouge! director Baz Luhrmann: "A life lived in fear is a life half-lived." And in fact, Baz uses it as an emblem on all his pictures. And obviously, because you've worked with Baz, you know his enthusiasm, you know his love for making films. I can't help but think that because you've had such of a wonderful career, you live by that motto, too — and maybe part of living that full life is doing something you haven't done before, which would be directing a feature film.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I learned a lot from all the directors I've worked with, but especially the great ones like Baz and Spike Lee and Brian DePalma. And they're fearless. You can't make great art with fear and that's the beauty of art, is it's a place where you feel you can expand your boundaries and you can test yourself and you can challenge yourself in ways that you can't in real life. And one of the things that I wanted to try in life was to direct — and I've directed before — I wanted to do it right because I have such huge respect for directors. I did an HBO boxing movie and I've done some commercials, and this was my first, my debut, as an independent film director.

You mentioned Spike Lee. Which other directors in particular inspired you? Because I would imagine, even though you're acting, that becomes part of your actor's DNA and that's something you carry forth with you.

It's so amazing that you said that because it did become part of my chromosomal information, from all these directors I've worked with, that I didn't realize. This was the first time that I realized I had this backlog, this catalog, of problem-solving techniques from Baz Luhrmann, Spike Lee [ Summer of Sam ], Brian DePalma [ Casualties of War and Carlito's Way ], Tony Scott [ Revenge  and The Fan ], Brad Furman [ The Lincoln Lawyer ] — a lot of great directors. I learned how to rehearse with actors, the importance of rehearsal for film, because nobody ever takes that seriously, the power of improv, talking about character with the actors, and just a lot of things, problem-solving with crew, and the dysfunction and all the things that happen on a low-budget movie, which is a lot.

And you're also a glutton for punishment because you put yourself in front of the camera, too, for Critical Thinking . That's quite a challenge.

It is. When I first did it, I did it for Infamous , the boxing movie I directed, and I was a lead and that was too difficult. But this time, I'm part of an ensemble, so I'm not the lead, and that made it a lot easier for me. And it wasn't boxing, I was a teacher, so it was a little easier, but it's not easy. Yeah, you're right. And that's why I told the actors, "We need a week's rehearsal before we start shooting. I need you to show up on the set knowing every chess move and all your lines, and then we're going to have fun."

Establishing identity, making your own history

I loved Critical Thinking in the broad sense in that it's about discovering your identity — the sort of identity that these youth can't find in history books, so it's time to find their own identity through chess. Chess is truly the great equalizer, like you say in the film, and what becomes of that is an opportunity for them to write their own history. What a beautiful story that is, and I'm quite amazed, to be quite honest with you, that it took so long for this story to be made. I mean, this happened in 1998.

I know, but that's kind of part of a problem in the industry, Latin exclusion, because why was this movie so hard to make? It was really well written by Dito Montiel and I pitched it around and you just don't see the value at studios and streamers, you don't see the value of a Latin story. That's why I had to do it independently. They were telling me, Hollywood wisdom, "Latin people don't want to see Latin people," and "Latin people don't want to see feel-good movies" — all this BS and you're like, "Come on, man." We're the largest ethnic group in America, we're 25% of the U.S. box office, but with less than 3% of the faces in front of the camera and way less behind it and less than 1% of stories. And then you see where the problem is. The problem is the studios, because there are no Latin executives. They don't see our stories as valuable.

Those experiences are also the story of your life, in a sense, because I saw some previous interviews of yours, where you were talking about only being offered the drug dealer role or thug role. Because of that you said, "Okay. I'm going to create my identity," and your one-man show Mambo Mouth is the way you did it and you pretty much you left everything else in the rearview mirror after that. That to have been a pivotal moment in your career.

