Chess or gangbanging?
Not many of us are ever likely to be dangling between those two worlds. And I suspect that out in the “real world” very, very few actually are.
So, the first thing you will wonder here is this: based or not based on a true story? Yes, in fact, it is:
The Dark Horse is based on the real-life story of Genesis Potini, a brilliant, New Zealand chess player who suffered from severe bipolar disorder. Despite the challenges that came his way, Potini pushed forward to find his purpose in life by passing on his knowledge of chess to the community. wiki.
In one respect this film shares in common with many other films the narrative that revolves around “the poor”, the “disadvantaged”, the “underprivileged”. And how one or another man or woman, being exceptional at one or another skill, is able to inspire at least some of these kids to make it up out of the bottom of the barrel.
In other words, rarely does the plot involve [in turn] a political analysis of the barrel itself.
Here the skill set is chess. And [as is often the case] the protagonist while brilliant is also “troubled”. To the point that he has been sent to mental institutions. And the neighborhood that he frequents is on the wrong side of the tracks: widespread poverty, drug addiction, violence. Gang banging. In fact the father here expects his son to follow in his footsteps and join his motorcycle gang, the Vagrants.
The lesson to be learned is that when children are raised in an environment in which they are expected to be lacking in intelligence and accomplishments, that is how they turn out. But when they are motivated to learn they generally turn out to be no less intelligent/accomplished than children fortunate enough to be raised in considerably more affluent [positive] environments. It’s all rooted in politics in other words. Though Ariki does a damn good job pointing out the part about “the real world”. A world in which by and large it’s the white folks that run the show. And certainly at the chess tournament. Virtually all the kids are white.
Ethnically, the people here are Maori. And it unfolds in New Zealand.
This one garnered a 97% fresh rating at Rotton Tomatoes on 62 reviews.
IMDb
[b]At the request of writer/director James Napier Robertson, actor Cliff Curtis gained almost 60 pounds and stayed in character for the entirety of the shoot to portray Genesis.
Actor Wayne Hapi who played “Ariki” had no previous acting experience before his debut in ‘The Dark Horse’, however as an ex gang-member he did have direct experience with the film’s content. Wayne applied for an audition via email after Casting Director Yvette Reid placed a job listing at WINZ “seeking Maori Men aged 50-65yrs, tattoos and criminal records welcome!”. Wayne was honoured with a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 2014 New Zealand Film awards. [/b]
at wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Horse_(2014_film
trailer: youtu.be/jmobdHek8T0
THE DARK HORSE [2014]
Written and directed by James Napier Robertson
Shop keeper: Is there someone you want me to call?
Genesis [oblivious, perusing a chessboard]: No, you couldn’t. You can’t do that. I mean there it is, right there. That’s on B5, not C4
Shop keeper: I’m sorry?
Genesis [rambling to himself, nearly ranting]: And you want the Sicilian Defence? Well, impossible. C5, that’s where that should be. Your fianchetto bishop, he’s on the G7. That’s the way it should be, but that’s not what’s happening. What’s happening here is the Scotch Game. The bishop takes GA. And play the gambit, ease them into the game. Nice and easy. Here she comes.
Establishing right from the start that Genesis is, perhaps, a bit…crazy? And sure enough off he goes to New Zealand’s equivalent of a mental health facility.
Nurse: Hi, Gen. I’ve spoken with Dr Andrews. He doesn’t feel we’re going to be able to release you this time without someone to look after you. A family member, support person, that sort of thing. Is there someone you’d like us to call?
He calls his brother.
[b]Genesis: How are you?
Ariki [his brother]: No, bro. Don’t think I can help you. Be better off with someone else.
Genesis: Bro…There ain’t nobody else.
Ariki: Just gonna end up back in here anyway, eh? Ain’t you?
Genesis: Please.
…
Doctor’s voice: Don’t skip a dose. Don’t get less than eight hours uninterrupted sleep a night. You got an emergency scripts for lithium, Zopiclone, and benzodiazepine. And try to avoid anything that could stress you out. Stress is the number-one trigger. Are you listening? Your brother can have you readmitted.
…
Mutt: You keep staring, cuz, you’re gonna lose those fuckin’ eyes in a sec.
Genesis: Better me than a little kid, eh, bro?
Mana [exploding]: I ain’t a fuckin’ kid! I don’t need your fuckin’ help! I didn’t fuckin’ ask for it, did I?
…
Nobes: How are you doing at the moment, my man?
Genesis: Good. Really good. I’m better.
Nobes: You’re better? You’re banging on my bedroom window at 4:30 in the morning ‘cause you want to join a kids’ chess club and that’s better?
