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Not in the
manner of violence, drugs, and offensive language, we are used to seeing
in films today, but in the manner of Alfred Hitchcock’s psychological and
emotional drama do director Ron Howard and Academy Award winner Russell
Crowe bring to the big screen the most intense film of the year. Both
Howard and Crowe reach a pinnacle in their careers. For Howard, this is a
film worthy of an Oscar. Once adored for his childhood role as Opie in the
Andy Griffith Show, Ronny Howard gathers and guides an explosive talent
ensemble in a magnificent cinematic achievement that will again make him a
household name. For Crowe, who last captured the world with his role in
Gladiator, the seamless transition into the heart and soul of a genius
and delusional mathematician is undoubtedly "the achievement of a
lifetime".
A Beautiful
Mind follows the career of John Nash as he searches for the governing
dynamics of economics. Like most geniuses, Nash carries himself with equal
measures of arrogance and weirdness. He doesn’t try to fit in with his
fellow Princeton colleagues, and he understands he isn’t much liked. His
chatty roommate Charles keeps Nash’s only social thread intact. Even after
his innovative economic theory gives him the coveted position at Wheeler
Defense Labs at MIT, Nash continues to search for the next great
challenge. That challenge comes with a top-secret code breaking assignment
supervised by William Parcher. Quickly enough, the government job becomes
much more than Nash can handle. Even Charles, his little niece Marci, and
Parcher, who had become the cornerstone of Nash's life, unexpectedly add
to the challenge that Nash had neither asked for nor seems to be able to
figure out.
In an
exquisitely set up plot twist, Nash is forced to turn to his relationship
with his wife Alicia for the solution to his problem. It is this element
that takes the story and its characters to the depths of intensity,
courage, and authenticity. Despite the delusions and eventual
hospitalization that John Nash suffers, his wife’s love is the rock that
supports him. When reason betrays him, the heart sees him through, and a
handkerchief that Alicia had given him on their first date becomes a
symbol of the bond that saves them in the blurring realities of physical,
metaphysical, and delusional. Even as Nash receives recognition for his
work in mathematics years later, he still clings to that handkerchief as a
reminder of what is real and invaluable.
Russell Crowe
had proven his versatility as an actor long before A Beautiful Mind,
but in the role of John Nash, he creates such brilliance that he has
earned his place among the Hollywood legends. In this movie, Crowe is no
longer the actor that many are so used to hearing tales of. He becomes
John Nash with all of Nash’s facial ticks, nervous hand motions, shuffling
walk, and erratic comments. The despair, pain, confusion, love, hope,
doubt, and illness of the character come alive through Russell Crowe. His
landmark performance draws the viewer into a mind that is beautiful,
brilliant, and beset with demons. Crowe creates a man that we relate to,
admire, and fear, and his performance will no doubt inspire and guide the
next generation of actors.
Jennifer
Connelly heads the wonderful supporting cast as Nash’s wife Alicia. In the
most distinguished role of her career, she conveys the humor of guiding
John Nash through their romance, the pain of seeing her husband
disintegrate into someone she doesn’t recognize, and the love she nurtures
to save them both. She helps us believe that together they can overcome
what even the scientists consider an insurmountable challenge. Paul
Bettany is outstanding as Nash’s friend Charles Hermon. His charm, humor
and determination lead one to cheer for him as much as Nash. Ed Harris
plays the government man Parcher. Harris’s character becomes the force
that pulls Nash deeper into his delusions. All three supporting actors
provide a stellar contribution to Crowe’s performance.
I was drawn to
this movie from the moment it was only a rumor of Russell Crowe’s next
film. I followed the news of its making until its release. I laughed at
Nash’s one-liners, and wished I could back up the film and rerun the
Governor’s ball sequence. I suffered with Nash as he underwent the
seizures of insulin therapy, and I nodded in vindication at the finest
moment of his career. A Beautiful Mind reaches far into the
recesses of magic and terror that form the intimate reality of human
experience. On the surface, we all entertain delusions to make sense of
our world. It takes awesome courage to see through those delusions and
grasp the fibers that make us beautiful and precious even in our
imperfections.
This is a film
to see more than once. It is one to be discussed with someone. It is a
film to add to your home collection. A Beautiful Mind is undoubtedly a
film of the highest caliber and is destined to become a classic.
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DIRECTED
BY:
Ron Howard
WRITTEN BY:
Akiva Goldsman
BASED ON THE BOOK BY:
Sylvia Nasar
CAST:
Russell Crowe as John Nash
Jennifer Connelly as Alicia Nash
Paul Bettany as Charles
Ed Harris as Parcher
Christopher Plummer as Dr. Rosen
Adam Goldberg as Sol
MPAA RATING:
PG-13 for intense thematic material, sexual content and a
scene of violence.
RUNNING TIME:
134 Minutes
LINKS:
Now Available:
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