Good in parts

Rating: 7/10 (22 February 2005)

I am in two minds about this one (sorry folks!). On the plus side, the way the movie depicts the mind of John Nash from his perspective is very good. I hadn't actually heard all that much about this film before I saw it, so I must be one of the few who didn't know for sure that Nash is indeed hallucinating until the scenes with the empty barn behind his house (Have you hearrrd the storrry of the Empty Barrrrn..). I am probably thick, but to maintain the uncertainty as to what is real and what is not until that far into the film is very strong, and really rams home what schizophrenia can be to those who suffer from it. Until that point, the film might have been just as well a political thriller instead of a psychological drama. Great, but it works only once, of course.
On the minus side, the romance between Nash and Alicia is quite unbelievable. I don't mean later in the film when she is his wife and stays with him through his illness, regardless of his own suffering. This I can believe, there are many people so dedicated to their partner that they sacrifice big chunks of their own life and happiness to stay together when there is trouble. No, the silly bit is their courtship. If this is really how it happened in real life she is even more crazy than he is. Why would a girl respond to a total boor and social misfit like him? The guy is simply revolting, and I would think that an intelligent and pretty girl like Alicia would have no lack of better suitors from which to choose from.
Russell Crowe's acting is reasonably good, if a bit on the side of overdoing it. He is best when he is under the medication, worst in his college days with the exaggerated spasms and speech problems. Good to see Christopher Plummer making an appearance, and he puts Dr. Rosen down very precisely, keeping enough distance to make it unclear for a while who he really is and what he really stands for.
The cinematography is quite beautiful, I like the warm colours of the University surroundings, so suggestive of steadiness, calm and control, contrasting nicely with the turmoil of Nash's inner life.
The ending with the Nobel prize acceptance speech is downright cheesy and disappointed me. This film doesn't need such cheap trickery to make its point.
On the whole, well worth watching but parts of it are a bit too Hollywood.