The Man Who Knew Infinity

"The Man Who Knew Infinity" is a very unlikely film for me to love. After all, the film is about a brilliant Indian mathematician who I never heard about and lacks most of the usual story elements I look forward to seeing in a movie. And yet, inexplicably, I found myself loving the picture and recommend you give it a try. It's just debuted on DVD and is also available through Netflix.

The film begins in India just before WWI. A poor man with little education, Srinivasa Ramanujan (Dev Patel), has apparently taught himself advanced mathematics....and I am not just talking about Algebra and Geometry. It seems this man somehow naturally understood numbers in a way very, very have ever done and today he's seen as one of the foremost men in the field...ever! This film is about his life just before his work was discovered as well as his time spent at Cambridge, working with the famous mathematics professor, G.H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons). The film covers the prejudices Ramanujan encountered as well as the initial difficulty getting folks to even consider that he could be right when it came to his theories.

I know my very brief description sounds very dull...but somehow it isn't. Somehow, the writing, acting and the entire production screams quality and manages to be quite entertaining as well as uplifting. It's also nice to see Dev Patel in yet another excellent film, as this young man seems to have a real knack for picking film projects (such as his appearing in "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Chappie"). As for Irons, he is, as usual, amazing...as is Toby Jones. A very, very strange film....and I mean that in the most positive of ways. Do yourself a favor and give this one a try.

An important film; cleverly mixing a love story with the equally deep themes of moral obligations on privilege to raise those without. At first I was concerned I would not be able to disassociate Dev Patel from the role on Marigold Hotel, but after a few lines which sounded too contemporary, he improved significantly.

Jeremy Irons was captivating and the other roles adequately developed. The direction, pace, setting, wardrobe, story, score -all hold the attention.

When I watched it, at the end, the audience applauded. In fact at the end of it, one wishes it could last longer - craving more.

The Man Who Knew Infinity is a lush, romantic biopic in the tradition of Hollywood's grand biographical melodramas of yesteryear. It is broadly accurate, if rather sentimental, but also somewhat superficial. We're constantly told that Ramanujan's work is important and ground- breaking, yet the screenplay mostly fails to demonstrate why this is so. We're shown how difficult life is for a vegetarian in England during the Great War, yet, oddly, it's never explicitly stated that the resulting vitamin deficiencies contributed directly to Ramanujan's demise. But for me the biggest flaw is the misplaced romance between Ramanujan and his wife, Janaki, when the more compelling romance is the intellectual one that unfolds between Ramanujan and G.H. Hardy. In reality, Janaki was nine or ten when Ramanujan married her in 1909, and only 14 or 15 when he left India for England. She was certainly not the ripe beauty portrayed in the film, and there is no real evidence that their arranged marriage was any kind of grand passion. The film is also strangely coy in avoiding any direct reference to Hardy's homosexuality. Perhaps the writer was being scrupulous about not implying any sexual aspect to the relationship with Ramanujan. Whatever the reason, it's an omission that makes Hardy less dimensional and airbrushes his sexuality from history as completely as a 1950s Hollywood biopic might have done. That aside, Jeremy Irons gives what might well be the best performance of his career as Hardy. It's a compelling and deeply touching portrayal. More surprisingly, Dev Patel - after a series of exuberant but lightweight performances - finally proves to be an actor with some depth and range. The film is also deftly directed, with some gorgeous cinematography.

"The Man Who Knew Infinity" is a Biography - Drama movie in which we watch the true story of the Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan. His story starts in Mandras a city in India where he makes his first steps in mathematics while searching for a job and goes until he arrives in Cambridge and starts working there. He faces many difficulties and makes some friendships such as with Professor G.H. Hardy who was also his mentor.

I liked this movie very much because it was a true story of a person who suffered a lot, facing any difficulties but eventually succeeded in his field. The direction which was made by Matt Brown was very good and I believe that the combination he made between the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan in India and what he sacrificed in order to go to England with the life that he was expecting before arriving in England and what he actually lived there was a very good idea. I enjoyed also the interpretation of Dev Patel who played as Srinivasa Ramanujan and for one more time, he was very good at it. Other interpretations that were very good and have to be mentioned are Jeremy Irons who played as Professor G.H. Hardy and Toby Jones who played as Littlewood.

To sum up, I believe that "The Man Who Knew Infinity" is a beautiful movie with a great plot based on an incredible person and pioneer in mathematics. I strongly recommend everyone to watch it because it's a life lesson from which everybody will gain something by watching it. Never stop dreaming and never stop fighting for something you love.

This is such a touching tribute to this amazing, brilliant man of humble beginnings. First off, there were a few moments in the film that dragged a little bit. I would have also preferred a little more development of some of the characters, however, it did not take away from my appreciation and enjoyment of this film. There is an underlying message to this story, and whether you're a man of science or metaphysics or spirituality, you will find satisfaction! Patel and Irons did a splendid job in this film. Patel is easily becoming a favorite of mine--he has that subtle intensity that is so mesmerizing and engaging. Irons, well, he is a seasoned actor and one of my all-time favorites. In his role here, he is very believable, showing emotion where it is needed, never overacting, always giving justice to his character. This film will make you laugh, it will break your heart, it will make your spirit soar, and if you have no math inclinations, it will inspire you and make you appreciate its beauty, its usefulness and contribution to the world of mathematics as we know it today!