A terrific movie, so long as it is judged as just that.

Rating: 10/10 (29 December 2001)

(POSSIBLE SLIGHT CONCEPTUAL SPOILERS AHEAD)
This film was designed to be captivating at the expense of some realism and much historical accuracy. No, the real John F. Nash isn't quite so heroic, and paranoid schizophrenia isn't exactly what the movie makes it out to be.
However, the way they portrayed his illness made the movie. Not only did it enrich the plot, but it allowed the viewer to relate to the horror and tragedy of his affliction in a way that might not otherwise be possible.
It helped much of course that the acting was top notch. Jennifer Connelly's character came off as a little bit too good to seem possible but that's another element that serves to make the story work so well.
I wish A Beautiful Mind came out last year so that something more substantial than Gladiator could have grabbed the Academy Award for Best Picture. This was a much better year for Hollywood so it's not sure to win but it would have my vote if I had one.