Rating: 
Summary: Wow
Review: John Nash, a Nobel prize-winning mathematical genius afflicted with schizophrenia, had an incredible life. Russell Crowe does an amazing job wresting this performance into a groundbreaking movie. Ron Howard did a spectacular job directing this difficult material and creating a memorable movie that follows Nash from his early days at Princeton thru a long series of delusions involving persecution by the Department of Defense, a child of an imaginary friend who never seems to age - and it's that last fact that Nash finally uses to convince himself of what others have been trying to tell him for years: he's crazy. So began his slow recovery with nothing but will power and the love of a good woman.
I know, I know: it's not totally factual and leaves out some important dirty laundry that the filmmakers would rather have left in the closet, but still.
It's fantastic.
Rating: 
Summary: A Beautiful Movie
Review: This is one of the very few films on my favorites list that is not war or combat-oriented. I still can't decide which Crowe film I like better, this or Gladiator. The acting is superb from all the chief characters (Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connely, Ed Harris), and I am very pissed that Denzel Washington robbed Crowe of the Best actor award for the crappy "Training Day". The plot is a little screwy, but Ron Howard's good directing makes it work. The only thing that really kept me from giving this movie a perfect 5 is that it robbed "The Fellowship of the Ring" of best picture.
Rating: 
Summary: A Slick, Polished Blockbuster that Lacks Ideas
Review: Director Ron Howard has created moderately engrossing slick entertainment, a bonafide blockbuster, but nothing resembling art. On a Friday night date, it works. Emotions and themes zip from Point A to Point B in a coherent and bemusing fashion. But by yourself, soberly pondering the quandaries of math, psychology, and the human condition, you may just feel remarkable disgust at this film's insipid sensibilities.Russel Crowe stars as John Nash, a mathematician. The movie is about his journey from Princeton student to hotshot government employee to down-and-out schizophrenic to Princeton prof and a man of international fame; during all of which, his devoted wife, Alicia (Jennifer Connelly) stands by his side. But don't be fooled by the subject matter: this is not a movie that is interested in what happens when one man's life synethesizes such an intricate brew of love, disease, triumph over college politics, or genius. Howard along with screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (whose credits include such masterpieces as Batman and Robin and Practical Magic) take Nash at face value and use his exterior to generate melodrama, not insight. As such, there are no scenes that seriously tackle Nash's connection to math. An inanely cheesy vignette about Adam Smith and hamfisted montages of Nash obsessively scribbling on a library window is all that we get. There's also a complete absence of genuine human connection between Alicia and John whose relationship is all computer-generated stars, woozy metaphors, and catchlines. Its "if you try really really hard, you can overcome schizophrenia" message is blatantly hostile to the psychiatric community, and its portrayal of schizophrenic hallucinations as a series of suspenseful and exciting car chases motivated by good ole American heroism cheapens the gravity of the disease. This film avoids enlightenment at all costs, yet its profound and serious subject matter deludes viewers into thinking that the film itself is profound and serious- when in actuality, A Beautiful Mind is little more than an amusing popcorn flick.
Rating:
Summary: Crowe is at his best
Review: for those who want to see Crowe really lay the smack down as a skitzo man who sees invisible people and does an amazing job, well then this one is for you. with strong moments and a good cast including Ed Harris, Josh Lucas, Anthony Rapp, Adam Goldbgerg, Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettamy. not the best film od 2001 one but its a good movie.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Mind
Review: Goddamn it, Russell Crowe is such an amazing beautiful actor, he should be making movies full-time. MORE RUSSELL CROWE FILMS!
Rating:
Summary: All the pieces fit...
Review: This is a really good movie. If you've seen Conspiracy Theory, then you know that feeling of "who should I believe?" The way it's directed, you'll be wondering "what's what?", which will make you want to watch it until the end so you know what is really happening and how it's resolved. The range of emotions you'll feel while watching this movie covers the whole spectrum. I don't do a good job explaining it, but if you haven't seen this movie, it's definitely worth a rental. The beginning is kind of slow, but about 20 minutes into it, it really picks up and you'll be hooked. Crowe's acting sometimes seems a little robotic, but that's the way that schizophrenics are (monotone voice, somewhat "forced" sounding speech), but Connelly & Crowe's chemistry is surprisingly good (it's really easy to feel for the couple). Plus, the fact that it is based on a true story will make you want to go to New Jersey to visit the real Nash just to shake his hand (think of it more like a documentary, and you'll see what I mean). Basically, if you want to see something with substance, or a movie that makes you feel like you haven't wasted your time watching it, then see this movie...you won't be disappointed. Also, if you see "Conspiracy Theory" first, you'll really appreciate "A Beautiful Mind." Quit reading this and go see this/these movie(s).
