Hopeless

Rating: Null/10 (13 March 2002)

I went to see "A Beautiful Mind" expecting an intelligent film about John Nash, a unique man who significantly contributed to economic theory, battled schizophrenia and won a Nobel Prize. I guess that was some other film because I ended up seeing a t.v. movie of the week about a guy who you wouldn't know was a genius if Ron Howard didn't just tell you. I've read articles in Reader's Digest that have more depth than this dribble.
" A Beautiful Mind" is a textbook example of why Hollywood's cinematic hegemony must be stopped at any cost. Terribly directed, terribly written, and poorly acted. I figured the awesome Russell Crowe who was so great in " The Insider" and " Romper Stomper" could have held his own here, but I guess even he couldn't survive Ron Howard's touch of death.
I can't understand why this film is getting such rave reviews except that Ron Howard's career is in serious, serious decline and the establishment feels like they're obliged to give him some kind of award before he makes something no one will be able to forgive him for.
If you want to see a film about schizophrenia, that's touching, vivid and real, rent Harmony Korine's Julian Donkey Boy. Now there's a film that actually deserves an award.