6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Written and directed by Matthew Brown, The Man Who Knew Infinity is the true story of friendship that forever changed mathematics. In 1913, Ramanujan (Dev Patel), a self-taught Indian mathematics genius traveled to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he forged a bond with his mentor, the eccentric professor GH Hardy (Jeremy Irons), and fought against prejudice to reveal his mathematic genius to the world.
Starring: Jeremy Irons, Dev Patel, Toby Jones, Stephen Fry, Jeremy NorthamBiography | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The pursuit of mathematics -- busily scribbling out formulas and sorting out large masses of figures -- doesn't necessarily translate well to the screen, at least not in the same way other, more visually driven and easily understandable pursuits can light up a movie. Mathematical heroes are likewise less enticing, at least from the outside looking in, than other heroes in movies where heroic actions are more immediately praiseworthy and, perhaps more important, understandable by the general audience, even considering other graceful and artistic pursuits such as music composition or painting. That's why the "Mathematical Genius" mini-genre tends to focus almost exclusively on the people behind the formulas rather than the number crunching itself. Films like A Beautiful Mind and Good Will Hunting are now joined by the less dynamic but equally touching The Man Who Knew Infinity, a title that doesn't roll off the tongue as well as its peers but that aptly describes the subject's seemingly limitless mathematics knowledge that impresses his peers, though not before prejudice interferes with genius. The film, from Director Matthew Brown, capably paints its picture, lacking real novelty but offering a genuine insight into one of math's most gifted minds and how the mathematics world responded to it.
The genius pupil.
The Man Who Knew Infinity's 1080p transfer satisfies, struggling in only a couple of areas. Source noise is apparent but not particularly heavy. Black levels show a tendency to push a little too purplish than is acceptable. Otherwise, the image is fine. Detailing is mostly very good. The digital source occasionally leaves the image looking a hair smooth and flat, but oftentimes, and particularly in close-ups, textures are revealed with ease. Faces and clothes are predictably strong, particularly the heavier era attire, such as suit jackets. Close-ups of the warm, well-used wooden furniture throughout Cambridge is a true strength; crevices, scratches, and other inconsistencies and signs of age and wear are easy to spot, and tactile. Colors are excellent. The film's open reveals the most diverse scheme in the film, where bright attire stands out with superb saturation and vibrance. At Cambridge, brighter colors -- beyond lush green grass in the courtyard -- give way to warmer accents and neutrals inside the school's work and learning spaces. Flesh tones appear accurate. Overall, this is a positive, enjoyable image from Paramount.
The Man Who Knew Infinity features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that only enjoys a couple of brief opportunities to stretch, but it's effective in presenting the movie's mostly modest sonic needs with ease. Gentle ambience -- nighttime insects in one scene, pleasant seaside atmospherics in another -- are nicely defined and immersive, presenting with simple but effective spacing all around. Driving rain seems to stay largely up front, while the surrounds carry lingering thunder. Music is delivered capably, presenting with plenty of detail and agreeable spacing, predominantly across the front. The track features two moments of greater weight and aggression. One is an explosion that hits suitably hard, largely off to the side, with subsequent debris falling all around the stage. The other comes near film's end, when a large number of Cambridge faculty rap their knuckles on a wooden table, the sensation of which is healthily potent and realistic. Otherwise, the track is largely centered around dialogue, which plays with natural center placement and good prioritization.
This Blu-ray release of The Man Who Knew Infinity contains no supplemental content. No DVD or digital version are included.
The Man Who Knew Infinity doesn't bring anything new to its genre or, really, the larger world of stories centered on exceptional people who face hardships for qualities beyond their control and overcome artificial adversities, but it's very well done, smart, and sincere. The story beyond the math is easy to grasp, and a smart script makes it easy to appreciate the film as a human bonding and interest story. Performances are excellent and production values impress. Paramount's Blu-ray is unfortunately featureless, but video and audio are up to format standards. Recommended.
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