Rating: 
Summary: A Moving Exploration of Brilliance & Schizophrenia
Review: I was moved and fascinated by Russell Crowe's sensitive portrayal of John Nash as a brilliant mathematician plagued by the debilitating disease of schizophrenia. The story begins when Nash is at Princeton in the last 1940's pursuing his Ph.D. degree. He yearns to be important and have a breakthrough idea, but the interior world of his mind that he inhabits leaves him no time or desire for social interaction with others. He is intense, arrogant and competitive, and often not very likeable. He develops a ground-breaking equilibrium theory and receives the highest honors and an appointment to a government think-tank at MIT, where he earns a reputation as the best code breaker ever known. He is also supposed to teach a math class, which he occasionally remembers to do, and falls in love with one of his students, played by the beautiful, charismatic Jennifer Connelly. While at MIT he is approached by Parchman, a mysterious CIA operative, complete with black-hat and trench coat, played skillfully by Ed Harris. Parchman asks Nash to work with him on extracting codes imbedded in magazines and newspapers by the Russians who are hiding deadly nuclear bombs somewhere in the U.S. Nash becomes obsessed with this project to the exclusion of all his other work, and through this project his schizophrenia is finally revealed. The course of treatment for his mental disease is disturbing and tense. The audience is never certain what is in his mind and what is real. The brutal shock treatments and drug therapy leave him functioning like a zombie, and the ultimate irony of a brilliant mind flawed by mental disease is alarming. After a powerful episode where he has stopped taking his medications, and has threatened the lives of his wife and child, he finally admits his delusions and both he and his wife become committed to fighting the disease. It seems the best therapy, for Nash anyway, was to admit that some of the characters that inhabited his world were delusions, but to no longer allow them to control him. He returns to Princeton, and spends his days hanging around the library, working on his formulas and theories, and is eventually allowed to teach a class. The faculty and students accept him as an eccentric, harmless academic. Crowe displays an awesome range of acting skill in playing a brash, young student, a frenetic mad man, a humble supplicant, and eventually a doddering old oddball. The final feel-good scene where he accepts his Nobel Prize in Sweden could have felt like blatant audience manipulation, but instead felt like a well-earned tribute to Nash, the brilliant, but ultimately flawed mind and the beautiful relationship he had sustained with his loving, supportive wife.
Rating:
Summary: Russell Crowe and Entire Cast Shine in Outstanding Movie
Review: Russell Crowe and everyone associated with this movie got a standing ovation at the showing I attended. How refreshing it was to see a sensitive, serious drama that not only allows you to leave the theater understanding what happened, but feeling good, actually hopeful, that the hardships life deals you can be overcome with persistence, determination, and the support of family and friends. This is the true story of John Nash, a Princeton student and brilliant mathematician who is treated for schizophrenia. Crowe is magnificent as he battles his delusions (or are they real?) and has an excellent supporting cast in Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Christopher Plummer, Adam Goldberg and all involved. Bravo to Ron Howard for bringing this most interesting story of the 1994 Nobel Prize winner to the screen. Dysfunction was never so poignant, empathy so heartfelt as for the beleaguered Nash and his loving wife who made the difficult decision to stand by him through a monumental crisis. Viewers are with the couple every step of the way from their initial meeting and awkward courtship to their often-troubled marriage. The movie has classic lines such as Nash telling a friend that he is well-balanced because he has a chip on both shoulders. There is much humor to balance the sadness, much hope to combat the seemingly impossible situation. In the end, it is the theme of battling your demons and overcoming the odds to lead a fulfilling life that makes you leave the theater feeling uplifted as a result of this movie. Definitely, one not to miss.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful!
Review: This movie is a great movie, showing another side of Russell Crowe's acting. From his prier movie Gladiator, (which to me was also a 5 star movie)Beautiful Mind is a must see movie! If I could I would give it 6 stars!
