X+Y

‘It must be hard to lose someone that you love so much’

X+Y is a heartwarming coming of age drama based on a true story. It follows the story of a young teen maths prodigy called Nathan (Asa Butterfield), who has Aspergers Syndrome and seeks comfort and competition in the wonders of mathematics, but not necessarily with other people (especially his mother) until he seeks to solve the most difficult problem- falling in love.

I have liked Asa Butterfield’s work since he was in The Boy In the Striped Pajamas when he was about ten years old. He always seems to pick roles which don’t require him to be ‘the hot guy’ because I personally think that he is rather good looking, but instead he chooses parts that have some sort of challenge even when he started out acting. Here, there is no difference. He was very convincing in a part that can be trivialized.  He and his maths tutor are binded because they are seen as different to other people. I read a book once about a boy with Asperger’s but I felt as if I was being patronized with examples and off tangent story lines. Sally Hawkins was also very good as his on screen mother and came across as a very fragile but strong woman who has clearly been through alot. Often, the story tends to go off on one to fill gaps but it turns out that it is all relevant. I like how some of it consists of shots of eyes because he sees the world differently.

I personally dislike Maths and I have never understood it but I can see why the characters connect with maths. It brought Nathan’s comforts, memories of his father, his relationships with girls, his syndrome and communication with his mother together for a bittersweet and tear jerking ending. The movie is way more than some guy doing maths and I had heard about it a lot as it was being released because I saw a poster of it at the train station when I was in London with the class earlier this year.

Good cast to also include Rafe Spall, Eddie Marsan, Jo Yang, Jake Davies and exceptional acting, inspirational messages and a generally brilliant film about love, loss and maths.

Alternative title is ‘A Brilliant Young Mind’

3.5/5