A really good film, but not a great one

Rating: 6/10 (7 January 2002)

I liked the movie but I didn't feel it was as great as everybody is telling me it is. Russell Crowe was good, but it surely isn't his best performance (see The Insider, which is a better performance, better film). Obviously it was intended, but I felt that tricking the viewer into a spy/mystery flick and then pulling us into a mental disorder flick was disruptive. I also would have prefered the biography to be more accurate near the begining of the film. His character was a bit less likeable that the film portrays. Pehaps I am being too harsh on the flick, but perhaps others are just buying into the "feel-good" "serious-drama" hype. Oh well.