Original subtitles

[whirring]

[people clamoring]

Amira!

[in Arabic] Come, my love, come.

[groans]

[Amira] Mama, you said I could have ice cream!

[mother] You've already had lots of sweets. You won't sleep.

[Amira] I will sleep. I promise, mama.

[people clamoring]

[cashier] You're welcome, brother.

- Thank you. - Goodbye.

- Hello, Amira, welcome. - [mother] Hi, Hakeem. I hope you're well?

[Hakeem speaking Arabic]

Here is my favourite customer.

There you go, my dear. Enjoy it.

- Oh, no, Hakeem, I've got no cash. - Don't worry about it. It's on me.

- No, Hakeem, I want to pay. - Really, there's no need!

Please, Hakeem, no.

[speaks Arabic]

Amira, I'll be back soon. Be good for Hakeem, okay?

[Hakeem speaking Arabic]

- Hi, Baidaa. - [Baidaa] Hello.

Come with Amira to the shop.

Yes, we'll come in a bit.

[people screaming, clamoring]

[groans, coughing]

- [screams, cries] - [passerby 1 speaks Arabic]

Amira.

- Amira! - [passerby 2 screaming]

[screaming]

[speaks Arabic]

[Baidaa] Amira.

Amira!

Mama!

[screams]

Amira, come!

Amira, come here, my love.

[Hakeem] Go to your mum.

Be careful, go slowly.

- [Baidaa] Come to mama. - [whimpers]

Little by little, come to mama.

- [Amira whimpers] - [Baidaa screams, grunts]

Amira, come!

Reach for mama!

Don't be afraid.

Amira, darling!

Come to mama!

[speaks Arabic]

- [speaks Arabic] - Mama.

- Come to mama! - Mama!

Mama!

[screams]

[sirens wailing]

[people clamoring, screaming]

[sirens wailing]

[coach, in English] ...to the finish. [speaks indistinctly] Ready? Now!

[coach] Yeah, press through the legs.

- Yeah, nice. Nice, Cambridge. - [rowers grunting]

[coach] Stay horizontal on the front, now.

Place and press.

Good.

Backstops. Ready.

Go!

[inhales deeply, grunts]

[coach] Wind down.

Easy there.

Time is 5:59.

Hell yeah! So what do you think, Ed?

- Best eight you've rowed in? - Could be.

A little more precision in the bows, maybe.

- [mouths] Yeah. - [rower 1] Where are we going later?

The Wrestlers or the Tap?

[rower 2] It's just not my-- not my thing.

I like cider. Cider's good.

[rowers chattering]

[person] Door was open.

[Ed] Hi, Fee.

Carbs.

I can't. I've only got ten minutes.

But you asked me to make it for you.

Straight off the river into a lecture, you said.

- No time to cook. - I d-- You-- [stammers] I didn't ask.

You said I needed feeding.

Oh, don't split hairs.

And you do.

Look at you, wasting away.

I need to get ready.

You're always in a hurry.

Well... [sighs] ...time is complex in my world, Fiona.

So, will you be giving up maths for Lycra?

I do hope so.

What are you doing later?

Uh, Mallinder's weekly lecture

on the variational principles of being vain and boring.

I meant tonight.

Yeah, I know what you meant.

I gotta work tonight. [stammers] Uh...

Of course, all mathematicians do their best work before they're 29.

Yeah, there's just some stuff I need to figure out for my work.

And the nights are quieter.

[inhales deeply] You know, there's no distractions.

I don't mean with you--

It's-- It's just a few drinks in the college bar. So...

[mutters]

Well... [stammers]... yeah. It's your birthday.

How old?

Twenty-three. [chuckles]

Prime number.

Yeah.

I gotta go.

- Sorry. - Yeah, it's fine.

[Mallinder] Right, you've all seen the headlines.

800 years since this university was founded.

And for years we've been top of the league table, but not any longer.

Ouch.

Pass it round. Read your shame.

[students chuckle]

We are top of the class no longer.

Oxford, Stanford, MIT are all making serious advances in academic research.

Smug bastards.

[students chuckle]

So, the master has asked me to speak to you--

our talented postgraduates--

to remind you that it was in this city

that Sir Isaac Newton started a revolution in mathematics.

Darwin came here and first expounded his vision of natural selection.

Crick and Watson found the building blocks of life.

And Oppenheimer found a way to blow it all to shit.

[students murmur, chuckle]

[Mallinder] Is there something you'd like to share, Mr. Brooks?

We are, by nature, explorers,

compelled to walk beyond the horizon.

To seek what's on the other side of the black hole.

There are answers to all nature's mysteries.

And if we have a purpose, it is to find them.

And you are the visionaries.

Go make your dent in the universe.

This is your time.

- [classical music playing] - [scatting]

[scatting]

[Ed] Thank you.

Hello.

Hi.

[professor humming]

204.

It's the number of the bus I passed on my way here.

Interesting number, 204.

Square it, and it is the sum of three consecutive cubes.

[both chuckle]

I brought your favorite ginger cake.

Ah.

- Thank you. - [caretaker] You're welcome, Professor.

How is Robert Mallinder?

Worries more about league tables than anything else.

Well, it's important.

Reputation means funding.

He's brilliant.

And worthy of you, Ed.

[clicks tongue]

- I want to ask if we can still work-- - No.

- If you'll make an exception... - Don't.

...there's something I want to concentrate on for my research.

[stammers] And I know they'll never let me, but--

- but with you-- No one would even know... - Edward.

- I can't! - Professor. No one would even know--

[professor inhales deeply, sighs]

Give him a chance.

I'm asking it of you.

We both know, even on your worst day, you're better than any of the others.

[Mallinder sighs]

[scribbling]

[Mallinder scoffs]

[sighs]

[clicks tongue]

[Ed breathes deeply]

[Mallinder sighs]

What's wrong with it?

Well, just someone with your reputation, integral analysis seems a bit easy.

204.

Ed.

It's a fascinating number.

[sighs] Look--

What, yo-- you don't find it fascinating?

[sighs] You don't have to do this.

[sighs]

There's a pattern concealed inside of it.

See if you can spot it.

- Ed. - Take as long as you need.

We're here to talk about your research.

And you hated it. So we've moved on.

Come on, 204. How can you resist?

Everyone tells me you're brilliant.

I-I know you're brilliant.

I have a three-page letter from Ray Osborne telling me so.

But this is a supervision, it's not a prizefight.

- [Ed sighs] - How is he, by the way?

[clicks tongue] Well, he has Alzheimer's, so...

He taught me here as well, you know?

So I have some idea about how close you two would've been.

[Mallinder breathes deeply]

[Ed breathing deeply]

[bell tolling]

[automated voice] This is Dr. Nathoo, please leave a message.

Charan, you won't believe what I'm seeing.

A thousand years ago,

the most valuable commodity in the world wasn't gold, or diamonds, or oil.

It was knowledge.

Spices, silk, raw minerals,

these were nothing compared to the priceless value of information.

[clicks tongue]

Eighth and ninth century.

Fourth caliphate.

Great advances were being made in medicine, mathematics, physics.

If you entered a city such as Baghdad in possession of scrolls or documents,

then you were the bearer of great treasure.

[colleague] Well, what happened?

[Andrea] I got an e-mail from a colleague in Iraq.

There was a gas explosion on the street.

I don't know all the details, but they found an underground chamber,

ninth century, looks almost untouched.

I've been asked to fly out there

by personal invitation of the Baghdad Department of Culture and Antiquities.

They want me to consult.

Have you had a look at the images?

- Yeah. - Yeah?

They're amazing.

I think this could be a name.

Harun al-Rashid.

The caliph.

It's Bayt al-Hikmah.

It has to be.

The greatest library ever created.

[chuckles] Finally, after all your research.

No, I just think he considers me, you know, middlebrow.

[Andrea] Are you being a tad melodramatic?

