Pi (1998)

Patterns exist everywhere: in nature, in science, in religion, in business. Max Cohen (played hauntingly by Sean Gullette) is a mathematician searching for these patterns in everything. Yet, he's not the only one, and everyone from Wall Street investors, looking to break the market, to Hasidic Jews, searching for the 216-digit number that reveals the true name of God, are trying to get their hands on Max. This dark, low-budget film was shot in black and white by director Darren Aronofsky. With eerie music, voice-overs, and overt symbolism enhancing the somber mood, Aronofsky has created a disturbing look at the world. Max is deeply paranoid, holed up in his apartment with his computer Euclid, obsessively studying chaos theory. Blinding headaches and hallucinogenic visions only feed his paranoia as he attempts to remain aloof from the world, venturing out only to meet his mentor, Sol Robeson (Mark Margolis), who for some mysterious reason feels Max should take a break from his research. This movie is complex--occasionally too complex--but the psychological drama and the loose sci-fi elements make this a worthwhile, albeit consuming, watch. Pi won the Director's Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. --Jenny Brown Amazon.com

Are you joking?

This indeed is a low budget film and one of the worst sci-fi movies I've seen. It's totally in black and white, which is not disclosed in description of the film as far as I can see. The acting is very lame, with little dialog. I found myself clinking the fast forward button to skip large portions of the film consisting of no dialog and just animated screams from the main character. He continually takes drugs of some sort for no clear reason other than headaches. The sound quality is so poor that it's difficult to make out the short dialog when it does occur.

How anyone can rate this as anything other than 1 or zero stars is a mystery to me. September 16, 2008

Pi

Very poor movie. Not recommended. Certainly does not rate anything over one star. I selected it on its subject matter and having four stars from other viewers. It clearly shows the low budget available. It was a waste of DVR space and $2.99. September 15, 2008

Masterpiece!

You need to see this. Period.

Pi is a gritty film with perfect pacing and an inventive story line. Enough folks here have discussed their interpretation and relevance of the film. See for yourself. August 4, 2008

A head trip that will leave you wondering...

The grainy black and white photography in this film is just one of its many compelling aspects. It's all about mathematics, the number Pi, Euclid, Pythagoras, the Golden Ratio, the spiral pattern, Jewish mysticism, the stock market, and a very strange computer operated by a troubled man, Max Cohen. A shadowy group wants the information in his mind: a 216-digit number that is apparently the key to a lot of things--and spells out the true name of God, according to a Rabbi. Max suffers in the meantime from excruciating headaches, possibly the result of having stared into the sun when he was a small boy. But he's also got a strange welt/mark on his scalp that may have something to do with his problems too.
If you don't mind doing some thinking while watching a film, then this is a good choice for you. Don't expect everything to get tied up neatly at the end; this is not standard fare.
July 22, 2008

Aronofsky at his edgy best

A real film noir cult classic in black and white. Not for the squeamish, this sci-fi thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat as you follow Maximiliam Cohen on the quest for the most important discovery of his life. He's trying to decode the numerical pattern beneath the ultimate system of ordered chaos -- the stock market. He teeters on the edge of insanity, and he uncovers a secret for which everyone is willing to kill. May 4, 2008

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