Rating:
Summary: Academics and Insanity: A lush mesmerizing view
Review: "A Beautiful Mind" is a film that may take you by surprise due to the fact that it's excellence lives up to the high expectations that the hype surrounding it has created for it. I went in curious and excited, but wondering how a biopic could be that intriguing. What I found interesting about it is that I didn't know what part of the film to pay attention to: the story, the acting, the gorgeous cinematography and color scheme, or the score. Each seems to be a creature of its own and it's almost too much to try and incorporate them into one film and accept them all at once. As a film though, this one succeeds at a new level. Howard's style is engrossing and make the subject matter -Math, John Forbes Nash, and Schizophrenia- interesting. There's a scene when Nash tells his girlfriend (to-be wife) to pick a shape, he then proceeds to find that pattern in the sky, and Howard shows us what he sees. You are instantly made part of the film. In fact, Howard continually and ceaselessly shows us what Nash sees, which brings us into a different world; and this leads to a new portion of the storyline and integration with the rest of the film, though we may not know it. Nash's genius consists of the fact that he can see patterns in almost everything, leading him to be obsessively preoccupied with everything around him, we see what he sees. This contributes to his schizophrenia when he sees hallucinations, which we as an audience believe are real until we learn what is and what isn't. When he doubts, we doubt. It's an incredible way to keep us hooked, but not the only thing. The performances in this film are singularly marvelous. Watching Russell Crowe is like watching a little child in awe. He mumbles and does little hand motions and talks to himself and slumps and frowns and grins and looks like he has three hundred things whizzing around in his mind all at once. He's mezmerizing, and his body language and complete intensity makes up for his rather annoying accent. Jennifer Connelly, I believe, is the shining star of this film due to the fact that she doesn't have such the weight of stardom on her shoulders, but her performance is completely realistic and her subtlety and strength powerfully drive the character into a realm where any bit of a lesser actress would have failed miserably. And though it may not be as important, I feel that I must comment on it. The score by James Horner is beautiful. Due to the score, the beginning of the film, as in as soon as the film starts, is excellent. You wonder where it's going and where it'll start. It keeps the intensity and it's lushness throughout the film and only heightens the experience. Along side John Williams Harry Potter score this is the best score of the year, one of the best i've ever heard. Not to mention the outstanding costumes which looked incredibly comfortable, or the world that the cinematography evoked. You could feel each breeze, the rain, and the warmth in each scene. This is a fantastic film, and I daresay it grew on me. I went out of one mode into this unusual world of academics and insanity and basically lost myself in a way I never expected to in a drama.
Rating:
Summary: A Haunting Portrayal By Russell Crowe
Review: Ignore anything negative that you may hear about this movie and simply put...just go see it! I have not been a Russell Crowe fan in the least, but after watching this performance I can truly say it was one of the best performances that I have ever seen. There were two aspects of this movie that made me think this movie should be considered for an Academy Award. First there was the portayal of John Nash by Russell Crowe and then there was the portrayal of a debilitating illness that touches many of us in one way or another. The cast does a bang up job, the music composed by James Horner was phenomenal, and the direction by Ron Howard surpassed even his Apollo 13 movie. I would be stunned if this movie does not walk away with multiple Academy Awards. A must see film, especially those touched by mental illness in any way. I do not think you will be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Good film about Dr. Nash
Review: This film takes up the story of Dr. John Forbes Nash Jr. from his days of graduate school at Princeton up to the year 1994 when he received the Nobel prize for economics. I enjoyed this film immensely, despite its flaws. The first part of the film shows Nash during his graduate days, and it is the lightest part of the film. We see Nash use mathematical talk in daily life with humorous results, such as when he tries to pick up a girl at a bar by suggesting that they "exchange bodily fluids." He is so tactless that it is actually a bit funny, such as when he tells someone at a coctail party in a flat voice, "I've read your papers, and I'm convinced there isn't an original idea in any of them." This section of the movie closes with an explanation of the idea that eventually earned Nash the Nobel. The film moves on to his professorship at MIT and his courtship with one of his students (Alicia Larde) whom he later marries. All of this is the calm before the storm. Next we see his world crumble around him as he becomes convinced that he is a secret agent working to uncover a dreadful communist plot. He is diagnosed with paranoid schitzophrenia and committed to a mental hospital, and we follow his release and continuing struggle with the illness up to his eventual recovery. The film succeeds as a look at the life of John Nash. John's delusions are portrayed as though they are real events which is effective because we can understand John's motivations for all of his actions. His moody and sometimes violent behavior are perfectly rational given his understanding of the world. If the treatment somehow glorifies schitzophrenia, that is also somehow appropriate sinse Nash stated that one of his hurtles to recovery was the relative lack of excitement in "ordinary" reality. On a deeper level the film works as a piece of wisdom that is more universally applicable, as a study of integrating the mind and emotions to become a more balanced human being, and on learning how to turn off that damnable inner critic that most of us possess (though not to a delusional degree for most people.) It is for the universal nature of the film that I give it high marks. The film has flaws which prevent a 5 star review. The biggest glaring problem is that Alicia is portrayed as the faithful wife who truly lives her vow to love her husband "in sickness and in health." In reality, Alicia eventually divorced her husband when it became clear that he was not going to recover. The couple eventually got back together several years after Nash recovered, though they never remarried. Also, Nash was a mathematical genius during his entire lifetime, and the film falsely portrays otherwise, hinting that he came up with one great result that bagged him the Nobel and then slipped into madness never to publish again. There's a scene where he states that he "is working on the Riemann hypothesis" but we never see anything completed. In reality, Nash solved a complex problem in topology which was probably his most brilliant idea, and did other work in partial differential equations. The film could have taken some time to explore the topological result, explaining the essense in non-mathematical language, similiar to its treatment of his game theoretic result. Finally the score is rather lackluster. A baroque music score would have better served this film, since music of that era captures the essense of abstract mathematics the best. (In fact Nash had a habbit of whistling Bach, so it's not too much to ask to have Bach in the background.)