[Mallinder] No, I mean it.

You know, I don't think he thinks I'm capable.

After 30 years of writing books and--

Some of them still in print, if you look hard enough.

I'm just saying it would be nice if he took the trouble to read my work.

Love, he likes maths, not antiquities.

[laughs]

Very funny.

I know I'm being a little, um, defensive.

Narcissistic.

[breathes deeply]

What's going on?

[sighs] It's, uh-- I know he's brilliant.

It's just sometimes I wanna punch him in the face.

- Don't laugh. - I'm not laughing.

Yeah. You're trying not to laugh.

No, it's just so unlike you to feel threatened.

- Invite him over. - No.

Yes. Get him away from work.

You may find he's tolerable.

[Fiona] Oh, hey.

Oh, that's okay.

[Fiona] Oh, it's so good to see you.

- Happy birthday. - [exclaims] Aw.

[speaks indistinctly]

[friend chuckles]

You been served, mate?

Uh, two bottles of prosecco, please.

[bartender] Do they need glasses?

Or straws?

- Um... - Listen, I'll get glasses, shall I?

Okay.

Are you one of the cool people?

- Uh-- - So, go on then.

What are you doing?

[Ed] Doing?

Birthday drinks.

Funny man.

What are you reading?

Oh, uh, maths.

Now you ask me what I do.

Right.

- What do you do? - History of art.

You don't look like maths.

Well, you don't look like an oligarch's trophy wife.

But looks can be deceiving, I guess.

[patron] Wow.

And you're gonna change the world, are you?

She's right, in fairness.

You, uh... [sighs] ...definitely don't look like maths.

[chuckles]

You'll just have to come back, I suppose.

Right.

[chuckles]

- Hi. - What are you having?

White wine, please.

Is that cash or card?

Card please.

They've already got glasses.

Right.

[bartender sniffs, breathing heavily]

[sighs]

Should we be out here? [sniffs]

[exhales deeply, sniffs]

[breathing heavily]

- What are we doing up here? - Just--

There.

- Starlings. - What?

[birds chirping]

First maths, now bird-watching.

[chuckles, sighs]

Numbers are everywhere.

And the starlings, there's a sequence to their movement.

[stammers] I-I-I keep watching, but I ha-- I haven't...

[chuckles]

Nature might feel random...

but I'm trying to find a pattern in it.

[breathes deeply]

[inhales deeply, sighs]

[water running]

[bartender sniffs]

What are you doing?

- Uh, sorry, I, uh... [inhales sharply] - What?

Uh, I was just looking.

- [sighs] - Yeah, well, don't. It's private.

It makes, like... [chuckles] ...zero sense to me anyway.

[sighs, clears throat]

Don't you use a computer?

No, they're not fast enough.

You should go.

Well-- [chuckles]

I'm serious. I need to work.

Uh, shit, man.

Like, I di-- [stammers] I'm-- I really am sorry.

It's fine.

I've got family coming.

Ah, okay.

[inhales deeply]

Uh, let me guess... [sighs] ...they don't know that you're gay, do they?

I'm not anything.

Can you go?

[breathing deeply]

[door slams]

- [child 1] Come on. Tackle me then. Oh! - [child 2] I'm trying.

[child 1] Look at them skills!

They're not really allowed to play on the grass.

[chuckles]

They're just kids.

How is it then?

- The-The maths. - [child 1 grunts]

Uh, yeah, there's-- There's some research I wanna do,

but I don't think they're gonna let me.

So I'm keeping it to myself for now.

[child 1 cheers]

- Can you ask them not to play-- - Not to what? [sighs]

[children chattering]

[breathes deeply]

Means a lot to you this place, doesn't it?

She'd have been proud.

Your mum.

[security guard] Off. Now.

Can't you read?

[parent] All right, mate. Keep your hair on.

Off the grass.

Hey, we're going.

- Good, come on. - [parent] Come, boys.

Get off their stupid grass.

All right, say bye.

- [child 1] Bye. - [child 2] Bye.

