ADDITION

Australia | 2024 | 91m | English

Cast: Teresa Palmer, Joe Dempsie, Eamon Farren

Director(s): Marcelle Lunam

Numbers are everything to Grace Lisa Vandenburg (Teresa Palmer, Message from the King, TIFF ’16). The life of Grace, a Melbourne-based mathematician, is largely governed by her arithmomania, an obsessive-compulsive need to count (three times to ensure accuracy) everything from the poppy seeds on her cake to the bristles on her toothbrush. In a chaotic, sometimes tragic, and constantly changing world, Grace’s preoccupation gives her a sense of order and control. And she does her best to lead a “normal” life, spending time with her mother and sister, her beloved niece Larry… and a manifestation of the late inventor and engineer Nikola Tesla (Eamon Farren) who is Grace’s closest confidante.

Grace’s structured life takes an unexpected but not altogether unwelcome turn when she meets Seamus (Joe Dempsie), a British immigrant captivated by Grace’s offbeat charm. As their relationship deepens, Grace grapples with revealing her compulsion. In an effort to change, she begins seeing a therapist and agrees to take medication, which dulls and upends her once-vibrant world. Adrift in this new reality, Grace must face the spectre of a long-buried childhood tragedy, forging a new path towards balance.

Courtesy of TIFF

TIFF 24 REVIEW BY: DARREN ZAKUS

DATE: DECEMBER 3, 2024

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Addition is a charming film that despite its romantic comedy elements, is a more profound exploration of mental health and the toll it takes on the entire family, anchored by two excellent performances from Teresa Palmer and Joe Dempsie.

As a Canadian, it’s always funny to think of Australian cinema as foreign cinema, as it’s all in English and apart from their accent, it feels very familiar to Canadian audiences. In recent years, Australia has seen some great films gather worldwide recognition with titles like The Dry, Memoir of a Snail, and the upcoming The Deb, and the latest Teresa Palmer starring film Addition deserves to be in the same conversation. Mixing the classic romantic comedy genre with an exploration of mental health, what ensues is a charming and heartwarming tale of love, new beginnings and overcoming one’s mental health struggles thanks to the wonderful lead performances of Palmer and Joe Dempsie.

You’ve seen romantic comedies before where the lead has a struggle in life that they have to overcome before they can find the right partner, but you have probably not seen one where that obstacle is their imaginary romantic relationship with historic inventor Nikola Tesla. Yes, that is the situation we find Addition’s lead Grace in when the film begins, with her relationship with Nikola Tesla being a safety net for her struggles with her OCD and mental health issues, but that all changes when she meets Seamus at the grocery store. What follows may have the hallmarks of a classic romantic comedy which are all crowd pleasing moments, from the adorable meet cute at the grocery store to the hilarious dinner scene where Seamus meets Grace’s family, but the screenplay is more focused on Grace and her self-healing to overcome her mental health struggles. Yes, the Tesla plot element is a fun hook to start the film off which is quickly forgotten, missing what could have been a great recurring comedic element throughout the film had it been used beyond the film’s first act. But the rest of the film that explores the effect of Grace’s struggles on her entire loving family, her relationship with Seamus, as well as diving into its origins and how its exacerbated at times by everyone trying to help her, Becca Johnstone’s screenplay adapting Toni Jordan’s novel takes viewers on an emotional journey of healing, love and family that is sure to have them simultaneously laughing, swooning and reaching for their tissues.

For years, Palmer has been delivering great performances across a wide variety of genres with films like I Am Number Four, The Fall Guy and Hacksaw Ridge, and she truly shines in the lead role of Grace. Capturing Grace’s OCD with a painstaking honesty and rawness, audiences are immediately able to care for her character within minutes of the film starting. Infusing Grace with an intelligence and compassion, but also her erratic and single mind focus nature that comes with her mental health struggles, Palmer is the linchpin holding the entire film together. Through Palmer’s vulnerable performance, the audiences’ heart will break for Grace as they see her go through the joys and struggles of life living with mental health challenges, making for a compelling portrayal of mental health struggles on screen. Opposite her is Dempsie as Seamus, Grace’s love interest, and he brings a natural charm to the role. Mixing an understanding of Grace’s mental health struggles with a romantic comedy leading man presence, Dempsie makes a great screen partner for Palmer at every turn. Their romantic chemistry is passionate and tender, sparking an immediate attraction between them from their initial grocery store meet cute which only continues to grow over the course of the film.

While on appearance you may have certain expectations about Addition, the film itself is a far more compelling character study that is going to hit all the right notes with viewers. With a compelling and tender lead performance from Teresa Palmer that takes viewers on an endearing journey of love and self-healing, Addition is a beautiful and charming little film that is full of heart, romance and laughter that creates a crowd pleasing experience and honest exploration of mental health.