Steve Knight Movies

Tobey Maguire steps into famed chess champion Bobby Fischer's shoes in this drama from director Edward Zwick surrounding the US vs. Russia chess bout with Boris Spassky. Steven Knight provides the screenplay. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

A haunted Afghanistan War veteran assumes a false identity while pursuing his pregnant girlfriend's killer through the streets of London in this thriller from writer/director Steven Knight (who previously penned the screenplays for Eastern Promises and Dirty Pretty Things). Upon laying down his guns and returning to London, weary veteran Joey Jones (Jason Statham) survives on teh streets with his expectant girlfriend Isabelle. When Joey draws the wrath of some vicious gangsters, he flees into an empty Covent Garden apartment, and assumes the identity of its absentee owner while slowly recovering from his wounds. Before long, Joey has landed a job in a Chinese restaurant where his skills as a fighter start to come in handy. But any hope Joey had for a happy future is crushed when he learns Isabelle's corpse has been found in a local river. Turning his back on his sympathetic sponsor Sister Cristina as he calls on his connections in the Chinese underworld, the vengeful veteran risks both his life and his freedom to punish the man responsible for Isabelle's untimely death. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

James Gray directs this big-screen adaptation of Who Wants to be a Millionaire creator and Dirty Pretty Things screenwriter Steven Knight's novel concerning a contemporary journalist who goes undercover in one of New York City's roughest neighborhoods to research a novel about gangs and drug culture. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

One man's role in the long battle to outlaw slavery in the United Kingdom sets the stage for this historical drama from director Michael Apted. In 1784, 21-year-old William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) was elected to the British House of Commons, and soon established himself as a politician with a conscience. Several years later, his close friend William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch) became prime minister, and together they made a bold plan to introduce a bill banning slavery before the English legislature. Wilberforce was aided by anti-slavery activists Olaudah Equiano (Youssou N'Dour) and Thomas Clarkson (Rufus Sewell); however, pro-slavery hard-liners Lord Tarleton (Ciarán Hinds) and the Duke of Clarence (Toby Jones) spearheaded a hard-fought opposition to the legislation, and despite Wilberforce's best efforts, his bill went down in defeat. In 1797, Wilberforce left politics due to poor health and a battered spirit; staying at the country home of his friends Henry and Marianne Thornton (Nicholas Farrell and Sylvestra Le Touzel), he became acquainted with Barbara Spooner (Romola Garai), a beautiful woman with progressive views. Spooner became deeply infatuated with Wilberforce, and she encouraged him not to give up on his noble goals; with her help, Wilberforce launched a second campaign to persuade England's lawmakers to end the slave trade. Amazing Grace made its North American premiere as the closing-night gala attraction at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Director Stephen Frears returns to the grittier themes of his earlier films for the urban thriller Dirty Pretty Things. Residing in London, the medically trained Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a Nigerian immigrant working as a taxi driver and a hotel concierge, but he still lives on the edge of poverty. He shares a room with Senay (Amélie's Audrey Tautou making her English-language debut), a Turkish refugee who works as a maid at the hotel. As illegal immigrants, Okwe and Senay live in fear of being deported. One night, working at the front desk, Okwe receives a call from prostitute Juliette (Sophie Okonedo) to check a broken toilet, where he makes a horrifying discovery. He reports it to the manager Sneaky (Sergi Lopez), who blackmails Okwe into staying quiet about it. Okwe soon discovers the presence of a shady business operation that sends him into the seedy London underworld. Senay becomes lured in with hopes of being able to fund her escape to America. Dirty Pretty Things marks the screenwriting debut of Steve Knight, co-creator of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi