Review of Pi (1998) by Norman B — 28 Oct 2013

Complexity wrapped up in black and white I never imagined that to look so good. For the most part I believe people who don't like this film just don't understand it. This flick is about mathematician Max Cohen who is focused on numbers as well as studies them, He believes there are patterns in all living systems, and he hopes to unlock the secrets of one of the world's largest systems the stock market, made up of people all over the world crunching numbers, exchanging money a global organism. Also working to unlock patterns is Lenny Meyer who is a Jewish theologian looking to find a hidden numerical code in the Torah. Meanwhile, Max is pursued by a mysterious woman, Marcy Dawson who seems to think she can gain financial success from his genius.

That's the basic now explaining what happens from there is way more difficult. Max often experiences headaches, blacks out a few times, and as his mental state decreases it becomes extremely hard to separate the real world from hallucinating and being a victim of his own mind. The movie is shot in grainy high contrast classic black and white by Aronofsky's cinematographer Matthew Libatique who turns New York City into a black and white paranoia town (well at least it seems that way to Max). The effect is claustrophobic and bleak, Aronofsky gives us a front row seat in his character's psyche so deeply that sometimes we're anxious to get out because it gets really hectic at times.

Aronofsky has tuned up his storytelling and visual style, but as always his more outlandish creative flourishes are best when anchored by a central human interest. As a viewer we're not always sure what is happening to Max exactly, but the director and lead actor earn our sympathy, making him a shy and weakened man. Max next door neighbor Devi is introduced to give us a sense of interpersonal connection just out of Max's reach. Then we retreat with him back into his tight spaced laboratory of wires, screens, processors, and computer printouts. Think how much better things might have been for him were it not for the numbers constantly haunting and plaguing him. Pi was a pleasant surprise for me I didn't think I would like it so much, but it really exceeded my expectations and is one of the coolest and stylish movies I've ever seen.