Habitación de Fermat, La (2007)

Directors:

Luis Piedrahita
Rodrigo Sopeña

Writers:

Luis Piedrahita (written by)
Rodrigo Sopeña (written by)

Release Date:

16 November 2007 (Spain)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Think inside the box

Plot:

Four mathematicians who do not know each other are invited by a mysterious host on the pretext of resolving a great enigma...

Plot Keywords:

Shrinking Room | Whodunit | Villain | Math Genius | Opening Titles Scene

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Lluís Homar	...	Hilbert
Alejo Sauras	...	Galois
Elena Ballesteros	...	Oliva
Santi Millán	...	Pascal
Federico Luppi	...	Fermat
Helena Carrión	...	Bibliotecaria
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Núria Badia	...	Recepcionist
Víctor Benjumea	...	Chico Gasolinera
Ariadna Cabrol	...	Girl
Cesc Cornet	...	Boy
Juanma Falcón	...	Boy
Alicia Fernández	...	Girl
David Fernández	...	Policeman
Josep Minguell	...	Doctor
Adam Nached	...	Boy
Mariola Ruiz	...	Nurse
San Yélamos	...	Girl

Also Known As:

Fermat's Room (International: English title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Notro Films

Quotes:

Doctor: You can't go on like this. You haver to get out. I'm speaking as a doctor, not as a friend.
Hilbert: You tell me three times a day. Three! I'm speaking as a mathematician, not as a friend.

Movie Connections:

References "Lost" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Preludio en Si menor BWV 855

Nice, that's all...

"Fermat's room" ("La habitación de Fermat") is a Spanish thriller, in the spirit of some recent American blockbusters, where maths are supposed to play an important role. But do not expect anything close to "Numbers" in terms of scientific depth. Maths here are only an anecdote.

In fact, this movie is for everyone but mathematicians, who will probably find that the challenges the characters have to face are too trivial and the alleged screw turns of the plot are quite predictable.

The script and the direction are basically OK, but the acting is quite irregular. While Lluís Homar and Santi Millán (especially Santi Millán, who clearly steals the show) are rather convincing and solid, I do not buy Alejo Sauras and Elena Ballesteros as young math geniuses. Maybe it is not all their fault, as their characters are arguably more stereotypical than the other two.

In the end, an entertaining popcorn movie for a rainy fall evening... as long as you do not know enough maths.