Le monde de Nathan

In my reviews I have observed on more than one occasion that the Brits don't know how to make a bad film. Their challenge is usually in making a great film.

This is a case in point. Technically perfect, with a script so polished it gleams, and acting so sharp that even the secondary roles stay in your head long after the credits roll.

Butterfield's character is a young boy with Autism who, as a result, may or may not be a world class math prodigy. The point of the story however is not whether his character will win a math Olympics but rather if he will ever become a functioning human being.

Butterfield, in a cast of greats, stands out. Has a great career ahead of him, he has mastered the art of delivering dialog with his eyes.

The wonderful Sally Hawkins (Poppy in the unforgettable Happy Go Lucky) does a great job in a difficult role as the mother. Since Butterfield's character as written is constantly ignoring his mother, there is a tendency for the audience to do so as well. Hawkins does not allow this.

It is an excellent film, more a journey than a destination, and therefore not for everyone.

My favourite scene -- the one I will remember for a very long time -- is Butterfield with his (almost) Chinese girlfriend, eating some take-out.

The container is opened and the number of comestibles inside is NOT a prime number. The audience (by that point) has been trained to know this will be a cause of great discomfort for the boy, who likes his meals pre-sorted in prime numbers.

The girl notices his discomfort and he quickly explains the problem to her. With no hesitation she grabs one of the items and wolfs it down happily.

Problem solved! It is a microcosm for the film - start with an impossible boy, add a naturally joyful and spontaneous young woman, and the result is ... serendipity.

'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.

Excellent performances all round for this charming story concentrating on a family who have a son on the autistic spectrum. The characters are very believable and put in sterling performances. The youngsters especially are great. It gives an accurate insight into the world of autism from everyone's point of view. Sally Hawkins as the mother gets it totally right! Fine actress she is. I know it's early days, but I would like to see some Oscar nominations for this movie. I would like to give this movie a 10, but I feel the ending is somewhat too simplistic and almost Disney-esque 'Happily Ever After' scenario. Autism isn't a one-size-fits-all condition, and people shouldn't come away with the idea that everyone with autism is a genius. The social awkwardness is portrayed beautifully as is the feeling of not fitting in and seeing the world in a way that's different to most people. I highly recommend this movie. The whole story about an International Math Competition is very engaging. You will wipe your eyes too!

My wife and I watched this movie on Amazon streaming, it turns out to be significantly better than I had hoped. Young Butterfield, around 16 or 17 during filming, does a remarkable job playing a complex teenager.

The subject is nominally a maths prodigy who gets the opportunity to be a member of a team representing England for the maths olympics. But that only is the starting point, the boy lost his father at a young age and being borderline autistic finds relating to others and having meaningful conversations very difficult. All he enjoys doing is mathematics.

Asa Butterfield is remarkably good as the boy, Nathan Ellis. He bonds with a maths teacher who helps him along and urges him to apply for the maths team. But when he gets to the far east where they will train with a Chinese team he is immediately a fish out of water with no idea how to fit in, but he gets help from a young Chinese girl, English actress Jo Yang as Zhang Mei, who likes Nathan and gives him a way to learn to be a better adjusted person.

A really good movie. A bit of a "Good Will Hunting" ending.

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