You’ll see how for some teens, coming of age just doesn’t add up!
Asa Butterfield in A Brilliant Young Mind. For more images, reviews etc. click on the photo
In this touching, yet tough movie we see young Nathan trying to learn to navigate the difficult paths of growing up. Not an unusual topic for a movie, but there’s an additional twist and turn added to A Brilliant Young Mind. Although he suffers as many teenagers do with feeling the angst of the outsider, Nathan (played with great sensitivity and attention to detail by Asa Butterfield) finds comfort, not in rock music, rebellion or illicit drugs, but in the world of numbers. With the assistance of his (largely ignored) mother and a teacher who is almost as much an outsider, Nathan integrates into his own kind of society and discovers some equations and combinations that aren’t as clear-cut as his usual mathematics.
Director Morgan Matthews avoids the pitfalls of turning this into a syrupy-sweet film through humour and a firm hand that doesn’t sentimentalize. Although its occasionally difficult to like this self-absorbed and emotionally isolated youngster, Nathan’s story is both compelling and entertaining, and helps us to see life through his complex eyes.
111 minutes
A BIG THANKS to this movie’s sponsor:
The Norwood Theatre for Great Movies in Muskoka! For the Norwood website with films, times and more, click on the banner