We're going.

Come, boys.

[sighs]

- [item clatters] - Shit.

Are you nervous?

If it goes badly tonight, just get him moved to someone else's list.

No way.

Talent like that, pure, uncynical.

I've not been next to somebody like that for 30 years.

Andi, I'm sorry. I, um--

- I shouldn't have said-- - [knocks on door]

- Hi. You must be Edward? - Hi. Mmm.

I'm Andrea. Ooh.

What's this?

Uh-- Uh, biscuits.

Wow. Oh, yes.

And who doesn't love ginger creams?

Thank you.

We were undergraduates here together.

Oh, you've been together since you were students?

No, no, no.

It wasn't till later.

But we were always friends.

Every man should be lucky enough to marry his best friend.

How about you, Edward?

[breathes deeply]

I find it hard to make time.

Yeah, work is important.

Mm-hmm. Yes.

So, what is it? What's the work?

- [Ed chuckles] - Don't worry. I'll try to keep up.

It's actually about one simple question.

What if the rules were different?

You know, what if numbers didn't behave the way we assumed?

So, not integral analysis then?

But aren't numbers just there like mountains or atoms?

- May I? - Yeah, sure.

- [Ed] What's missing? - [clicks tongue]

- [Andrea] Um, well-- - [chuckles]

Third century BC, the Romans had no symbol for zero. It didn't exist.

[Mallinder] Took another thousand years

for an Arab mathematician, al-Khwarizmi, to describe it.

A cipher for nothing.

Numbers are out there, just waiting to be found, like vast, hidden continents.

So you're an explorer.

[stammers, chuckles]

- Can I show you something? Yeah? - [Ed] Yeah.

It's a dig I'm going to join.

- [Ed] A dig? - Yes. A site in Baghdad.

There was a gas explosion.

Artifacts from the Abbasid period were found in a chamber underground.

I think it may be the Bayt al-Hikmah.

The House of Wisdom.

Buried after the siege of Baghdad for almost 900 years.

These were taken by a colleague out in Iraq.

- Uh, careful with that. - It's okay. I've got copies.

Well, Arabs created trigonometry and algebra.

[stammers] The concept of negative numbers.

A golden age that--

This one.

What's this?

The domed ceiling from inside the chamber.

Those are number patterns.

- [Andrea] What? - May I?

[sighs] This isn't big enough. [stammers] This tablecloth, is it valuable?

[Mallinder laughs]

No, it's not. So, yeah, sure.

- What? - No, it's okay.

[Mallinder sighs]

[Ed] Move.

These markings.

There's a pattern here.

There's a pattern in these-- in these symbols.

[stammers] The picture isn't very distinct.

Do you have others?

No, just these.

[muttering, sighing]

- I need more. - What is it, Ed?

I need more. Uh, this isn't enough. [stammers, sighs]

I should go. Do you mind if--

Sure, take it.

No, leave that.

[door opens]

[door closes]

I can see why he's got under your skin.

That passion.

The purity of it.

He's very like her.

[Ed panting]

[panting]

[breathing heavily]

[sighs]

[chattering]

Hey.

You wanna sit down?

- You're asking me to join you? - Yeah.

Well, I'm at work. So...

[plates clatter]

- [bartender sighs] - [stammers]

I think I messed up.

The other night.

I can't stop thinking about it.

I'm sorry.

- [bartender sighs] - [student chuckles]

- Ah. Master. - Robert.

[Robert chuckles]

Word reaches me that Andrea is taking a little trip.

Yes, she's consulting for the Iraqis.

You don't worry?

Well, I think it's a government dig, so security should be fine.

No-Not that, Robert.

You don't worry that she's starting to outpace you?

Well, you're the one that secured the funding for her thesis,

- so... - [chuckles]

Anyway, I'm very proud of her.

Stop making mischief. Get back to your pudding.

Ed!

Can I have a word?

Mr. Brooks.

Master.

[bell tolling]

[Ed] Look, if it's about the tablecloth, I'm so--

[Mallinder] No, forget about the tablecloth, Ed.

