3.5 stars

Rating: 8/10 (18 April 2002)

I saw this on 2/19/2002. The title refers to the mind of John Nash, a brilliant but eccentric mathematician played by Russell Crowe. This film, which is based on the real life of John Nash, opens in 1947 when he arrives at Princeton, and continues through a period of 47 years. During this time his eccentricity is seen to deepen into mental illness, and we see his struggles against it in a way few others could attempt.
Crowe's performance here is quite remarkable, both in terms of portraying the changing phases of his life, but also his ability to show us what he is feeling in his early encounters with his schoolmates and his future wife (played very well by Jennifer Connelly) and his later battles with mental illness. Ed Harris, on the other hand, is under used. The direction, by Ron Howard, is quite good in its ability to show us the inner workings of Nash's mind, both in its mathematical brilliance and in its struggles with sanity.
The biggest aspect that holds this film back from greatness is its simplification and Hollywood-izing of Nash's life. For example, Nash's bisexuality is left out of the film. But even if the package is just a little too neatly wrapped, this is a film that is highly recommended.