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Rating: 3.5 out of 5
In the world of economics, John Forbes Nash Jr. is probably one of the biggest contributors to the subject. I work in academia and never heard of him. Hell, I work in a business school, and all they teach you is about the godfather of economics, Mr. Adam Smith. John Nash was a mathematician who made fundamental contributions to game theory, differential geometry, and the study of partial differential equations. In other terms, the dude was an absolute genius. His work provided insight into the factors that govern chance and decision-making inside complex systems found in everyday life. Once again, the dude was an absolute genius, and his theories are widely used in economics. Later on in his life, he won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Nash is the only person to be awarded both the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and the Abel Prize. With such a great mind, Nash showed signs of mental illness and spent years in a psychiatric hospital being treated for schizophrenia. Even with the obstacle, he managed to pick himself up and return to academic work.
A Beautiful Mind is directed by Ron Howard and inspired by the bestselling Pulitzer Prize-nominated book of the same name by Sylvia Nasar. The film explores Nash’s days from a graduate student at Princeton University to his development of paranoid schizophrenia that has major implications and burdens on his wife Alicia and friends. The story begins at Princeton University, where John Nash (Crowe) struggles to develop a worthy dissertation. After a night out of drinking, he comes up with a theory that will change the very heart of economics. After graduating from Princeton, he works for the government for a while before returning to teaching. While as a professor, he becomes romantically involved with his intelligent student, Alicia (Connelly). Nash and Alicia become married and start a family. Nash is soon recruited by the government to crack Soviet codes in magazines. Nash soon becomes increasingly more paranoid until it is learned that what he thinks he knows isn’t really there. With his mental state in shambles, Nash, with the loving support of his wife, begins the long road to recovery that will turn him into one of the greatest mathematicians and Nobel Prize winner.
Let’s start this film off with the acting. Russell Crowe showed his acting versatility with this role as John Nash. The mannerisms he showed with how Nash walked and talked were truly A-game material. Honestly, I know that he won the Academy Award for Best Actor the previous year for Gladiator, but I thought he went above and beyond with this role. He made you believe everything was real around him until you realized that everything was in his head. The way he spoke to his illusionary people was top notched acting. Even though I am thrilled that Denzel won the Academy Award over Crowe, I can see why many saw it as an upset.
Also, love MUST be given to the beautiful Jennifer Connelly as Alicia Nash. Connelly played Alicia as that sassy but brilliant student in the beginning who asks Nash out on a date. When they get married, she was beyond a supporting wife and stood by her husband through thick and thin. Yet, Connelly made sure you saw the pain in Alicia’s eyes when Nash rejected her one night and then fear when Nash lost his mind. Connelly needs to be applauded for what she brought to this film.
Let’s give it up to Ron Howard. Howard knows how to direct, and the direction he provided for this film was outstanding. He presented a somewhat familiar story but also kept you interested. I admit that I didn’t care too much about an intelligent person who finds ways to solve complex situations. Yet, Howard managed to keep your interest by showing how Nash really did lose his mind and showed the world that the mind is a precious but complex and frail organ even though you are intelligent.
As far as the plot and story go, it was entertaining and worthy of the Best Picture award. When we are first introduced to Nash as a grad student, he is extremely awkward. He is fidgety and always walks around nervously. Homeboy writes on the windows of his room. You see nothing wrong as he tries to hit on a woman and gets rejected so hard. Even though you are smart, it doesn’t mean you have any game. Homeboy got the shit slapped out of him. This was when he made one of his great discoveries and theories. As you watch, dude gets his Ph.D. and rises through the ranks. Even cracks a code for the defense department and gets married. Life is great.
Life is so good that he gets a new job working for someone else, and this is where the story takes a complete turn. He works on seeing if the Russians are sending messages through magazines. At one point, the film gets real as he is in a high-speed chase and being shot out. You think that Nash leads a very interesting life until you find out that many of the main characters in Nash’s life are a figment of his imagination. Homeboy is entirely out of his mind, and everything you thought you saw wasn’t real with many of the characters. The film takes a turn where his mental state has an extreme burden on his family and himself. Homeboy looked awful at this time and gets committed. Nash shows strength and incredible willpower to say that he will not do medication and ignore all his imaginary people through all of this. It is a touching moment and scene to see Nash go through life and ignore all that is in his head and achieve the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. It was very nice to have a full-circle moment where at the start of the film, Nash saw a professor having pens laid in front of him, and at the end, the same is done with him.
A Beautiful Mind might not be the greatest Academy Award Best Picture winner, but it does have a decent story. It is a film with the same formula as a biographical film with outstanding acting. Crowe and Connelly deserve high praise. Howard also deserves praise for his direction. Give this film a chance and see how one man’s struggle turned into something beautiful.
