Different Angle of "Goodwill Hunting" -- Overrated

Rating: 5/10 (28 May 2005)

Ron Howard's "Masterpiece"? Hardly. The true story of Nobel Prize winner John Nash, focusing on his long struggle with schizophrenia. Never quite "fitting in", the young Nash developed not one, but 3 imaginary "friends" who haunted him far beyond the point when he realized they were hallucinations.
With his "condition" climaxing during the Korean War Era, with the Cold War on everyones mind, Nash was obsessed with the idea of being a government spy whose Mathematical genius and natural talent for "cracking codes" was invaluable to the CIA. Decades later, the once arrogant graduate student, now an accomplished PhD Professor, is honored by his peers for his enlightening findings in the field of Mathematics, which changed the world of Science forever. Receiving the Nobel Prize in 1994, Nash gives credit for all of his accomplishments to his wife, and cites that true love is greater than any science.
The VHS video features an additional documentary of about 20 minutes, looking behind the scenes of making this film. The real John Nash was interviewed, as was his long suffering wife who saved him from self destruction.
A remarkable life story, however a less remarkable film. Embellished accounts of facts to assure drama, along with many comments on the treatment of mental patients in the 1950s (still considered the dark ages of mental health), this could easily be condensed into a 60 minute "NOVA" video at a fraction of the production cost. Best Picture? You're kidding.