Oh, it was huge. It was huge for me. It was a turning point. The coin dropped in, the proverbial coin, and it was the "a-ha!" moment. I realized I didn't see myself represented anywhere and I couldn't identify. There were no stories that were about me or my people, and I felt like I needed to do something to acknowledge that. So I wrote Mambo Mouth and then boom! Critics loved it, white audiences and black audiences loved it, and Latino audiences found me. And when Latin audiences found me, that was the turning point because we found each other. And now I could create for them and they could come and support and then became sort of a nurturing spawning ground for a lot of future writers and creators and performers. So, I'm glad to be a part of that revolutionary moment.

Leading a new generation of actors

Obviously as a director you have to wrangle a lot of people and everything else. But at the end of the day, you are a storyteller. With Mambo Mouth , Ghetto Klown , and Latin History for Morons , you brought with you to Critical Thinking the greatest sensibility you could have as a director, which would be as a storyteller, ultimately.

It was a convergence of all things, and yeah, I was ready to helm and I've always been a huge lover of storytellers. I just have a huge respect for storytellers, whether books, movies, through song, through poetry. I love storytellers — that's my calling.

Also part of your actor's DNA is the voice work that you've done, including the lovable Sid from Ice Age .

Sid the sloth lives on!

What's great about that role — and people should not discount it because when you're doing a voice role — is that it really requires a lot of nuance. And nuance is especially important with a character drama like Critical Thinking.  You're telling the story through these five young leads. You get to be a teacher onscreen, but you also get to be a teacher in a sense when you're directing, because you're teaching these younger performers something that you've learned through doing voice roles and doing other roles.

Right. If you pass on it, it becomes an apprenticeship.

You're teaching nuance, which is a tough thing.

Yeah. Absolutely. You're teaching them how to get to the reality of a scene, how to be themselves in a character. And it becomes an an acting workshop, it does become a masterclass. We're talking about scene structuring, and we're talking about characters and I'm making them aware of a lot of things, and also telling them what the camera sees and if they believe what they're doing, the camera will believe it. They don't need to add extra or embellish more. Embellish in the small things. And then we improvised a lot because I really wanted to blur the lines between reality and film. I didn't want to hear the commas and the semicolons in dialogue. I wanted it to feel really natural.

Making his move

You must be an avid chess player, otherwise a project like Critical Thinking wouldn't have attracted you.

Yeah. I've always liked chess. I've never been really good at it. I played those guys in Washington Square Park, which was a big deal. There used to be these great chess players at Washington Square Park, and you would sit there, and you play them for money. And I lost a lot of money there, let's just put it that way (laughs) . But I love chess, and I wanted to figure out how to make it like a sport. I studied a lot of tournaments on YouTube and I talked to a lot of chess players, and so I had to try to figure out how to make this as exciting as it feels to the player, because it's very different to watch a chess game. 

And what I do love about chess, like you said before, is it's the great equalizer. There are a lot of these kids like I was myself, ghetto nerds. You grew up in these tough neighborhoods and your only choices sometimes are a nefarious route or sports. And what if you don't want to play football? You know what happens if you don't want to go down the wrong path, what do you got? You're a nerd, there's no space for us. And that's what I love about Mario Martinez. He created this elective, this after-school program to give those kids a place to find themselves and to experiment with themselves.

I think that's probably where I got really teary-eyed. I don't want to be giving away too much, but I'm really glad that you involved these original guys in the movie.

That was the slam-down exclamation point part of the film. That was completely necessary. And what I also love about it, John, is while it's a feel-good movie — a feel- great movie — you had to go to some dark places, too.  You have to show, unfortunately, a student being shot, you have to show Sedrick's adversity with his father, you have to have Mario talk about a tragic part of his life. And that, to me, that completes it. I imagine that must be exciting for you, telling a complete story. I love that the film ends on an upbeat note, but I think I'm much more moved by it, emotionally, because of knowing all the characters' tragic backstories.