…
Ariki: Hey, Boss. Thanks for coming, my brother. You know my boy. Birthdays coming up. Fifteen. Been thinking. He’s ready. I want him in.
Boss: Some ain’t right for it, eh?
Ariki: He is.
Biss: This what you want, boy?
Mana [reluctantly]: Yeah.
Ariki: Old time’s sake, my brother?
Boss: Old time’s sake. You want him done on his birthday?
Ariki: Right. Mutt.
Mutt: Yeah?
Ariki: Boy’s all yours now. Harden him up. We ain’t patching no child.
…
Genesis [introducing himself to the chess club]: Hi, everyone. I am of the Te Aitanga-a Hauiti clan. My name is Genesis Potini. And…My special powers, yes. Yes, yes, yes. I’m gonna lead you all to the National Chess Championships up in Auckland in six weeks’ time!
…
Genesis: I have thought about this, and I know it will work.
Nobes: You thought about it? Thought about them?
Genesis: Yes, yes.
Nobes: Who you just met tonight? Who you don’t even know whether they can even play!
Genesis: Yeah.
Nobes: Gen!
Genesis: I can help them. They’ll have a purpose. They need a purpose, a focus. Who knows what’ll happen?
Nobes: I know what will happen. You’ll rev them up with some new and exciting idea, then you’re gonna go off the rails, and we’re not gonna see you again. They don’t need some big, delusional tournament. They don’t even have parents. Just fuckin’ gangs and jails. They’re not even around. They need people who are gonna show up, Gen. Stability.
Genesis: Cuz…
Nobes: Go!
…
Ariki: Mutt…He said you took Mana out last night.
Genesis: No, he followed me, bro.
Ariki: I don’t want it happening again. He’s got to be a man now, got to be strong. I can’t have you messing with his head.
Genesis: No, I would never do that, bro. That’s the last thing I want.
…
Ariki: That’s 1,000 bucks, bro. Go and get a place of your own.
Genesis: What about the ward, bro?
Ariki: I’ll tell the ward what you want 'em to know. As long as you respect what I’m asking, bro Get on the dole. Start your own life. I can’t do anything more for you now, my brother.
…
Nobes: I told Michael’s parole officer that we’re going to this…this tournament. Be like his community service. They went for it. Gen, you probably think I’m being some big arsehole. But you talk dreams to those kids, you better follow through. Take your meds, get your sleep, whatever. Just promise me that you’re looking after yourself. Promise me you won’t let 'em down.
Genesis: Promise.
…
Michael: Looks like we got another Dark Horse in our midst, eh?
Nobes: What Dark Horse? Him?
Michael: Didn’t you go crazy or something?
Nobes: Michael.
Genesis: You made a mistake.
Michael: What, winning?
Genesis: You could’ve got checkmate about six moves earlier.[/b]
And then from memmory he procedes to show him how.
[b]Genesis: You can’t be here, Mana. Does your father know you’re here?
[Mana shakes his head]
Genesis: Well, he knows that you came to our practise.
Mana: Are youse going to a tournament?
Genesis: How did you know that?
Mana: I know you think I’d be shit at chess, but that’s just 'cause nobody’s taught me. Maybe I could be all right. Maybe I could play in your tournament.
…
Genesis: Who wants to play some blind chess?
Kids: Yeah!
Genesis: Cover your eyes. Now, Jedi. E2 to E4.
Jedi: Bishop to D6.
Rusty: Queen to E4. Checkmate.
Genesis: Murray, did you fall asleep? Murray! Give us the coordinates.
Jedi [whispers to Murray]: Knight to B6.
Murray: Knight to B6?
…
Mana [to Genesis]: Have you ever been pissed on? It was in front of all of them. I just sat there. Couldn’t do anything. Listened to him laughing. I just want to fuckin’ kill him.
…
Mana [angrily]: Why are you sleeping here? Why aren’t you fuckin’ sleeping in a house like everyone else? Is there something wrong with you, holding on to all those old clippings? Are you crazy? Is that why you need those pills? Just fuckin’ tell me!
Genesis [after a long pause]: When I was a boy…I was taken to a hospital. A mental hospital, 'cause they thought there was something wrong with me. And the doctors, they looked at me for a while and told my family I was sick. I had to stay. I didn’t see your dad for a long time. But I kept playing…Play every day, dreaming of the day I’d meet him again and thrash him. I got out, won a few local games, tournaments, beat a few good fellas. That’s when they made those clippings that you found. But the stress…I’d just get sick again. I had to take those pills to stop me from getting sick.
Mana [after a pause]: Have you thrashed Dad yet?
Genesis: Not yet.
Mana: But you have played against him though, eh?
Genesis: Yeah. He taught me.
