Pi

R

Released Jul 10, 1998

1h 25m

Mystery & Thriller

Sci-Fi

Drama

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List

88%

59 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature. Pushed to his limits, he spirals between brilliance and obsession.

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Critics Consensus

Dramatically gripping and frighteningly smart, this Lynchian thriller does wonders with its unlikely subject and shoestring budget.

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Parker D

Pi 1998 aka The debut feature of Darren aronofsky is an average film at best it's nothing original as this is bassically a copycat of eraserhead that being said it is decent for an aronofsky film as it has a simplistic story of a man being obsessed with numbers and it opens with some narration the film is interesting often times it's a promising start for this director who made the award winning black swan and that godawful mess that was Noah. This is one of his better films but given that it's also confusing sometimes and that it's ending makes no sense it's not a great movie and not to mention it wasn't a mainstream film for big audiences it's an indie drama film and for avant garde cinema fans this will be a masterpiece for them but as a movie in genneral it's just average plus I don't think this was even released to every theater it was a screening for small theaters and one of the ones that would be shown at low budget film festivals the film is intentionally shot in black and white and it can look blurry at times the acting is subpar and again it isn't original I'm aware the movies directors knew what they were making that it wasn't a film for everyone and it's not Oscar material film that's the best I can give this movie that it was made with self awareness still I've seen far better films than this pi remains a mediocre film 5/10

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/12/23

Full Review

Bryan S

If you read the reviews, you'll find a lot of praise for the atmosphere, the cinematography, the editing...they love the movie making aspects. What they fail to tell you is that the story itself is weak. Mathematician loses mind. There you go, movie in a nutshell. All the mumbo jumbo about some powerful mystical number is just silly. I couldn't get past that. I couldn't stop thinking...that's not how computers work. That's not how numbers work. I can't help but think all those who call this a "smart" movie have little to no experience trying to describe nature with numbers.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/17/23

Full Review

Dark P

tres bon film avec un tres bon acteur qui a jouer dans breaking bad

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/19/23

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Paul A

A great lesson in budget moviemaking and storytelling

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/27/23

Full Review

TheFilmReviewer 1

Classic in its depiction of paranoia and intensely shot in black and white, Darren Aronofsky's debut film strikes a shocking chord into the minds of viewers.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/23

Full Review

Ross C

Yes I got the point, no I wasn't that entertained. The monochrome thing didn't do anything for the movie. The plot was clever but simple enough it didn't have legs to go more than an hour. This was honestly like a student film. Requiem for a dream was better (and even that wasn't amazing)

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/14/23

Full Review

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Darren Aronofsky

Director

Sean Gullette

Maximillian Cohen

Mark Margolis

Sol Robeson

Ben Shenkman

Lenny Meyer

Pamela Hart

Marcy Dawson

Steve Pearlman

Rabbi Cohen

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Gavin Smith

Film Comment Magazine

A tour-de-force of grainy, high-contrast black-and-white photography and inventive editing and sound design, π at times ventures to the limits of cinematic legibility.

Apr 11, 2018

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

Aronofsky, who has parlayed this movie's Sundance success into two Hollywood deals, is that rare indie filmmaker who doesn't want to make hip romantic sitcoms. He's a genuine experimenter with a spooky visual style.

Mar 29, 2009

Full Review

Andrea Chase

Killer Movie Reviews

An esoteric magical mystery tour of what the human mind is meant to know and the consequence of pushing the fragile human psyche to assimilate what is, inherently, beyond its understanding.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 13, 2023

Full Review

Sarah Boslaugh

PopMatters

...Aronofsky's taste for including horror in his films is evident from his very first feature...

Rated: 7/10

Nov 3, 2018

Full Review

Marisa Mirabal

Birth.Movies.Death.

Restricted as an up-and-coming filmmaker, Aronofsky didn't conform to convention and instead delivered his art full throttle...

Rated: 4/5

Oct 17, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

A paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature. Pushed to his limits, he spirals between brilliance and obsession.

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Producer: Randy Simon, Tyler Brodie, David Godbout, Jonah Smith
Screenwriter: Darren Aronofsky, Sean Gullette, Eric Watson, Darren Aronofsky
Distributor: Artisan Entertainment
Production Co: Truth and Soul Pictures, Protozoa Pictures, Harvest Filmworks, Plantain Films
Rating: R (Some Disturbing Images|Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 7, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.2M
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)

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