PI #3

The film is about a mathematical prodigy, Maximillian Cohen, who believes that everything in nature can be understood through numbers. Utilizing the stock market as his data set, Max tries to uncover patterns with the assistance of his homemade supercomputer Euclid. Max is plagued with migraine headaches that cause him to periodically black out. He also suffers from extreme paranoia and some form of social anxiety disorder. As the movie progresses, he begins to believe that he has found the key to understanding the universe, but as he closes in on the answer, it turns out that his paranoia is justified (or depending on your interpretation, that his paranoid delusions have manifested themselves in visual and auditory hallucinations). A number of mysterious people become interested in his research, including a woman from a Wall Street firm with access to powerful new computer hardware, and a group of kabbalistic Jews (from a Hasidic sect) who believe that the Torah, when represented as numbers instead of letters, contains the true name of God, an example of a Bible code. Eventually Max escapes his torment by destroying his research and then drilling into his own head. The film ends with him losing his mathematical abillities, and now when he looks at the sky, he sees it only for what it is.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Cluster
• Headache

[LordHion]

Indeed.

Classic example of Cluster headache.

[VannevarBush]

I have cluster headache by myself. It really sucks.

[Rensra]

I wish to find a sample of just the "headache" track for personal use... so hard to get though...

[failednewyears]

Seeing all the comments about cluster headache, I need to point out that the director, writer, and the script all state that he has migraines, not cluster headaches. That element was inspired by by one of Aronofsky's friends whose migraines ruined her life. It's a pretty damn good portrayal of actual migraine too, coming from a sufferer. but Max only had migraines.

[emilybyeight]

@mightyclog I agree one hundred percent. I am a chronic cluster headache AND migraine sufferer. I have been for around 2 years now. This movie was indescribably hard for me to watch, but it perfectly showcases the pain I experience.

[MentalSentinel]

"Cluster headache is probably the worst pain that humans experience. "

His original paper describes the severity of the headaches as being able to take normal men and force them to commit suicide"

Holy shit.

[samikalastaja]

Holy fuck! And I thought I had it bad when living with tinnitus. Just how do you survive on a daily basis?

[mightyclog]

Also remember that there are two types of cluster headache, one "normal" with high pain peaks and relief between the attacks. And then there is the less common (10%) chronic one which has dayly pain, but the peaks are not as bad. I have the chronic one and my peaks are just like his. Infact, it is the closest I have ever seen my pain demonstrated, even though he is only acting.

[krilldocument]

Apparently he received only a minor attack as indicated by his ability to stay upright, even if seated. CH is brutal, and everlasting.

[mackjr72]

he's having a cluster headache idiot