12/31/2001
A Beautiful Mind stars Russell Crowe as John Forbes Nash Jr, Ed Harris as William Parcher, Jennifer Connelly as Alicia Nash, Paul Bettany as Charles, Adam Goldberg as Sol, Vivien Cardone as Marcee, Judd Hirsch as Helinger, Josh Lucas as Hansen, Anthony Rapp as Bender, Christopher Plummer as Dr. Rosen.
A Beautiful Mind is a Hollywood version of a true story. This means that only the facts that make a good story are shown and those that would make the character less sympathetic are left out. 'Nough said. This film, diected by Ron Howard, has another flaw, the use of the word delusion. The correct word for the film should should have been hallucination. Here is the glaring difference: If I think I'm Napoleon, I am suffering from a delusion, if I see Napoleon, I am suffering from hallucinations. Now that the psychiatry lesson is over, we can get to the film.
A Beautiful Mind follows the trials and tribulations of John Forbes Nash Jr, a brilliant, but troubled mathematician. His personal philosophy is that attending class cannot help one discover anything new that has never been discovered. He is a man of odd habits and peculiar traits. This sets him apart from his other math colleagues, who look socially acceptable as compared to John. He has difficulty in meeting women but manages to find someone who believes in him.
John Forbes Nash Jr discovers his new game theory, which later has implications in economics and he is awarded the Nobel Prize many years after the initial publication. He helps decipher a Soviet message for the Department of Defense while working for a Think Tank. During this period his schizophrenia worsens and we are treated to disturbing scenes in mental hospitals of the 1950's. It is during these hospital stays that John is diagnosed with having hallucinations.
The cast is superb in this film. All characters are very believable. Russell Crowe has a few lapses of accent from his character's West Virginia one, into his own down under, New Zealand, one. Jennifer Connelly as John's wife is great! In a world where mathematicians are mostly misunderstood, this is a refreshing film showing us the world of the mathematically obsessed.
I give it 4 out of 5 handkerchiefs: 