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Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman, Samia Shoaie, Pam Hart

God and man and math: The tawdry meets the Talmudic in this complex thriller about a tortured computer genius trying to beat the stock market.

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86% liked it

85,869 ratings

Critics

84% liked it

49 critics

R, 1 hr. 25 min.

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky

Release Date: July 10, 1998

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DVD Release Date: January 12, 1999

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Stats: 7,097 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (7,097)

  • ScoopOnline
    December 13, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    faith in chaos
  • MalumMosIncrebresco
    November 27, 2009
    MalumMosIncrebresco
    "Brilliant!!!" "A cult masterpiece!!!" "Mind breaking!!!"
    "A puzzle beyond your wildest imagination!!!" "The perfect key to unlock all secrets!!!"
    I'm sure every self-assumed worshiper of indie films will tell you something similar to this.
    But no.
    I'm also certain that the world...( read more) is full of real low-budget film appreciators that regard this one as being deep and intense and profound, and will promptly tell me that I'm the one missing the point of this genius display of cinema, and will go on and on about how they already banged my mother.
    But no.
    At least I'm sure the first two are wrong.

    Don't think I'm writing this with a smile on my face though. Mainly because I'm not mentally challenged. But also because I really had high expectations regarding this movie. And it turned out to be a big disaster. Not a complete one, though.
    But a pretty big one.

    It actually started off pretty well, and was was able to hold that thought in my mind for a while, before it started to fall apart. And when it did, it pretty much lost all sense. And yes, I DID understand the attempted sense of the movie, and its intention.
    It's just that it didn't make any sense.
    Although I do appreciate nonsense, so that you know. But this isn't even nonsense.
    This is simply ridiculous.

    Then, there's the black and white filming. NOT a money issue. It was actually supposed to be faced as an artistic feature, and a good complement to the whole plot and to the remaining aspects of film making.
    But no. Pointless. And it actually does start making your head hurt at some point.
    The bad kind of ache.

    Then, there's the soundtrack.
    Somewhat Requiem for a Dream-like.
    The BAD Requiem for a Dream part, that is.
    Most of all, this movie was highly pretentious. You should NEVER try to mix scientific numbers, religious beliefs and a black woman with the Tourette syndrome (not spoken, but amazingly attached to her face) like that. Ever.

    Why the 2 stars then, you wonder?
    Because this was Aronofsky's first work, and even though it was a screwed-up one I feel compelled to admire his attempt.
    And because it was actually able to capture my senses, now and then.
    I probably wouldn't rate it this bad if I wasn't really looking forward to see it.
    But I was.
    Though I don't want you to build your defenses towards this movie, if that's what's you're wondering.
    My only request is that you do not make the same mistake I did, and watch it sober.

    You know, there's an old saying where I come from. It goes something like this:

    "Em terra de cegos quem tem olho é rei".

    It has absolutely nothing to do with this movie.
    I just felt like writing it.
  • 366weirdmovies
    September 6, 2009
    366weirdmovies
    A reclusive mathematics genius suffering from crippling migraines is on the brink of discovering a mystical number sequence sought after by a multinational corporation and a sect of Kabbalahists. The script wanders into an apocalyptic corner that it can't write it's way out of,...( read more) but the film gets a ton of style points for the beautifully grainy, high-contrast black and white cinematography and the pulsing electronica soundtrack.
  • SirPant
    September 4, 2009
    SirPant
    Darren Aronofsky's low budget debut is a brilliant gritty drama of one mans downward spiral into complete madness through number crunching. It's really much better than it sounds, although I watched it with my dad and he thought it was nuts (I'm pretty sure he liked it though)
  • binky013
    August 18, 2009
    binky013
    It's death, Max . . .

    A dynamite idea -- Aronofsky is good at that. But between the idea and the execution, something happens, and it's not a really good something.

    First off, I want to give high praise to Sean Gullette for one very intense, highly believable acting job.

    ...( read more) Playing someone this obsessed so precisely for any good length of time is most commendable. To sustain this kind of intensity for an hour and a half, he obviously has the right stuff. But what kills me, not just with this movie, but with actors who burn brightly in any insignificant project, is that they just might burn themselves out for nothing. There's a lot to be said for saving yourself for good scripts. For me, there's a big difference between what is "complex" and what is just plain "confused." I hope Gullette gets better chances.

    I can't help but think what Ron Howard might have done with this idea. It's the problem of substituting flash for substance. Howard can manage that on the substantive end. Aronofsky has to work on that. Convolution. That's all I can think of. Not faith in chaos -- faith in convolution. That's not theory. That's truly pure faith.

    The first star is for Gullette; the second star is for Aronofsky's potential.
  • leedire
    January 29, 2010
    leedire
    I only watched this film because it came in a double pack with Requiem For a Dream. Pi blew my mind. I was amazed by the storyline and directing. This film pushed Darren Aronofsky WAY up on my favorite director's list.
  • VagS
    January 26, 2010
    VagS
    Psychedelic...
    Very complicated and difficult to understand... Darren Aronofsky did a really great work on the direction...
  • Devarim
    January 19, 2010
    Devarim
    Really cool movie. Love the style where they mix Science with religion. Cool plot, the black and white is maybe a bit to much for me but still really awesome. Definitely worth your while.
  • Marischa2
    January 6, 2010
    Marischa2
    it may be in black in white like the old movies but has a great storyline!!
  • wfairs
    December 30, 2009
    wfairs
    Awfully dark, intense and utterly captivating story filmed in grainy black & white. Superbly cut / edited and cast.

View All Pi Reviews

Critic Reviews

July 12, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Audacious and bursting with ideas. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The seductive thing about Aronofsky's film is that it is halfway plausible in terms of modern physics and math. full review

View more Pi reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • StarZero
    February 10, 2008
    StarZero
    Probably the best film ever made, either this or A Clockwork Orange.
  • littleumbrellas
    February 22, 2007
    littleumbrellas
    Infamous Hugo:
    "A bit more interesting thjan Requiem for a Dream in my opinion but it fails at keep the attention until the end like Aronosky's previous film."

    Pi was his first movie.
  • ZeenArya
    November 20, 2006
    ZeenArya
    I thought this movie was pretty good, a bit phsycological and dramatic at the same time. A good start for the filmmaker Darren Aronofsky.
  • panchof28
    September 27, 2006
    panchof28
    muy buena.. recomendada para frikis
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Pi Trivia

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