Yeah. I thought they were really important, the backstories. And Dito Montiel really brought them out. And I love that because that's the reality of what these kids were living through. They were living these tough lives and the amazing thing is that these intellectual beings exist in these tough neighborhoods. And how do we save them? How do we nurture them? How do we let them shine? And that's the real pain and tragedy for me, is all these wasted lives, sometimes, that happened in these neighborhoods that could have been. There's so many could have beens and should have beens, and that's really what's sad to me. But we wanted to show the dark side and the bright side, because even in these neighborhoods, there's a lot of joy, there's a lot of happiness, there's a lot of great minds, and I wanted to show the whole complete picture so you understood. So you were there. You were living through them.

And there's Ito Paniagua — his is the toughest story out of all the kids. It was wonderful seeing him in real life in the footage, because again, that just makes the story that much better.

Yeah. When you see these guys on the EPK or the BTS — the behind-the-scenes footage — he says that chess saved his life, you can't help but get teary-eyed and understand that Mario Martinez's teacher really gave of himself and really believed in these kids, and he passed that love onto them and they needed to feel that love, to feel like they were worth something.

Making Critical cuts, understanding John Wick edits

I would imagine one of the toughest parts of directing a feature film the first time out is that there's a lot of story to fit into a two-hour frame. Of course, you've had a great career where you've had roles in shows like Waco , When They See Us , and Bloodline , where the characters are given so much more time to breathe. But being behind the camera, it takes a lot discipline all of a sudden to get that story, in a meaningful sort of way, into a two-hour frame.

Well, I am a huge fan of the two-hour container, whether it's a play or a movie. I find there's such beauty in that limit of time, because you have to tell that whole character arc, beginning, middle and end, in the hour, hour 45, whatever it is, hour 50, and I find that that's where the poetry comes in. I'm a fan of those streaming series. But as a storyteller, I love the two-hour frame because you have to be concise, you have to make every second count. There's no wasted time, and I love that. To me, it's the most perfect storytelling.

Still, I'm sure, you had to make sacrifices where you had to let go of certain scenes.

Yeah. There was a lot of stuff that got cut that was so painful, some amazing sequences, like a fight between Ito and me at a moment that became really tender but was really volatile. And it took a lot of effort as actors and men to go to these dark places and then to love each other. That was a beautiful moment that really pained me to lose. Then there was a lot of other stuff that was important in the script, but not so important once you saw it and you go, "I understand that. I don't need to see it. It's more powerful if I don't see it."

I'm going to touch on kind of a sensitive area here, because I saw an interview where you weren't too happy about it, but regarding John Wick and the filmmakers cutting out a lot of your time out of Chapter 2 ...

And then being cut out completely out of 3 .

Cutting you completely out.

Yeah. No longer in the franchise.

Do you have a better understanding now, maybe a little bit more empathy, with the filmmaker or filmmakers? I wanted to see more of you, man, and hopefully...

Yeah, so did I.

But by directing Critical Thinking , does it make you realize that, "Okay, I guess I kind of understand what they did with John Wick ."

Yeah, as an actor, I don't, but as a filmmaker, I do. So I have to make peace with myself. As a filmmaker, yeah, there's a lot of great performances that sometimes have to go. And as an actor, it's impossible. That part of you that knows that you did great work and funny and really inventive stuff that didn't get seen, it'll always — you'll always hurt.

Yeah. Because I understand you had a fight scene in Chapter 2 , was it?

In 2 . In 2 I had a fight sequence, I had a backstory... I had a whole plot. Someday I'll share the script of it.

That's great. Because for Aurelio, it's like, "Hey man, I can do more than run a chop shop here. I mean, come on, man. Get me to do something here."

Yeah. They could use a little bit more of my character, yeah. But you know what, I'm cool. All this stuff leads me to other great aspects of life. Being shut down there opened this up. If I did John Wick 3 , I wouldn't be doing Critical Thinking .

Absolutely. This whole idea of this one door closes, the other one opens. It's absolutely true.

Yeah, it's true.

And I think you've talked about that, too. Look, people can really be dejected by failure.

As an actor, I've been rejected my whole entire life. Luckily my growing up prepared me for Hollywood, or Holly-wouldn't (smiles) .

That builds character, though, doesn't it?

