A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Review #99
Imagine Entertainment, 2001
Mov No. 38595
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
Directed by: Ron Howard
Staring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Christopher Plummer
Oscars: 4 wins (Picture, supporting actress (Jennifer Connelly), director, adapted screenplay), 8 nominations (Lead Actor (Russel Crowe), score, film editing, makeup)
AFI 100 years, 100 _____ tributes: None
Runtime: 2h, 16min
Best quote: [To Alicia}] "I find you very attractive. Your assertiveness tells me that you feel the same way about me. But ritual remains that we must do a series of platonic actions before we can have intercourse. But all I really want to do is have sex with you as soon as possible." - John Nash

A Beautiful Mind tells the tale of the brilliant Nobel Prize winning mathmatician John Nash (Russell Crowe).

At first Nash is hired by the military to uncover a Soviet plot. Then he is posted to MIT, where he is set up with a Federal agent who gives him a mission to find hidden messages in magazines like Life magazine.

While teaching at MIT, Nash meets a girl named Alicia (Jennifer Connelly), who he falls in love with and soon marries. Together, they have one son.

But soon things get out of hand. Nash is seen talkign to thin air, and delivering packages to abandoned houses. Needless to say, his wife, Alicia, gets a little bit worried. His visions seem to be taking over his life.

Personal Comments

The story starts off slow, but it picks up. There are many surprises around every turn. I loved Russell Crowe's performance. I thought he was robbed of the Oscar. He was thrilling as John Nash, and in great chemistry with Jennifer Connelly.

Plot:
The life of John Nash may be boring to some, but not to the majority.

Visual Effects:
Nice touch on the effects of the patterns buzzing around John's head.

Sound:

Character Development:
It was nice to see that Nash was able to at least shut out the visions in his head.

Atmosphere:
Slow off the bat but thrilling down the home stretch.

Realism:
Many details in John's life were changed; he divorced his wife but stayed with her as "her tennant," as she called him, and he slept around with other women, and, reportedly, ... men...

Warren’s Rating:

Movies it beat out for Best Picture:
Gosford Park; In The Bedroom; The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring; Moulin Rouge!

FINAL RATING

8.57/10

Is the movie worth your time to watch?

01-06-04

BACK

Jennifer Connelly

DOB: December 12, 1970
Age at win: 30
Nominated for: Best Actress in a supporting Role, Alicia Nash, A Beautiful Mind
Nomination: 1/1 (acting), 1/1 (total); Win: Only

Jennifer Connelly, in A Beautiful Mind, starts out as a side character who picks up steam as the film goes on. She finally becomes a central character that ultimatly decides what really happens to John Nash. She is the central figure in John Nash's life; it isn't her that ralizes that he is sick and needs help, but it is her that helps him on his road to recovery.

Connelly's best scenes are ones with Russell Crowe as the two share a great on-screen chemistry. Connelly's portrayal of Alicia Nash is nothing short of brilliant.

Imagine having to put up with a man like John Nash. Connelly makes it seem easy, but in reality it must have been brutal. To almost have your child drowned, to have to worry about your husband and weather or not he has taken his medication, that is a lot for one person to handle nowadays, nevermind twenty or thirty years ago.

Cudos, Jennifer, you did the real Alicia Nash proud!