i have see this film several time and and it always entertain . it get a well place plot and and the acting be tremendous . i look back at the support cast and and it really be top notch . there isn not a weak link in the bunch represent redford and poitier and river phoenix and david strathairn and mary mcconnell even akroyd be good here . ( and that list doesn not even include the magnificent ben kingsley . ) i saw the film when it first come out a a grad student in math and and yes and the math in the film be absurd . the idea of a key that could break any possible code be utterly absurd . but hey and it fiction and so it not worth complain too much about it . i think it reasonable for fiction to be occasionally unrealistic esp . any thing that want to make for interest science fiction . from a mathematician perspective and sneaker be a breath of fresh in this respect represent it doesn not depict mathematician a crazy .