"I need to believe that something extraordinary is possible."

Rating: 8/10 (18 February 2007)

John Forbes Nash was an American mathematician, a reclusive but brilliant man who harboured his own share of mysterious demons. 'A Beautiful Mind' first finds him during an informal welcome to Princeton University, alone against the back wall, staring at his own feet. His mind off elsewhere, Nash doesn't even listen to the inspirational introductory speech, but is instead  most likely  contemplating the original mathematical theory that he believes will make him great. Of course, he hasn't formulated this theory yet, but he is so supremely confident of his brilliance that, for him, it is inevitable.
Refusing to attend his classes on the basis that they will "dull your mind" and "destroy the potential for authentic creativity," Nash spends much of his time in his room, gazing out at the grass courtyard below, furiously chalking on the windows to try and discover an algebraic pattern to the movements of everyday life - a flock of pigeons around scraps of bread, a makeshift football game, the chase of a man who has stolen a purse. Nash is so assuredly confident in his mind's own abilities that he has long learned to ignore the aid of those around him. Upon losing a game of Go to a fellow student, Nash tries desperately to figure out what went wrong, recalling "I had the first move, my play was perfect," before declaring that "the game is flawed."
This complete dependence upon his own mind makes it even more difficult when Nash is told that he is suffering from schizophrenia. Afterall, if it is his mind itself that is the problem, how could he possibly use his own impeccable logic to solve it? Most likely, Nash decides, it is everybody else who must be wrong.
Despite winning the 2000 Best Actor Oscar for "Gladiator," it is in this film that Russell Crowe delivers his greatest performance, announcing unquestionably to the world that he is one of the most gifted talents of his generation. Contrasting starkly with his previous character, Maximus Decimus Meridius, John Nash is shy and softly-spoken, often exhibiting a complete disregard for social conventions.
With his first spoken lines, Nash insults a man's choice of necktie, before informing another fellow student that "there's not one seminal or innovative idea" in either of his pre-prints. Unaware on how to communicate with women, Nash sometimes matter-of-factly declares to an interested female, "I don't exactly know what I am required to say in order for you to have intercourse with me. But could we assume that I said all that," before requesting that they cut straight to the "fluid exchange." This statement is often met with a nasty slap to the face.
Nash initially struggles through his time at Princeton University, simply unable to inspire that "truly original idea" that is "the only way he will ever distinguish himself the only way he will ever matter." He has few friends; his only true support comes from his chatty, laid-back roommate, Charles (Paul Bettany). After graduating from Princeton, Nash becomes a doctor of mathematics, but, to his disgruntlement, his duties include teaching a class. It is here that he meets Alicia (Jennifer Connelly), who is able to accept him for the man he is, but soon sets about giving him a "beautiful heart" in addition to his "beautiful mind." However, Nash's world is suddenly plunged into chaos when a federal agent named Parcher (Ed Harris) approaches him to perform top-secret code-breaking work for the Department of Defense.
'A Beautiful Mind' is a haunting and inspirational biopic from Ron Howard ("Apollo 13"), who gives us perhaps his greatest film to date. Adapted by Akiva Goldsman from the biography by Sylvia Nasar, this film features terrific performances from a stellar cast, including a phenomenal Russell Crowe at the top of his game. You could argue that the screenplay sometimes embellishes on the truth for dramatic effect, but this can be easily forgiven in light of the often heart-wrenching drama we witness on screen. After all, like I've always said, "don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!"