Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Screenplay by Darren Aronofsky
Story by Darren Aronofsky & Sean Gullette & Eric Watson
Stars: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart, Stephen Pearlman, Samia Shoaib, Ajay Naidu and Kristyn Mae-Anne Lao
The blog-a-thon was a good excuse to see the movies that I want to see from directors that I love like Tarantino and Aronofsky. I am Aronofsky loyalist that will love every movie that they have done no matter what people think about them. Pi was the only movie of his that I have not seen. This must be the end of days, because there is a Darren Aronofsky movie that I didn't like.
Maximillian Cohen (Gullette) is a mathematical genius that is holed up in his apartment trying to figure out a genius equation to solve the secret of the universe. He has built a super computer in his apartment. He is typing away. On the rare occasion that he goes out, Max meets a Hasidic Jew, Lenny Meyer (Shenkman) that share their love for mathematical equation. There is also this sinister subplot about a corporate crony, Marcy Dawson (Hart) want to get a chip from Max somehow.
I completely understand what Aronofsky was trying to do here. He wanted to make movie that has a genius trying to get that history making solution that could revolutionize society. I get it. He is consumed by it that he would go crazy. Fine. I don't find the movie interesting as whole. Having characters talk about complex mathematical equations is like you are stuck in Calculus class at a remedial school. I didn't care for it to be honest.
I know that Aronofsky received a lot of praise for his directorial debut with a Directing Award from the Sundance Film Festival and a Best First Screenplay at the Spirit Award. Good for you. The black and white choice was fine. I saw some similarities with this movie and his follow-up Requiem for a Dream. It has the same sequences when a character is showing popping pills in the same matter repeatedly. Fine.
I felt completely disconnected to this movie from start to when the disk stopped before the film ended. I guess, that was a sign that to waste more of my time with this movie.
My Rating
Aaronofsky was really trying to show audiences the mind of a person on the brink of a mental breakdown. In the begining everything is very chaotic and the imagery is very bleak and dark light. Take a look at the moment when he is watching leaves at the start and at the end. One is very much more clear than the other.
ReplyDeleteI never understood any of the math speak, but I found the character of Max to be very interesting. He a lot about numbers and math, but nothing about the human spirit, but by the end he starts to just a little.
I understand that Aronofsky wanted to show the descent to madness, but I couldn't care less about what happened to Max.
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