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How entertaining? ★★★☆☆
Thought provoking? ★★★☆☆ 2 February 2015
This article is a review of X+Y.Seen at the Busan International Film Festival 2014. (For more information, click here.)
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“I find any communication, of a non-mathematical nature, very difficult,” Nathan (Asa Butterfield)
And so begins an unusual genre mash-up, part: Coming-of-age, love story, disability drama and pseudo-sports movie. Occasional voice-over from lead, Nathan (Butterfield – ENDER’S GAME), gives some insight into the mind of a young person on the Asperger’s syndrome spectrum. The unusual/difficult is deftly conveyed through competition, creating superficial stakes among the emotional ones.
A chopped up timeline adds to the ambition, looking back at formative moments in his childhood. From a rainy Taipei as a teenager to Nathan under a table as his parents Julie (Sally Hawkins) and Michael (Martin McCann) are given his diagnosis: Autism and synaesthesia, which will come with gifts and challenges. Wizards and muggles is the analogy made by a patient father, who has a natural gift in conversing with Nathan. Tragically Michael takes his eye off the road and is killed in a car crash. Young Nathan (Edward Bake-Close) in the vehicle at the same time, the last thing pater says to him is, don’t be afraid. (One challenges you not to have a lump in your throat.)
And so begins an unusual genre mash-up, part: Coming-of-age, love story, disability drama and pseudo-sports movie. Occasional voice-over from lead, Nathan (Butterfield – ENDER’S GAME), gives some insight into the mind of a young person on the Asperger’s syndrome spectrum. The unusual/difficult is deftly conveyed through competition, creating superficial stakes among the emotional ones.
A chopped up timeline adds to the ambition, looking back at formative moments in his childhood. From a rainy Taipei as a teenager to Nathan under a table as his parents Julie (Sally Hawkins) and Michael (Martin McCann) are given his diagnosis: Autism and synaesthesia, which will come with gifts and challenges. Wizards and muggles is the analogy made by a patient father, who has a natural gift in conversing with Nathan. Tragically Michael takes his eye off the road and is killed in a car crash. Young Nathan (Edward Bake-Close) in the vehicle at the same time, the last thing pater says to him is, don’t be afraid. (One challenges you not to have a lump in your throat.)
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Left to an affectionate mother, Nathan closes himself down, shutting off virtually all outward sign of emotion; mathematics comes to be his solace. Julie, sans help, yearns for reciprocation of love. Quasi-father figure comes in the form of high school teacher Martin Humphreys (Rafe Spall), who agrees to tutor the talented 9-year old. A former child maths prodigy himself, and bringing an insouciant sweary charm, he guides Nathan to be considered for the British squad in order to compete at the International Mathematics Olympiad. Suffering from the degenerative multiple sclerosis, adds pathos to the slow-burn unspoken affection between teacher and mother. Sensitive and devoid of mawkishness, the subplot is nicely handled.
In a neat transition the young Nathan turns into the teenager we met at commencement. (A shame that more of such style was not employed, to boost the cinematic appeal.) China is the team to beat. Modern hegemony might have made a dumber film create a jingoistic antagonism, instead the Chinese and British teams train together. Anyone who thinks autism is all the same will be schooled. Teammates seeking to be selected to represent the country are given shading (as much as time allows). What might have been the equivalent of an academic KARATE KID is excellently subverted.
We are all islands, idiosyncratic and flawed; X+Y achieves the feat of being both melancholy and uplifting.
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