X+Y

Films that portray people with autism often give them compensatory "superpowers", and on the surface this British comedy drama is no exception. The young hero here is the socially awkward and introverted Nathan (Asa Butterfield), who is a maths whizz. The story takes him to an international maths contest where all the kids are brainboxes, with Nathan a relatively small fish in a big pond. However, the experience improves both Nathan's confidence and his ability to come out of his shell, so much so that he even forms a bond with a Chinese student (Jo Yang). This emotional connection also has a knock-on effect on Nathan's relationships with his maths mentor (Rafe Spall) and widowed mum (Sally Hawkins). The debut feature from Morgan Matthews may not deliver a wholly satisfactory climax, but it has plenty of feel-good appeal and is well played by the high-calibre cast.