I didn't expect to like this, but...

As a mathematician and a general nerd, I like to see any maths-related films (there are not that many!).

I fully expected this one to be trash. Full of all the 'tortured genius' cliches and with a woefully miscast Ms Paltrow as a completely unbelievable mathematician.

However, I was very surprised at just how good this was. Great performances all round (well, Mr Gylenhaal has never made a bad film, so I knew he'd be good), a good script and mercifully few cliches. Of course it did have a few montages (which I hate), but all in all it was a solid 8/10 film. The sister character was brilliantly dislikeable and was played perfectly. Even the old pantomime dame, SIR Anthony Hopkins was bearable (and that is pretty unusual in his post-Lecter films).

I also really appreciated the relatively restrained ending (rather than ending with a triumphant flashbulb popping, newspaper headlines type celebration).
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My God, it's full of stars!