The Zero Theorem (opens in Akron September 19th at the Nightlight Cinema)

[THE ZERO THEOREM opens in Akron on Friday September 19th exclusively at the Nightlight Cinema.]

Review by Matt Finley

Veering closer to an actual reflection on the meaning of life than his work on Monty Python’s cheekily titled third feature ever managed, Terry Gilliam’s THE ZERO THEOREM is an enjoyable (if unremarkable) rehash of the director’s greatest hits, bolstered by fun performances and Gilliam’s usual flair for wild, sumptuous visuals.

Qolin (Cristoph Waltz) works as a computer-programming drone for Mancom, an expansive corporation responsible for pedaling all manner of technological accessories to a neon-drenched near-future society. Sporting a bald head to match his Strigoian pallor, Qolin trudges through his daily routine, searching for meaning amid the clamor and consumption until he receives a humdinger of an assignment from The Management (Matt Damon): solve a near impossible equation that will prove life is meaningless. All the while, Bainsley (Mélanie Thierry), an enticing, mysterious sex worker and The Management’s brash-but-savvy adolescent son Bob (Lucas Hedges) both vie for Qolin’s reluctant attention.