A Brilliant Young Mind

I pre-ordered "X+Y" from the UK, not realizing it was being released in the US (under a different name). This ended up being one of my favorite movies of this year, but I feel like many people will not give it a chance for several reasons, but mainly the subject matter.

"It" is a delicate petal to step around to a lot of people. Nathan is not the epitome of all people on the spectrum, he is unique and also based on a real person (albeit loosely). You don't have to have any kind of "diagnosed condition" to understand the hardships portrayed in the film. His is not the only struggle, just the most emphasized.

I must say that I was impressed with Asa Butterfield's portrayal of Nathan. Not many actors can convey emotions or thoughts without actually saying much of anything. When you feel empathy for a character, you know the actor is doing far more than just saying their memorized lines. That being said, everyone did a pretty good job bringing their characters to life.

I am not going to reveal any details about the film and I would highly recommend that you go to the cinema or get it on DVD to watch it yourself. I have the great honour to know this guy on whom the movie is based. We were having lunch and he told me that a director was going to shoot a film about him. That was more than two years ago in a Chinese hotpot restaurant in London where he took me. My friend could read the Three Kingdoms book and is fascinated with all the figures. He loves to play a game based on the Three Kingdoms. I felt quite embarrassed when he invited me to play and I said 'I am sorry, I don't know how to play it'. He really is a genius and a role model. Days ago in 2015 he sent me a message telling me that the film was on now. Therefore I went to the cinema to watch this long waited film. To be honest, I was a bit suspicious about if Asa Butterfield was going to deliver this task of portraying my friend. But after watching it, I am totally convinced that he managed successfully. The acting in this film including all the leading and supporting actors and actresses is stunningly good. Watching the film all the way through was not an easy task for me and I found it really hard sometimes as it was quite reminiscing and upset for myself. Part of it also reminded me of the 'dark July' almost everyone in China has been through - the national matriculation tests to enter universities. Day and night we sat there trying to figure out all these maths, physics and chemistry questions. Nervousness, frustration, fear, upset. The questions of course were no where near those at the IMO, but the feelings we had back then was comparable to the contestants. The film centred on some very true aspects of real life, cruel but real. Either 0 or 1, no grey area. So where do I belong if I do not fit into either 1 or 0? Maybe the two limits of both Nathan and his mom do converge at a point and that point is love. It is very difficult to write a review without mentioning the details, perhaps I failed to convince people by writing this review, but the film will not fail you.

Genres at IMDb is WRONG.. not a comedy.

It is true this movie does have a few touching moment that will make you smile, this does not make it a comedy. The films subjects include the affliction of Autism, coping with illness, coping with lose and living without returned love, self inflicted boundaries and the struggle to overcome dealing with others regardless of your own struggle. The story is about a young boy with autism who faces the difficulties coping with life without the key person he was dependent on. Add to this his autistic ability at math which places him in a scenario where he placed in a new environment. Along with the boy, we also see the difficulties of his mother which must deal his affliction and teachers who must deal with his. Overall, not just about the child. The base of the film is in England and in China with great scenery. Added t this is fin acting and a good plot. Without a spoiler, he finally comes to a change in his life with the help of many who loves him. I found the ending touching.

'X+Y' is somewhat of a detour for its star and revelation, Asa Butterfield. He is already in popular demand, having been at the centre of Martin Scorsese's attention in 'Hugo' and the failed Young Adult fantasy adaptation 'Ender's Game'. It seems strange to me that Butterfield has forgone the realm of Hollywood Blockbusters to enter a profound and revealing Indie Drama. Consider me happy beyond measure.

'X+Y' sees Butterfield play the intelligent, but autistic Nathan. He finds it extremely hard to form bonds, even with his own mother. Nathan never admits it, but we can tell that he blames her for the awful car crash that proved fatal to his father. Whom he had always shared a special connection. He finds he is able to maintain new friendships when he gains a place on the British Squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad. This gives Nathan newfound confidence and the attention of a girl on the opposing squad. Nathan understands Mathematics better than anyone, even his parents at the age of five. But he is not able to work out why he has an attraction to this girl, by the name of Zhang Mei played with keen spirit by Jo Yang. He diverts so much of his attention to her, that he finds it increasingly difficult to keep his mind focused on what matters most for his future.

'X+Y' is the type of film that is all too rare to find in the cinema. When it finally does appear on the big screen, it lasts a week before it stops being shown. Therefore, if you are reading this then I am sorry, but at least you can pre order the DVD. I wish there were more films like this, with the same energy, style, charm, acting talent and intimacy. The movies would be a better place for it.

The script for 'X+Y' is handled with care and delicately, so that every line shows the audience what rapt attention to detail the screenwriter paid to make sure it flows smoothly, even containing laughs and many heartfelt moments scattered throughout its brief runtime. The most marvellous thing of all is that 'X+Y' contains two romances and both of them feel genuine and make sense. They do not slow down the pacing and only highlight what a joy the film is to behold. The casting from Sally Hawkins to Rafe Spall plays a large part in selling the romance to the audience. Not only making them invest in it, but believe it as well. The music feels soft and tender, never overbearing always hitting the right notes on the nose. The cinematography is excellent and proves that films do not need CGI fakery to look splendid or gorgeous; I am looking at you Peter Jackson.

'X+Y' may be ultimately too predictable, but at least it feels sweet and soothing, a truly lovely film to engage in and even shed a tear when it all ends. Hollywood simply does not make films like this anymore. Can you resist? Will you even want to try? I urge you to at least give 'X+Y' a chance, it deserves at the very least to be seen once.

This movie came onto my radar because of the talent involved, I didn't really know what to expect, so I blindly went to see it.

From the start this film pulls you in and pull on your heart- strings. Granted, I was jet-lagged when I saw it, which probably explained why I was teary-eyed for much of the film. The movie, is very much a character film. It tackles every aspect of Nathan's life and that of the people around him. The film manages to be a family drama, a coming of age movie with a dash of romance, and a comedy at the same time. It all seamlessly fit together and keep you captivated.

The cast is out of this world. The group of young actors they chose is simply impressive because they are all so natural that it's easy to believe that they are the characters they're portraying. Asa Butterfield is wickedly talented and morphed into Nathan for the duration of the film.

Morgan Matthews' background in documentary film-making has a huge impact on how realistic and natural the film feels. The film really shows a wide spectrum of teenagers, among the socially awkward, quirky, math prodigy children. He conveys a strong message by showcasing these kids as they are and not falling into common stereotypes.

A Brilliant Young Mind is a gem that I would recommend to every one. I LOVED this film, it's touching and amazingly well made.

@Wornoutspines