I need to know what you're working on.

[Ed] And I showed you.

[Mallinder] No, what you showed me was a half-baked smoke screen.

Now, look, I am on your side.

I'm asking you to trust me.

[breathes deeply]

[sighs]

Prime numbers?

What? Do you wanna write code for Facebook, or...

No, I'm-I'm interested in theory, not all the applied stuff.

[sighs] Okay.

Present.

[sighs]

[Ed clears throat]

Newton was full of shit.

- Oh, well, that's a catchy title. - I'm serious.

The world lives in his shadow, but he was blind to nature.

He saw the apple fall but thought only of gravity.

He didn't think to look any further. Look.

How many seed chambers in an apple?

Five. Prime.

How many petals on any flower?

I'm talking statistically.

It's typically three, five, or 13.

All prime. Why? How many chromosomes in the human body?

- O-Okay. I j-- - Twenty-three.

How many seasons elapse before insects typically swarm?

- Just hang on a second. - Seventeen.

The human race has built our whole society based on non-primes

because it makes us feel more in control.

Sixty seconds in a minute, 24 hours in a day.

But we're not in control.

Good people die. Bad people prosper.

The planet is a heartbeat from catastrophe and our only response

is to make more rules to impose on the universe.

So you're looking for sequences in primes?

A small constellation of primes, yes.

What if-- [chuckles]

What if the structure we need is the one hidden within the fabric of the universe?

[stammers] What if God's cipher here on Earth, the DNA of existence,

is actually prime numbers?

Now, I think-- I think that is some sort of prime formula.

I do.

It's the same research as mine, just nine centuries apart.

So?

What do you think?

Will they go for it?

I'm sorry, Ed. I can't put this in front of the board.

[stammers] Why not? Look... [stammers] ...I know it's not orthodox,

which is why I kept it to myself, but--

Not orthodox? It's a unicorn.

I'm sorry, but you-- Listen to what you're saying, eh?

God's cipher. DNA of-- Come on.

And this-- this is for the tinfoil hat mob.

Someone with your talent, it's not worthy of you.

Not worthy?

Oh. No, I know.

I know you think I'm unfit to judge you.

But-- I get that, but you shouldn't waste your time on this.

I have seen others waste theirs. And it's--

- What? What do you mean? What others? - It doesn't matter.

I shouldn't have said that. It's just that you need to drop this.

You need to drop it now.

[sighs]

[breathing heavily]

- [bird cawing] - [wings flapping]

[breathing heavily]

[lock clicks]

What do you wanna do about dinner?

I don't fancy cooking and I really need to pack.

Robert?

[sighs]

Robert?

[gasps]

No.

No. No, no, no.

- My room. - Calm down, Mr. Brooks.

- Calm-- - Keith, someone's been in my room.

Uh, yeah, he said he'd left some vital papers in there.

- Who? - Professor Mallinder.

It was me who let him in, sir.

[breathing heavily]

[pounding on door]

I need to use the phone. It's urgent.

You can use the one over there.

[tapping keys]

- [breathes heavily] - [line ringing]

[Mallinder] Hello?

Why'd you do it?

- Ed. - My research. Why'd you do it?

- Ed, listen. - You told me I had to stop.

- You told me not to waste my time. - No. Look...

- You stole it. - ...I'm trying to help you. Please.

Don't touch it again. And don't go near it.

We'll talk about this later.

[line beeping]

[Mallinder] ...trying to say goodbye, but it's not easy.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry that I couldn't give you more.

Just try to be happy.

[knocking on door]

[breathes heavily] Is he here?

I need to see him. [panting]

- He's not here. - Oh, fu--

What? [exhales sharply]

He left a message.

[panting]

What's wrong?

Come.

Listen.

[Mallinder] This has to end.

I'm trying to say goodbye, but it's not easy.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry that I couldn't give you more.

Just try to be happy.

It wasn't ever anything that you did.

[police radio chatter]