Brooklyn Castle (2012)
89%RT Audience Score: 81%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 3 nominations
Brooklyn Castle is a captivating documentary that showcases the power of education and the game of chess. Through the lens of a group of students from a low-income school in Brooklyn, we witness the triumphs and struggles of these young minds as they navigate the complexities of life and the game. Director Katie Dellamaggiore masterfully captures the spirit of perseverance and hope that drives these students and their dedicated teachers. The film is a testament to the importance of after-school programs and the impact they can have on the lives of young people. With heartwarming moments and a touch of humor, Brooklyn Castle is a must-see for anyone who believes in the power of education and the potential of our youth.
Brooklyn Castle is the ultimate underdog story that will have you rooting for the kids of I.S. 318. It’s like The Queen’s Gambit, but real life and with a whole team of chess prodigies. You’ll be amazed at what these kids can do and how dedicated their teachers are to helping them succeed. Plus, you’ll learn a thing or two about chess strategy along the way. It’s a heartwarming documentary that will leave you feeling inspired and ready to take on the world, or at least your next game of chess.
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Distributor
PDA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for some language
Year of Release
2012
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:16:9 HD
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Runtime:1h 41m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 19, 2012 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2013
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
starring, directed by, written by, documentary, chess, school, budget cuts, championship, New York, Brooklyn, students, teachers, education, triumph, perseverance, hope, community outreach, after-school activities, sportmanship, handshake, recession, box office, PG, producer, critic reviews, Tomatometer, audience score, Wendy Ettinger, Robert Mclellan, Brian Schultz, Katie Dellamaggiore, Nelson Dellamaggiore, David Hinckley, Linda Barnard, Tom Long, Nell Minow, Walter V Addiego, Mark Feeney, Ed Travis, Jordan M Smith, Elias Savada, Emily S Mendel, Bruce Bennett, Sarah Boslaugh, audience reviews, Seed: The Untold Story, Western Stars, Monkey Kingdom, The Island, Lost in Paris
Worldwide gross: $219,407
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $282,865
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,867
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 30,847
US/Canada gross: $219,407
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $282,865
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,473
US/Canada opening weekend: $18,761
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $24,187
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,446
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Wendy Ettinger – Executive Producer
Robert Mclellan – Executive Producer
Katie Dellamaggiore – Producer
Nelson Dellamaggiore – Producer
Brian Schultz – Producer
Director(s)
Katie Dellamaggiore
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
South by Southwest
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (2)
Brooklyn Castle does a superb job of celebrating the triumph while reinforcing the relentless vigilance it requires from everyone involved.
October 7, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
David Hinckley
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Brooklyn Castle is inspiring stuff that grabs you by the throat and will leave you cheering – quietly of course. No shouting in a chess match.
March 28, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Linda Barnard
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
There’s a general spirit of triumph and perseverance to “Brooklyn Castle” that’s inevitably uplifting.
March 1, 2013 | Rating: B
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
January 22, 2013 | Rating: A-
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
“Brooklyn Castle” easily checkmates your inner cynic.
November 15, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Walter V. Addiego
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Katie Dellamaggiore’s lively and affecting documentary introduces us to a cast of characters that’s very winning (in both senses of the word).
November 15, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Mark Feeney
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
I cannot recommend this highly enough. You will find hope in a new generation of teenagers and a desire to see education thrive in our country again.
March 31, 2020
Ed Travis
Hollywood Jesus
Dellamaggiore has crafted a doc that highlights our currently shrinking school budgets, while making light of what can be done with a little hope, perseverance, and community outreach.
February 9, 2020
Jordan M. Smith
IONCINEMA.com
With Brooklyn Castle it’s really nice to see so many young, positive minds at play in the world, and to cheer on so many smiling children dreaming of enlightened futures.
June 6, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/5
Elias Savada
Film Threat
… a powerful and positive story about dedicated teachers helping kids succeed no matter what their circumstances
December 10, 2012
Emily S. Mendel
culturevulture.net
Like chess, not exactly a high-energy experience but seeing what these kids accomplish, seemingly against all odds is breathtaking all the same.
December 8, 2012 | Rating: B+
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)
…provides a corrective to the popular image of American schools as obsessed with sports and popularity, and it makes the strongest possible case for funding after-school activities.
November 22, 2012 | Rating: 8/10
Sarah Boslaugh
PopMatters…
Plot
Brooklyn Castle is a documentary about I.S. 318 – an inner-city school where more than 65 percent of students are from homes with incomes below the federal poverty level – that also happens to have the best, most winning junior high school chess team in the country. (If Albert Einstein, who was rated 1800, were to join the team, he’d only rank fifth best). Chess has transformed the school from one cited in 2003 as a “school in need of improvement” to one of New York City’s best. But a series of recession-driven pubic school budget cuts now threaten to undermine those hard-won successes.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film or anyone in the cast on Fresh Kernels.
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