It does. It makes you strong. It forges you.

Getting back to John Wick , as preliminary an answer it may be, but if they ask you to do 4 and 5 , would you come back?

Yeah. If they ask me, I'm not going to say no. I'm not an idiot. (Laughs)

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John Leguizamo's New Chess Movie Is "a Love Letter to Miami Jackson Senior High"

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John Leguizamo wants to eradicate ‘cultural apartheid’ with positive Latinx stories

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Not many movies have been in the works for 23 years.

When Miami movie producer Carla Berkowitz read about a high school chess team in a 1997 issue of the Miami Herald’s Tropic magazine, she knew she had to snap up the rights to the story.

For more than two decades, Berkowitz kept in touch with five team members — Oelmy “Ito” Paniagua, Gil Luna, Rodelay Medina, Sedrick Roundtree and Marcel Martinez. Then actor and director John Leguizamo stepped in.

“I related to this story of these kids who were in a tough neighborhood and didn’t really fit in,” Leguizamo recently told USA Today . “They didn’t really want to go be gangsters, they didn’t want to play football. They were street intellectuals, bookworms and nerds. And this teacher created this safe space for them.”

The movie, “ Critical Thinking ,” premiered online on Sept. 4. It tells the true story of five Latinx and Black teenagers — played by Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Jeffrey Batista, Angel Bismark Curiel, William Hochman and Corwin Tuggles — from an underserved Miami neighborhood. Cuban-American teacher Mario Martinez (played by Leguizamo) coaches them to the National Chess Championship. Leguizamo also directed the film.

“Positive Latin stories, feel-good movies,” he told USA Today. “They’ve seen Disney or they’ve seen ‘After School Special.’ They’re tricky, but they’re much appreciated. We need these stories. We gotta have stories of success, of excellence, told by Latin people, about Latin people, for Latin people.”

Entertainment & Arts

John Leguizamo changed his show to target Trump. Why the comedian has changed it back

John Leguizamo added jabs at Trump to “Latin History for Morons,” but now the writer-actor explains there’s good reason to pull those punches.

Sept. 30, 2019

Two years ago, Leguizamo’s one-man show “ Latin History for Morons ” made it to Netflix and was staged at L.A.’s Ahmanson Theatre last year. Inspired by his quest to find Latinx heroes for his son, the comedy addressed the “cultural apartheid” of the lack of Latinx visibility in entertainment and media.

“Critical Thinking” has a similar goal in mind.

“We’re the largest ethnic group in America,” Leguizamo said to USA Today. “We’re 25% of the U.S. box office, we’re 30% of the public school population, and our kids don’t see themselves. It’s incredible: It’s like we’re living in a cultural apartheid, like we don’t exist. We’re here, we contribute money, taxes, and yet we’re virtually invisible.”

View this post on Instagram We worked our asses off but we had fun doing it! #criticalthinking the little movie that could! A post shared by John Leguizamo (@johnleguizamo) on Sep 9, 2020 at 6:39am PDT

The New York Times reported Wednesday that, of the 25 people who run the top TV networks and Hollywood studios, just three are Black or Hispanic. “Critical Thinking,” however, featured a predominantly Black and Hispanic cast: Leguizamo was born in Colombia, Lendeborg in the Dominican Republic; Batista is Cuban, Bismark Curiel is Dominican and Tuggles is Black.

“We share the same story because, like me, he’s Cuban. He came to the U.S. at 17, and I came to the U.S. when I was turning 18,” Batista told the Miami New Times of Marcel Martinez, the man who inspired his character. “For me, doing this movie basically means what for him was to become the national champion in chess. It’s the ultimate dream to be in a movie like this.”

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What Happened To Ito In Critical Thinking

posted on March 5, 2024

Ito, in the context of critical thinking, likely refers to a character or a person involved in a scenario or case study designed to teach or exemplify principles of critical thinking. Without more specific information, it’s not possible to determine exactly what happened to Ito.

Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating an issue in order to form a judgment. In educational settings, characters like Ito might be part of hypothetical scenarios or real case studies used to challenge students to apply critical thinking skills. These scenarios often include complex problems that require identifying biases, examining evidence, and considering different perspectives.

If Ito is a character in such a scenario, what happened to him would depend on the details of the case study. Students would need to assess the information provided, ask questions, and use reasoning to determine the sequence of events that led to Ito’s current situation. They might also be tasked with proposing solutions or decisions based on their analysis, demonstrating their ability to apply critical thinking to real-world problems.

In a broader educational context, Ito’s situation would be used to encourage discussion, debate, and the application of various critical thinking techniques, such as logical reasoning, argument analysis, and problem-solving. The goal would be to help students develop the skills necessary to navigate complex issues and make informed decisions in their academic, professional, and personal lives.

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Critical Thinking

Where to watch.

Watch Critical Thinking with a subscription on Netflix, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Strategic in delivering all the feels, Critical Thinking is a good old-fashioned underdog story that marks a winning directorial debut for John Leguizamo.

Critics Reviews

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John Leguizamo

Mario Martinez

Rachel Bay Jones

Principal Kestel

Michael Kenneth Williams

Mr. Roundtree

Corwin C. Tuggles

Sedrick Roundtree

Jorge Lendeborg

Ito Paniagua

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Critical Thinking

By Alan Ng | September 4, 2020

NEW TO VIRTUAL CINEMAS! Chess is the great equalizer. It’s not about where you come from, but how you play. Director John Leguizamo’s Critical Thinking is based on the true story of the 1998 Miami Jackson Senior High School chess team, who, despite the lack of funding from the district, went on to win the National Chess Championship in Los Angeles.

John Leguizamo stars as Coach Mario Martinez, who fought hard to create a Critical Thinking/Chess elective at the school and handpicked four exceptional students to represent the school at tournaments based on their approach to the game. Those students include Sedrick Roundtree (Corwin C. Tuggles), Ito Paniagua (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), Rodelay Medina (Angel Bismark Curiel), and Gil Luna (Will Hochman).

“…handpicked four exceptional students to represent the school at tournaments based on their approach to the game .”

But Critical Thinking is not just about a high school chess team, but it also highlights at that time Miami’s rampant crime, poverty, and racism—which left many with no hope for a successful future. Sedrick Roundtree grew up with a stern single father (Michael Kenneth Williams), who used strength and intimidation as his strategy in playing chess, but also in raising his son. Ito Paniagua worked nights to help financially support his mother. While a gifted chess player, Ito was also actively scouted by a local thug, Andre Lamar (Ramses Jimenez), to sell drugs (amongst other things) for him, as well as actively scouted by the police to apprehend Andrew.

Later in the story, a fifth student, Marcel Martinez (Jeffry Batista), joins the team. Marcel is a Cuban refugee recruited by Sedrick and then we find out, he was a student of the game since the age of five and religiously studied the masters of the game, which shows up in his style of play.

Critical Thinking (2020)

Directed: John Leguizamo

Written: Dito Montiel

Starring: John Leguizamo, Rachel Bay Jones, Michael Kenneth Williams, Corwin C. Tuggles, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Angel Bismark Curiel, Will Hochman, Jeffry Batista, Ramses Jimenez, etc.

Movie score: 7.5/10

"…there’s the chess or at least the metaphors of chess in life."

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Critical Thinking (2020)

Oelmy paniagua: real ito.

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‘Black Box Diaries’ Director Shiori Ito Says She Feels ‘Powerful’ Now That Doc About Her Own Sexual Assault Is Out | Video

Sundance 2024: The documentary charts her emotional and physical healing coming forward as a rape survivor

Documentarian and journalist Shiori Ito is finding her own power onscreen, turning her story of sexual assault into her powerful directorial debut, “Black Box Diaries,” premiering at Sundance . The film follows Ito’s 2015 assault and what happened once she went public with it two years later.