Rating: 
Summary: This is your brain on artifice
Review: A Beautiful Mind tries to do the self-contradictory by presenting a slick, Hollywoodish story about the obscure and diabolical world of schizophrenia. That it is based on the life of a real person, the mathematician John Nash, doesn't add much psychological credibility to the film; again and again, some director's or technician's device (e.g., Nash scrawling hieroglyphic equations on the Princeton library window or having scattered letters from a magazine take on a glowing life to show how Nash perceives them as a code) gives us the feeling that we're being taken on a Disney World ride through the mysteries of the mind. Nevertheless, the film is quite watchable for about two-thirds of its length -- after the dull exposition that sets up the central events and before the mawkish conclusion. Credit goes primarily to the stars, Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connolly. Crowe, despite his status as the hunk du jour, clearly has satisfying acting technique and apparently good instincts; whatever reservations I have, it's fair to say that he brings the Nash character to compelling life. If only he didn't push the awkward-loner, vulnerable-brain-box motif so far! I suspect that Ron Howard, the director, instead of shaping the performance and asking for more subtlety at key moments, kept urging Crowe to pull out all the stops. I'm not suggesting that he indulges in scenery chewing -- mostly he keeps his technique within reasonable bounds, and some of the time it serves us well. But, in spite of his stardom, Crowe doesn't yet have the confidence to hold back where some reticence would actually strengthen the role. When (if?) he trusts himself and his audience more, he's going to be an actor to reckon with. Jennifer Connolly is luminous. I'd never seen her before, and she gives her role depths and corners where the script gives her colorless outlines. She's strikingly beautiful, but doesn't coast on her looks, and provides most of the movie's genuinely touching moments. The film's only other actor of note is the egregious Ed Harris, who gives us the umpteenth version of his snake-eyed glare and growling line readings. It's a mystery to me why so many people think he's a great actor. Screen presence, sure; range, from X to X prime, as Nash might put it. Good cinematography helps, featuring warm interiors that reveal the polished allure of the halls' old woodwork and exteriors that capture the sharp-focus chill of autumn and the sturdy solidity of venerable buildings on the campuses of Princeton and MIT. The musical score (one of the movie's few understated directorial elements) is effective, too. The widescreen DVD transfer is first-class -- something you can't count on in DVDs -- with none of the background pumping and motion jerkiness that can result when the compression necesary to fit a movie onto a small silver disc is performed poorly.
A Beautiful Mind has its rewards; too bad they come only in patches.
Rating:
Summary: "Contrary to all probabilities, she finds me attractive...."
Review: After Titanic and Pearl Harbour, I swore to myself to never again see a movie that had elements of romance. So when I heard that they were making a movie that combined mathematics and romance into one package, I was utterly convinced that Hollywood had finally lost it's marbles. Then I saw this movie on cable and I was just totally blown away by it. This has to be one of the best films I have ever seen in a very long time. So I had no hesitation in purchasing a copy of this DVD. The DVD contains a whole bunch of extras, of which I found the most interesting to be the running commentaries by Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman. They give very frank and insightful comments on just about every scene in the movie. I was just amazed at how much thought they had given to each scene and how meticulous they were. Surprisingly, you will learn that the funniest scenes in the movie were either suggested or improvised by Russell Crowe himself. Think what you may about Russell Crowe the man, but as an actor in this film, he gave a "once in a lifetime" performance.
Rating:
Summary: The Power of the Mind
Review: This moving, very stirring film required several viewings on my part. First of all, I had to get over the disappointment that A BEAUTIFUL MIND beat out "The Fellowship of the Ring" as the Best Picture of 2001--a disappointment that created an inherent bias in my not-so-beautiful mind. Second, all of the Hollywood embellishments in this film had to be dismissed as inconsequential to the overall magnitude of the story--a story about a very real man with a very real illness. And it is here--the story--that A BEAUTIFUL MIND excels. The human mind is a complex, often unforgiving organ that tends to confuse its owner over what is real, and what is an illusion. And thus the distinction between reality and illusion becomes blurred, a disturbing development that leads to complete dysfunction. Princeton mathematician John Nash succumbed to the power of his mind to distort reality; the resulting battle to conquer his demons--aided by the unwavering support of a loving wife--is a compelling, wonderful story. Russell Crowe delivers a riveting performance, but needs to work on his West Virgina accent. Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, and Ed Harris are sensational. I'm still a little miffed that this film won Best Picture, but darn glad A BEAUTIFUL MIND is in my video collection.
--D. Mikels
Rating:
Summary: Russell Crowe gives another outstanding performance
Review: Russell Crowe gives another outstanding performance in this wonderful movie from director Ronnie Howard. Based upon the biography of mathematician John Nash, A Beautiful Mind makes the inner logic of mathematics comprehensible to the average film maker while not stinting on the real-life drama of the schizophrenic Nash and his long-sufferingt wife, played by the beautiful and talented Jennifer Connolly. This is a film that should not be missed. It is ingeniously made, and not just in showing mathematical concepts (to say anymore might ruin the film for you). Five stars! A worthy winner of the Best Picture Oscar.
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