10 movies about mathematicians that will delight you

10. X + Y

X + Y

• UK, 2014.
• Drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 111 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.1.

A young child prodigy with autism goes to the International Mathematical Olympiad in the company of other students. He has to learn how to interact with the people around him, find friends, rivals and love.

The first feature film by documentary filmmaker Morgan Matthews was inspired by real young geniuses from the UK math team.

For the main role, the director called the future star of the series “Sex educationAce Butterfield was right. The actor, himself being a neurotypical person, portrayed autism with all possible precision and accuracy.

9. The Man Who Knew Infinity

The Man Who Knew Infinity

• UK, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE, 2015.
• Drama, biography.
• Duration: 108 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.2.

The self-taught Indian genius Srinivasa Ramanujan is invited to study at Cambridge under the tutelage of the mathematician Godfrey Harold Hardy. There, the hero is faced with the rejection of others, who consider him a man of the third grade. However, out of spite

racism and prejudice, the friendship between disciple and mentor grows stronger every day.

This movie is based on the story of a real scientist. Painting with Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire,Legend of the Green Knight») Proves that the life of a mathematician can be no less exciting than the biography of some artist or writer. Ramanujan's works outstripped the development of science for many years ahead, but the genius's contemporaries were unable to appreciate them at their true worth.

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8. Pay

The accountant

• USA, 2016.
• Action, thriller, drama, crime.
• Duration: 128 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.3.

Autistic genius mathematician Christian Wolff works for the largest criminal organization of the planet. During the day, he looks for inconsistencies in tax reporting, and in the evenings he kills those who steal from bosses.

The authorities begin to take an interest in the hero, and he offers his services to legal business. But when Wolf finds a leak of millions of dollars in the reports of a well-known tech corporation, he and a young employee Dana have to flee.

The script for "Reckoning" from the author of the good legal film "The Judge" lay on the shelf for a long time. The film combines math difficult relationship with father, detective and spectacular shootouts.

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7. Professor's Favorite Equation

Hakase no aishita sûshiki

• Japan, 2006.
• Drama, melodrama, family.
• Duration: 117 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.3.

The professor of mathematics, who has lost his memory after a car accident, remains in the care of his brother's wife. To manage the household, she hires a young housekeeper. Thanks to an elderly scientist girl and her little son, the amazing beauty of science is gradually being revealed.

A film directed by Takashi Koizumi (by the way, a student and close friend of Japanese classic Akira Kurosawa) will appeal to everyone who loves minimalistic dramas about human relationships.

This picture is sometimes compared to "Mind Games", but they are not alike in every way. Still, "The Professor's Favorite Equation" primarily talks about how strangers become a real family.

6. Pi

Pi

• USA, 1997.
• Horror, fantasy, thriller.
• Duration: 84 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.4.

The talented mathematician Max Cohen has been obsessed with the obsession with explaining the world in terms of number theory for many years. But when the hero is already close to a solution, stock analysts and religious fanatics begin to persecute him.

Darren Aronofsky made his first feature film on a ridiculous $ 60,000 budget. There was no money for full-fledged advertising, so the director painted the sidewalks of one of the New York districts with the Greek letter π, which is in the title of the picture.

As a result, for his debut, Aronofsky received one of the main prizes at film festival in Sundance. Well, the solid fees made American producers believe that the director can be entrusted with larger projects.

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5. Gifted

Gifted

• USA, 2017.
• Drama.
• Duration: 101 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.6.

Little Mary lost her parents early and is now being raised by Uncle Frank. On the very first day of school, the girl demonstrates extraordinary mathematical abilities. Frank is calm about her talents and is in no hurry to transfer his niece to a school for gifted children. He wants the child to have a happy childhood.

Soon, Grandmother Mary intervenes. She is going to raise a brilliant mathematician from her granddaughter. To achieve her goal, she is even ready to separate the girl from her beloved guardian.

Mark Webb's touching family drama ("500 Days of Summer") will certainly make the viewer cry and make them wonder what he would have done in the heroes' place. And I must say that there is no definite answer to this question.

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4. Hidden figures

Hidden figures

• USA, 2016.
• Drama, comedy, biography.
• Duration: 127 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.8.

Mathematicians Catherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson work at the NASA center in the 1960s. Heroines often have to endure all kinds of humiliation because of their gender and dark skin color. Their achievements begin to be noticed only during the US-Soviet race to conquer the moon.

The painting tells a true story about the crucial role of African American women in assimilating space. For many years, the US government hushed up their merits, and thanks to the film by Ted Melfi, the names of these women were recognized not only in narrow circles of astronauts.

At the same time, the tape manages not to fall into a heavy drama, but instead amuses and entertains. But it also reflects how monstrous racism was in America just half a century ago.

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3. Imitation game

The imitation game

• UK, USA, 2014.
• Thriller, drama, military, biography.
• Duration: 114 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.0.

During World War II, mathematician Alan Turing is tasked with solving the algorithm of the Nazi Enigma cipher machine. This is a problem of puzzling complexity, and a scientist gives all of himself to solve it. But after the conclusion of peace, the native country will repay the scientist with black ingratitude.

The debut English-language film by the Norwegian director Morten Tildum was based on the real story of Alan Turing. The film is captivating, accessible and with a sense of humor tells how the scientist and his assistants fought against Enigma. But when it comes to the drama that happened in the personal life of a mathematician in the post-war period, it is very difficult to resist tears.

2. Mind games

A beautiful mind

• USA, 2001.
• Drama, biography, melodrama.
• Duration: 135 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.2.

Young student John Nash is a bit eccentric and withdrawn. Having brilliantly graduated from the university, the hero continues his career in the field of mathematics and information technology. Then he ends up in a secret laboratory, where he is recruited by military intelligence. It’s slowly becoming clear that there’s something strange about this job for the Pentagon.

The film, directed by Ron Howard, is based on the life of the mathematician John Nash. He made several revolutionary discoveries in mathematics and economics, later becoming a Nobel laureate. Unfortunately, this brilliant scientist suffered from severe mental illnessbut managed to get back to work and achieve great success.

Russell Crowe in the title role managed to create a heartfelt, expressive portrait of a genius. John Nash himself helped him to reliably embody the image, who was specially invited to the set for this.

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1. Good Will Hunting

Good will hunting

• USA, 1997.
• Drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 126 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.3.

A young man named Will Hunting has all the makings of a brilliant mathematician. But he wastes his talent, constantly getting involved in unpleasant stories. After another fight, the guy is sent to psychotherapy sessions. Will is skeptical at first, but gradually gets warm feelings towards his mentor.

This work stands out strongly in the filmography of Gus Van Sant. The director has made a name for himself in independent filmmaking, while his Good Will Hunting is aimed more at the general public.

The tape is full of merits: excellent direction and script, an organic acting duet of Matt Damon and Robin Williams. The only thing you can find fault with is that the topic of mathematics in the film is not covered in as much detail as we would like. The creators limited themselves to a few mentions of theorems and the names of geniuses.

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