…
Genesis: I was thinking maybe…maybe Mana could come to the tournament, too. Maybe he’d enjoy it.
Ariki: Pretty hard if he doesn’t know how to play, eh?
Genesis: He does. I’m not saying he’s gonna win or nothing, but…It’s next weekend. The tournament, it’s next weekend.
Ariki [staring hard at him]: Get out.
Genesis: Wait. Wait a minute.
Ariki: Behind my back, both of youse, after I asked you.
Genesis: No, it wasn’t like that, bro. I wanted to tell you about it. I wanted to ask you…
Ariki: About what? About you knowing what’s best for my boy? ‘Cause you got some fuckin’ chess club? Fuck up his chances with the brothers?
Genesis: No, it wasn’t like that.
Ariki: You think some kids’ game’s gonna solve all his problems? Off to some weekend tournament. And what, happy endings? And then what? You gonna raise him, feed him, stay out of your nuthouse long enough for that? ‘Course you fuckin’ ain’t. Dump him right back here, and then fuck off back where you came from.
Genesis: Wait, wait. Stop, please. Just stop a second. I don’t want take him from you. Okay? I just want to give him a chance to see something out there in the world.
Ariki: There ain’t nothing out there for him! World don’t want him. Didn’t want me, and sure as fuck didn’t want you, did it? He lives in my world, the real fuckin’ world.
…
Ariki: Come here telling me fuckin’ stories. Remember my hand on your shoulder, do you? Telling you things will be all right? Well, nobody had their fuckin’ hand on mine, bro. No one told me shit’d be all right. I’ve been alone with nothing. But I stayed fuckin’ standing. When you fell all apart, I stayed fuckin’ standing, and so will he. And I ain’t gonna let you fuck that up.
Genesis: I don’t want to fuck anything up, bro. But he is being pissed on. Pissed on and beat up by Mutt. And you’re his father. You should be protecting him.
Ariki: Damn fuckin’ right I’m his father! You think I don’t know? You think I didn’t go through the same fuckin’ shit? That’s the real world. That’s the shit the rest of us have to deal with while you just take your fuckin’ pills.
…
Genesis: Ariki, please.
Ariki: Get out.
Genesis: Please, just listen to me. Just…
Ariki: You got 10 fuckin’ seconds.
Genesis: No, please, listen to me. Just…No, just listen to… I’m just asking you for a week.
Ariki: Five!
Genesis: No, it doesn’t make any sense, man. Why can’t you just give him a week, eh?
Ariki: Two!
Genesis: That’s all I’m asking is just one week. A week! I’m just asking, why can’t you give him one more week?
Ariki: ‘Cause I ain’t got one more fuckin’ week! You fuckin’ blind, bro?
Genesis: What are you talking about?
Ariki: Just get out.
…
Genesis [At Rip’s home]: Are you Rip’s mother? Hi, my name is Genesis Potini. I’m his chess coach. And I implore you to allow him to stay in the club, please. Don’t make him leave the club. Just let him stay…
Mother: I’ve seen you. You’ve been sleeping up on Kaiti Hill. You just got out of a mental home, didn’t you?
Genesis: Well, yes, but please don’t do this to him.
Mother: You shouldn’t be anywhere near those kids.
[she closes the door]
…
Sandy [to Genesis]: This is the best thing that has ever happened to those kids. I better get you cleaned up for this fundraiser tomorrow, yeah?
…
Michael [at the chess tournament]: We’re dropping like flies, Gen.
Genesis: Yeah, we’re not out yet.
…
Genesis: Mana, it’s time to go. Come on, get up. Get up, get up.
Mutt: Boy’s been fuckin’ patched now. Too fuckin’ late, eh, cuz?
Genesis [to Mana]: Take it off. Get it off.
Mutt [wielding a metal pipe]: What, are you fuckin’ kidding me?
Mana: Stop it, Mutt!
Ariki: Go easy, cuz.
Mutt: What, you got something you wanna fuckin’ say, bro?
Genesis: How many times you been pissed on? How many times before you stopped crying?
Mutt [raising the pipe]: Fuck you! Fuck you!
Ariki: Mutt.
…
Mutt: Fuckin’ get back here, you fuckin’ hear me?
Genesis [to Mana]: Keep walking.
Mutt: Think you can fuckin’ walk off like that, boy? You fuckin’ belong to me now, boy. You’re fuckin’ mine. Hey!
Genesis [to Mana]: Don’t look back.
…
Title card: Genesis Potini continued leading the Eastern Knights for many years to come. The kids he helped went on to lives they’d never thought possible, both on and off the board. Gen passed away surrounded by loved ones on August 15th, 2011. Led by Nobel Keelan, the Eastern Knights are still going strong to this very day.[/b]