Reviews

I give this movie only 8 stars because I think for many people, they did not get the ending--as I see it. And frankly the ending is sort of critical given the "math" theme throughout the film.

Many people have commented that the ending doesn't matter as the movie highlights human nature/racism/etc etc.

The ending does matter as the theme throughout the movie is binary-- good/bad; truth/falsehood; empathy/rule-following, etc. The film writer uses math throughout the movie to make the point because math too, is binary--you either have the right answer or you don't! Here is my take on the ending.

The student comes back to school and won't leave her classroom because (by deduction) he realizes that his mother IS GUILTY. Several indications-- the opening scene when he proves that the .001 difference between .999 and 1.0 is actually irrelevant. They are equal. (he does an equation to show this) In the movie, we have .999 "evidence" of the mother's guilt with the video and opportunity, etc.

Secondly, when the student comes back to school despite being expelled it is because he knows the teacher is actually correct and she is "truth". And we see a tear dropping down his cheek.

Third, when his cell phone is ringing, most likely his mother, he refuses to answer it. We can interpret this as home no longer being his sanctuary. After having zealously defended his mother, now he is ignoring her. Something has changed.

And lastly, he figures out the Rubik cube which again, is math which is binary--right or wrong/ truth or falsehood. The Rubik cube is solved by algorithms, and most likely, metaphorically speaking --the pieces fall into place at home and he realizes his mother did steal the money.

Subplot-- perhaps the mother did not have the money needed for the class trip.

A nonviolent, non-sequel, non-comic book hero and great stars and director. Good story concept. What could go wrong?

Lack of character development (Tilda S) and lack of chemistry (two main stars).

The visuals are wonderful, the storytelling is reminiscent of Arabian Nights stories, and there are little gems of insight-- little lessons. The movie builds and yet ultimately disappoints. This is not a spoiler but rather a comment on the missing "magic" to bring the audience to care or reflect once the film finishes. Tilda is two dimensional and seems so unchanged throughout the movie that it belies the basic premise of her first wish.

It was entertaining but definitely would not recommend to others unless they have very low expectations.

The cinematography, "pretty faces", cameo famous actors and costumes were great. The soundtrack was fabulous if you are old enough to have lived through 60s & 70s music. And the last 15 mins are a good tying together of all the loose plot lines. Otherwise watching corn grow is more interesting.

On top of all that, the movie seemed like it was funded by the tobacco industry, with an overuse of cigarettes --at least one every ten mins. Reminded me of growing up with the ever-attractive Marlboro Man. And then a real kicker at the end that was tongue & cheek of a tobacco ad that was supposed to show....what exactly? What about social responsibility?!! Sure the cigarette smoking during the movie was true to that time period, however the additional "promotion" during the movie credits was a great opportunity to change the narrative. Instead of saying, "These cigarettes taste like #$%," DiCaprio could have said, "These cigarettes taste so bad for sure they are going to make me really sick." or some such. Or better yet, find another product!

This is the story of the talented ingenue marrying the no-talent professor/author, and their symbiotic but self-destructive relationship over the 40 years of marriage leading up to the Nobel Prize. Suddenly, the wife is having a self-awakening (perhaps spurred by Christian Slater's intrusion into the story) --and it makes no sense. If she has "suppressed rage" --there were decades she could have rearranged her life. Similarly, the husband is a caricature of himself-- literally he can't help himself from succumbing to every young pretty girl, even at the rehearsal for receiving the Nobel Prize? And his unnecessary meanness to the son, who in his own right is a bit of an idiot-- ie If you don't want to receive literary criticism from your acclaimed father, don't go into the same profession! Lastly, at the end of the movie, it shows the wife smoothing a blank piece of paper with I presume, the implication that now she can write freely-- how is that going to happen? Under her own name going forward, it will be apparent that she wrote the other books, or she will have to dumb down her talent. You can't have it both ways.

Altogether, the plot is pointless but the wonderful acting of all the main characters and the gorgeous backdrop of Stockholm, make it not a total waste of time.

***SPOILER*** This movie is about a self-absorbed, uninteresting, once-upon-a-time great beauty who seems not to have heard of fashion after the year 1990. The gist is that her beloved husband died in a plane crash and she hasn't moved forward since that moment.

She would be a more plausible character if she had been childless, but in fact she has a daughter whom she raised and seems to have done that well. Hence her being so frozen, so dull, so lifeless and just plain two-dimensional just doesn't ring true.

The best scene of the movie are with her dog at the vet and her singing. The rest is simply boring, shallow and often just plain stupid in the scriptwriting. Unfortunately!