x & y

UK, 2014, 111 minutes, Colour.
Asa Butterfield, Sally Hawkins, Rafe Spall, Eddie Marsan, Jo Yang.
Directed by Morgan Matthews.

x & y might remind audiences of chromosome symbols. Others might recognise algebra, mathematics and equations and formulas. And this is correct. This is the focus in this film – but much more.

Morgan Matthews, a prolific documentary filmmaker, directed a documentary in 2007 about the international Mathematics Olympiad and the students involved. The story stayed with him and he decided to experiment with turning the documentary material into a fiction narrative.

The centre of the film is, at first, a little boy, and then his growing into a teenager. The boy is shy, has little relationship with his mother, but bonds strongly with his father who plays with him, affirms him, lovingly encourages him. When the father is suddenly killed in a car accident, the boy seems to withdraw into himself. Audiences familiar with stories of children with autistic behaviour, will recognise that the little boy, Nathan, seems to be autistic but with a great talent for mathematics and solving puzzles.

His devoted mother, Julie (Sally Hawkins) tries to reach out the boy lacks empathy for her. When she approaches the authorities at school, they recommend that special tuition from one of the teachers who had a strong maths academic record, suffers from a form of palsy, but works with special students, Martin (Reith Spall). Nathan works with him for several years, making progress with Martin’s care and attention.

When Nathan becomes a teenager, he is played by the talented British, Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Hugo, Ender’s Game). Martin is keen that Nathan participate in the Mathematics Olympiad. Nathan agrees and goes, for the first time in a plane, to Taiwan with the British candidates for the competition. Chaperoning them is Richard (Eddie Marsan, who worked so effectively with Sally Hawkins in Mike Leigh’s Happy-go-lucky). The Chinese official has a niece who is a candidate in the competition and who makes some kind of connection with Nathan. The students are very bright, some genial and friendly, others, possibly autistic, tend to be focused on themselves and communicate arrogantly. This is all very new to Nathan, reticent during the classes, just managing to get himself as one of the chosen ones for the Olympiad.

These aspects of the film will be of interest to parents and teachers, students who are interested, particularly in mathematics, as well as anyone working with autistic children.

While Julie and Martin become very friendly, Julie feeling the need of some affection after the death of her husband and with her son’s seeming indifference, and not able to connect by touch, not even telephoning her from Taiwan – something which never occurs to him. But it is the Chinese girl who also comes to England who begins something of an emotional breakthrough for him, teenage interest in girls but autistic reticence and awkwardness in responding.

The ending is not quite what it might have been anticipated, especially as regards the competition. Not every problem is solved but it seems there is some recognition by Nathan of his mother and her love for him, some moments of incipient empathy.

The British know how to make this kind of film, quite modest in scope, a very effective cast, a low-key treatment of emotion. But hopeful.

1. The title? Suggestion of chromosomes? Mathematics, equations?

2. The director, his previously making the documentary on the same theme? His decision to work in fiction?

3. The story of a child genius, talent, mathematics? Issues of autism? Origins – in nature, trauma after an accident? The personality, lacking emotional expression, lacking empathy? Training, participation, achievements?

4. The British setting, Yorkshire, the town, homes, schools? The atmosphere of competition?

5. The comparison with Taiwan, the locations, the visuals of Taipei? Flight, the group, living together, working together, the classrooms, the dormitories? Training and tests?

6. The picture of Nathan, as a little boy, his being questioned, his interest and achievement in maths, liking puzzles? not close to his mother? Close to his father, the bonding, being together, the activities, affirmation?

7. The suddenness of the accident, its effect on Nathan, his mother? At the funeral?

8. Nathan as a child, going to school, the authorities, with his mother, trying to find the best for him? The introduction to Martin? Martin’s background, his abilities, as a person, his suffering from policy? Skill in maths? The past and the Olympiad? Interacting with Nathan, the details, the each relying on each other?

9. The Olympiad, prospects, the test, Nathan and his achievement? Being chosen?

10. The trip to Taiwan, the awkwardness, in the plane, communicating with people, the effects of autism, taking things literally, sharing the room, Isaac and his pleasant communication, Luke, his arrogant manner, his talk? The meeting with Mei?

11. Richard, the chaperone, his background, his putting down of Martin? Travelling with the students, active in their training, laying down the rules, exhortations? With each of the students? His friendship with the Chinese mathematician? The discussions, plans, training? The Chinese niece and her help?

12. Nathan, reticent, being drawn out, not speaking in the classes, Richard questioning him, his knowledge, but not speaking out? The test, his awkwardness, the final question and his being chosen, the contrast with the Luke and his reactions and disappointment? Nathan’s finally getting a place in the Olympiad?

13. Going home, his experiences, with Martin, distant from his mother, the preparations?

14. The portrait of Julie, her love for her son, her feeling badly about him, his lack of physical contact, his not telephoning, his not being aware of his lack of empathy? The effect on her, having to accept it, the bond with Martin, emotional?

15. Mei, the motives, thinking their place was because of her being the niece of the expert, her place depending on it? Going to England, response to Nathan, his awkwardness with her, in the bed, the kiss, their being discovered? Her being sent home?

16. The examination, Nathan not doing anything, the decision to leave, with Martin, with his mother, going to the station? Finding Mei?

17. The ending and not everything solved? Bonding with his mother, the beginnings of an appreciation for her? Mei and bringing him a little out of himself? His possibilities for a future, personally, with mathematics?