X+Y: Teen prodigies plus maths equals a winning formula

BRITISH films are going through a “genius” phase. Films like The Theory Of Everything and The Imitation Game portraying both the triumphs and the tricky emotional lives of the phenomenally smart.

BRITISH films are going through a “genius” phase right now, with high-profile efforts The Theory Of Everything and The Imitation Game portraying both the triumphs and the tricky emotional lives of the phenomenally smart.

Confirmation that it’s now hip to be quadrilateral comes from X+Y, a drama centring on teen maths prodigy Nathan (Asa Butterfield) and his quest to compete in the International Mathematical Olympiad.

Rafe Spall and Sally Hawkins in a scene from film X+Y.

Nathan is on the autism spectrum and has difficulty understanding emotions. His widowed mother Julie (Sally Hawkins) takes pains to ­arrange his toast in perfect triangles and ensure he is served a prime number of prawn balls.

Nathan’s mentor is his maths teacher of seven years, Martin (Rafe Spall), a cynical, pill-popping man with his own medical issues to deal with.

Spall’s witty performance balances nicely against the ­introspective Butterfield (the young star of Hugo and Ender’s Game) while Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) is endearing as the harried mother craving a stronger bond with her son.

Jo Yang and Asa Butterfield in a scene from film X+Y.

Nathan is forced out of his comfort zone when the competition takes him to Taiwan and a local competitor, Zhang Mei (Jo Yang), grows close to him. While there’s a familiar sports-movie structure, Nathan’s struggle to resolve emotional issues takes precedence.

The film is well enough written and acted to overcome the bad timing of its release, hot on the heels of Aussie hit Paper Planes. The similarities — young people competing, parents and children struggling to connect — are startling.

Asa Butterfield in a scene from film X+Y.

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Film X+Y

Released by Pinnacle Films

Star rating 3.5/5

Director Morgan Matthews

Starring Asa Butterfield, Sally Hawkins, Rafe Spall

Rating M

Running time 111 minutes

Verdict Maths competition movie subvert the formulas

Originally published as X+Y: Teen prodigies plus maths equals a winning formula