The Man Who Knew Infinity (2016)

Very Cool!!!

Good start, but then it gets ruined

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

The Man Who Knew Infinity - Although the scientist-as-superhero film genre is more than well-established by now through A Beautiful Mind, The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything, This biopic of Srinivasa Ramanujan warrants a watch for the pure genius the leading man epitomized. A Fellow of the Royal Society and also Fellow of Trinity College - monumental attainments for an Indian with no formal training in mathematics - tips of the iceberg for the genius that Srinivasa Ramanujan was, the movie tries to capture his liaison with renowned mathematician G.H.Hardy and his life at the Cambridge university.The movie scores in its accurate rendering of the intellectual mathematics involved and the realities of academic antagonism; the historical and cultural skirmishes between Indian and English conducts and the side track of jingoists vs. pacifists. A Tamil movie with the same topic - Ramanujan was released one year earlier which dispensed more with the personal life and enlargement of the virtuoso.Having said that, Dev Patel was an out-and-out miscast for the role, given Ramanujan's short and stout physique and his Dravidian guises. Patel is sure a strange casting choice yet captures his appeal with integrity and passion and in some means, a heftier underdog akin to his breakout role in Slumdog Millionaire.Biopics in our country have apportioned mostly with sportsmen (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, M.S.Dhoni, Mary Kom, Dangal, Paan Singh Tomar, Azhar) while undermining the scientists and intellectuals - it's a pity that we are still relishing on screen versions of delinquents like Gujarati Bootlegger Abdul Latif (Read Raees !) while the west is adapting our finer lives to silver screen !

When I first came upon this film I was unsure if it would be any good, but I was astonished just how good this movie was. The two lead actors in the movie,Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons were incredible together. Apparently the movie took some fictional license to other parts of Ramanujan life, but essentially the important aspect of this movie, is his work with Hardy and time at trinity. The powerful aspect of this movie lies behind the facts that the theories are still being proven a century after they were first foretold

in my childhood, Srinivasa Ramanujan was one of my heroes. and, after decades, this status is not just memory. it is the motif for who, after serious hesitations, only for the presence of Jeremy Irons as part of cast, I saw the film. sure, at the high expectations, the critics are not rare. but... . "The Man Who Knew Infinity" is the right introduction for discover a pure genius of mathematics. not only as a illustrious name but as member of a period, social relations, political context, clash between two profound different perspectives about everything. maybe, it is a masterpiece. the flaws are present and the story remains a sketch. but it is the perfect kick to read and search and discover a magnificent personality. and an inspired manner to show him. sure, the story is more complex, more dramatic and more seductive. but the film gives the essence of a real miracle. and, for me, has the virtue to be the perfect vehicle to the age of the first information about this admirable and fascinating personality.

This very good looking & interesting movie has the feel of a film made by someone who has not made a movie before, in fact, 'Infinity' represents director Mathew Brown's second feature. Brown works hard as both screenplay writer and producer and obviously means well but, to the trained eye something seems lacking. Fortunately, the choice of Londoner Larry Smith as director of photography is superb. Smith gives the film a lush visual treatment, either under direction from Brown or guided by his own professionalism. With a lesser cinematographer much more would have been lost. It could be said this is essentially a mathematicians' or historian's film but, as a biopic on the life of Tamil Indian Spinivasa Ramanujan, an ill-educated brilliant mind, it is insightful & compelling. Brown's screenplay is based on Award-winning American writer Robert Kanigel's biography of the same name – with Kanigel also co-producing the movie. Ramanujan's life was spent in poverty, his consuming passion and expertise were mathematics and one of his Indian employers, recognizing this, encouraged him to write to Cambridge Professor G.H.Hardy (Irons). This led to an invitation to study and contribute to Hardy's theories at Cambridge. Srinivasa (well played by Dev Patel) experienced the stifling (and cruel) class consciousness of the snobbish, British academic set - only holding his own through sheer tenacity & his superior numerical intellect. If looking for some based-on-fact inspiration this stylish (if not exciting) work should prove informative. The Music score also offers impressive atmospherics by skilfully blending western and eastern styles. As intelligent viewing, it comes recommended.