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Film
Review: "A Beautiful Mind" was the true story of a Nobel Prizewinning mathemetician named John Nash. It begins with Nash (RussellCrowe) as a graduate student at Princeton in 1947, and is compellingfrom the first moment. A university of gifted young men in tweeds andties interact and compete with each other for academic recognition andachievement. John Nash struggles to come up with "one originalidea" with which he will make his major contribution tomathematics. Quite eccentric, he writes algebraic equations all overthe windows of his dorm room and is seen mumbling to himself aswanders the ivy-covered campus. A new factor in life's equation is hisfuture wife (Jennifer Connelly), whom he meets as a student in one ofhis classes.What I really enjoyed about this film is that thecharacters and situations are fresh and new, not the same tired oldsubjects that movie-makers have done to death. The clothing andstyles of the late forties and early fifties are authentic, as are thecars and household furnishings. The campus scenes of Princeton looklike pages from an old issue of Life Magazine, the kind you find inantique stores, in color but slightly faded. It truly gave me afeeling of "being there." John Nash's life took a seriousdetour through schizophrenia, and the movie depicts the delusions thathaunted him for years. It also shows how he struggled to cope and toovercome his mental illness, so he could return to a useful life as aprofessor. (...)I really enjoyed thisfilm and would include it in the top five films of 2001. Ron Howardis a fine director, and has made a fine film -- one that inspires aswell as entertains.
Rating:
Summary: Crowe shines in a superb biopic
Review: "A Beautiful Mind," directed by Ron Howard, is a biographical film based on the life of eminent mathematician John Nash. As the film begins, we meet Nash (played by Russell Crowe) as a brilliant, but eccentric and somewhat anti-social, college student. He eventually attains a plum position at a prestigious institution and falls in love with a beautiful young woman (the luminous Jennifer Connelly). But after a series of encounters with a Department of Defense agent (a menacing, intense Ed Harris), Nash's life begins to spin horribly out of control. Ultimately, he faces a long struggle that forces him to walk a line between genius and insanity.If you aren't familiar with the real-life story of Nash, you will be in for some shocking plot twists and revelations which I will not spoil. Overall, "Mind" is a superb biopic which achieves a true epic sweep. It is a moving, suspenseful, often harrowing, and ultimately inspiring film. Crowe is in nearly every scene of the film; his portrayal of Nash over a long time span is truly remarkable. He captures both the transcendent genius and the vulnerable humanity of this amazing individual. Crowe's performance is well complemented by a fine supporting cast. If you were impressed by Connelly's daring, painful perfomance in Darren Aronofsky's shocking "Requiem for a Dream," you will find her in equally strong form here. Harris is solid as usual, and I really enjoyed Paul Bettany's performance as a school chum. The story is well complemented by strong production values, a fine musical score, and some subtle but effective visual effects. Overall, I highly recommend "A Beautiful Mind"; it's one of the year's best films.
Rating:
Summary: Nomination Number 3
Review: Russell Crowe appears to have best actor nomination number 3 headed his way with his portrayal of Dr. John Nash. Russell Crowe is becoming a regular for high honors just as Tom Hanks has had his multiple Oscar run. To not include Jennifer Connelly as critical to the success of the movie is a mistake. The movie certainly belongs to Russell Crowe, however Jennifer Connelly's performance ensured the movie was complete, and she more than held her own with Russell Crowe. Ed Harris was excellent as he always is, however in this film he is vastly more talented than the character his is given to portray requires. A lesser actor would have made this part detrimental to the film; Ed Harris made a poor role work. If you have read the book, leave it behind when you enter the theater. I have read and commented on the book, and it was excellent. The key is that this film is, "inspired", by the life of Dr. John Nash; it is not based upon his life, it is not in any manner a documentary. The film begins in 1947 when Dr. Nash arrived at Princeton, and concludes in Stockholm when he is recognized for his work. The movies runs just shy of two and one half hours, a full documentary of his life was not possible, however taking the core of his achievements and his battle as a paranoid schizophrenic, makes the theme manageable and a movie possible. There are major events that are not in the film and this may disappoint some viewers, however rating the story within the confines of the film is fair, and the result is excellent. There is nothing remotely amusing about the disease portrayed in this movie. There is also nothing in the movie that lacks respect for those who suffer from mental disease. The truth and horror of this illness is brutally portrayed during his first stay at a psychiatric hospital. For anyone to suggest the topic was treated with a lack of seriousness or respect is indefensible. When I read the book I was more than curious as to how a film could be made that would include enough of this very complex life. The tremendous performances by the actors and a storyline that will be a slight of hand of varying degree to viewers, makes the film a success. Rarely does a film match or surpass a book, and, "A Beautiful Mind", is no exception. I would recommend the movie first and then the book.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: This is by far the best movie I have seen in quite some time. I am a big Russell Crowe fan and if he doesn't "win" an Oscar for this movie, something is very wrong. The story is moving and beautifully done by Ron Howard (who should also walk away with Best Director). It is not only a story of illness, done with compassion and humor, but a love story unlike any I have seen. Don't miss this movie.
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