An Invisible Sign - A Movie Review

Numbers are invisible signs to us.

An Invisible Sign is a 2010 movie. Mona has always loved math. After her father succumbs to a strange illness, Mona doesn’t want to do anything with her life except help him. Encouraged to get a job as a math teacher in an elementary school, this experience challenges Mona in several ways.

When I first watched the trailer for An Invisible Sign, I was expecting a light-hearted drama about being passionate about what you like. While the message is present, plot details and character dynamics are not explained thoroughly to weave a cohesive film together.

Jessica Alba is what drew me into watching this film. Her role as the reserved and socially awkward Mona is a steep contrast from her usual typecast roles as the pretty woman with a strong demeanor. However, we don’t know enough about Mona to understand why she is the way she is.

That goes for all the characters. What disease does her father (John Shay) have? The flashbacks provided glimpses of Mona’s past, but they felt disjointed from the present-day narrative. Further character development for Mona's parents and their relationship with her could have added depth to the story.

It also would have been helpful to have more history on Ben (Chris Messina). Ben and Mona’s relationship deserved more development, instead of making Ben out to be a stalker in some of his advances. Messina and Alba share great chemistry, capturing the awkwardness and sweetness of their budding relationship.

More credits include Sonia Braga, J.K. Simmons, Marylouise Burke, and Bailee Madison as young Mona. I always love seeing Madison in the media. She was a wonderful child actress. J.K. Simmons is also noteworthy in his role as Mr. Jones, Mona’s favorite teacher she had as a child. Despite all these notable talents, it doesn’t save the film from its meandering storyline.

One of the best parts of An Invisible Sign is the education of young children. A terrific children’s ensemble occupies roles as the students. They were the best part of the film and were directed well. However, some of the kids are so despicable in their behavior.

Sophie Nyweide was a standout as Lisa who is undergoing a sad family dilemma. She has a unique (and grim) outlook on life for a child of her young age.

The film is an authentic representation of the education field. It’s important to make learning fun. You will always remember a teacher who inspired you to think outside the box

Marilyn Agrelo headed well to some heavy subject matter, but she didn’t implement enough development for characters or storylines. The pacing was slow and should have been more consistent. The ending was also weird, taking a dark turn when Mona has a severe injury in front of the class.

The visuals were clever. The film cleverly visualizes Mona's obsession with mathematics through animated sequences, turning complex formulas into mesmerizing visuals. When Mona calculated a word problem or tapped her fingers, numbers showed up on the screen. It’s so whimsical, but the film’s subject matter is the complete opposite.

I thought this film would showcase more of Mona’s love for math. Math has never been my favorite subject, but every school subject needs its chance in the limelight. Even Mona’s love for math is not focused on enough.

An Invisible Sign is an intriguing story that has a lot of deep themes, but it wasn’t quite satisfying. I recommend it for its message about education, but based on its subject matter and unsatisfying storyline you can skip it.