“When I published my book, that was 2017, it was the exact time the #MeToo movement happened,” Ito said at TheWrap’s Sundance Portrait and Interview Studio presented by NFP.

But while #MeToo dominated America, it wasn’t really a movement in Japan.

“I always felt very isolated,” she said. “When I published my book, it was more [from] the point-of-view of a journalist.” It was something Ito said she struggled with, feeling like she left her survivor’s side out of the story.

“With this film, it took some time, but I managed to talk and film and show the point-of-view of how I survived and how many women and men [come] through this journey. I felt this was something I needed to tell through documentary film,” Ito said. “For me, it was really helpful that I could take a look at this case, take a look at me, as a journalist and have distance to it.”

The film’s editor went through over 400 hours of footage and, while documenting a very serious topic, was able to find moments of levity to showcase how Ito refused to let her assault define her. “When you think about this tragic story … we’re all human, and we laugh and have a good time, as well. I want to show all of it.”

Ito admitted that she “didn’t even know how hard it would be” to come forward with her story. She was “ignorant” about how rape cases were handled in her native Japan.

“Only 4% of women [in Japan] go to police,” she said. Ito wondered aloud if she’d had even needed to go public if the police had actually looked into her case. “If [the] police investigated, and everything went OK and I could seek justice, I wouldn’t have had to do this all by myself.”

But that wasn’t the case. In fact, Ito relayed that when she reported her assault, the police told her she wouldn’t get to work in the media and her life would be over. It was because of the #MeToo movement in America that her case gained traction, garnering a report in The New York Times. “All the layers of every woman speaking up all over the world really helped me,” she said.

There have been some changes to the laws in Japan regarding consent and sexual assault since Ito came forward. “The good news is we had two steps forward in our law,” she said. “Before, our age of consent with sex was 13 years old. Can you imagine? What were you thinking at 13? Now it’s 15. And before 2017 when I went public, men couldn’t claim rape cases, it was only for women. That changed. Slight changes are happening, which is very slow, but I’m hoping that will change more.”

And while the man who raped Ito continued to keep his job, Ito said he hasn’t diminished her spirit. “It’s not my job to punish him,” she said. “I’m very happy with what I’m doing right now because I felt like he took away my voice and what I can do, and I’m showing I can still work as a journalist. I feel powerful now.”

Watch TheWrap’s full interview with Ito in the video above.

“Black Box Diaries” is a sales title at Sundance.

Check out all our Sundance coverage here

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In the Trial of His Lifetime, Ito Finds Himself in the Dock

By David Margolick

• June 2, 1995

What is happening in Department 103 on the ninth floor of the Los Angeles County Superior Court Building downtown is not just the murder trial of O. J. Simpson. It is also the education of Judge Lance A. Ito.

Almost five months into the Simpson trial, Judge Ito still wins high marks for his intelligence, his conscientiousness, his command of precedents and his familiarity with testimony. Lawyers say he has done the legal system a favor by keeping an extraordinary case from disintegrating into chaos or degenerating into farce.

But questions about his judgment, his seasoning and the style in which he has conducted the trial, questions posed by lawyers and legal scholars almost from the outset, have grown more intense in the last few weeks with his metamorphosis before millions and the appearance of a sterner incarnation of the man.

Few experts think that any of Judge Ito's legal rulings have been wrong and will be grounds for an appeals court's reversal of a conviction, should the case ever get that far. Nor, despite the slow pace he maintained early on -- criticism of which from the jurors was at least partly responsible for his new get-tough approach -- do they blame him for the perilous state of the jury, with only 4 of the original 12 alternates now available for a trial that could last into the fall.

Instead, it is his oscillation in behavior -- from cautious to occasionally rash, from patient to peremptory, from courteous to rude -- that has raised questions about who Judge Ito really is. To many legal practitioners and scholars, he is a man unable to find his judicial compass, a man in search of his golden mean.

"Ito, who initially wanted the lawyers to run the show, has taken charge and become something he probably isn't: an authoritarian," said Roger Cossack, a criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles who comments on the case for CNN.

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