Cuba Gooding is an ex-con looking to make amends to his kids for not being the father he should have been. He finds himself teaching troubled inner city kids chess in a bid to put something back to society whilst trying to regain the trust of his own alienated kids.

Life of a King is a small movie and has familiar themes that we have seen in many other inner city dramas. What sets this one apart and makes it a must watch is the standard of the acting and a script that doesn't waste a scene. Cuba Gooding Jr is hugely charismatic and excels in this. It's something of a surprise that he isn't a bigger star though maybe he just wants it that way. Whats more of a surprise though is the quality of the mainly unknown young actors in this who all do a fantastic job especially Malcolm M Mays, showing both realism and passion.

This is a mainly gritty tale but also wonderfully inspiring with an ending that pays off. It is almost impossible not to like Life of a King which is one of the best feel good movies I've seen. This film deserves a much higher profile.

Cuba Gooding Jr an Oscar winning actor who now tends to do rather a lot of straight to DVD films which he stars in and some cameos or supporting roles in major films destined for the cinema.

This film is obviously a low budget film destined for DVD and pay TV. Gooding now looks like a guy in middle age and in this film he is an ex con with grown up kids, becomes a janitor and teaches chess to a class of kids in detention. Chess equals life lessons and his students are from the wrong side of life.

Its a feel good film with a slight hard edge, but you have the usual plot points that these type of films always tend to have. A class of alpha male hoodlums, a bright but reluctant chess player, a tragedy which leads to one character at a crossroads, superior officials placing obstacles as when one of them wins his victory is rescinded leading to a showdown later on.

Gooding is more reserved, a man who has added years to his youthful zest and there is no mugging for the camera here and he is the anchor in this low budget but affirming film.

Eugene Brown (Cuba Goodling jr.) gets out of prison and goes to a half-way house. He has realized how he has messed up his own life and that of his son. He reaches back into the community to open a chess club, a semi-skill he has learned in prison. At the chess club he mentors kids about life. His involvement in the community also helps him win the respect of his estranged daughter (Rachae Thomas).

This is a performance more fitting for Cuba who has had too many "B" roles for his talent. The film is heart warming and inspiring. His message is that life is like chess, you must keep your eye on the end game if you want to win. The film incorporates several chess metaphors for life. If the movie has a flaw it is that I started to get turned off by the overly overt preachy nature. I felt once stated, the metaphor could speak for itself.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.