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The mind is indeed a beautiful thing. It is the reason for our ingenuity, artistic originality and maybe even our humanity. What happens however when the mind works against us? When it tricks us into believing that what is not real to be the actual, destroying our sense of being? This is what “A Beautiful Mind” tackles, a thought-provoking film based on a true story with lots of brain behind it, but more importantly, lots of heart within it.

Russell Crowe is John Nash, a mathematical genius who sees life through numbers. We curiously watch him as he observes a pack of pigeons and tries to formulate an algorithm for their feeding patterns; or when John witnesses a mugging, and he sets up the incident as vectors and summarizing the event through complicated theorems and formulas. John basically wants to explain life’s behaviors through precise mathematical proofs, but his own behavior is somewhat enigmatic itself.

He is a bit of a loner, an anti-social scholar at Princeton University, scribbling equations on chalkboards and windows that only 0.001% of us will understand. Social interactions are not quite honed, as he tries to get a girl to go out with him, but the few words that he does say includes something about exchanging bodily fluids. In time however, John forms a few good friends, and even manages to have a girl, Alicia (Jennifer Connelly) fall for him.

[Warning: Plot spoiler in next paragraph]

The film is set in the 1940’s, and the Cold War seedling is burgeoning. Mathematicians made the Allied victory possible, and their help is sought ought once more to help against the Russians. John has a knack for breaking cryptic codes and is hired by the government to interpret intercepted numerical messages sent by the enemy. He is involved in highly classified projects and has basically been transformed into a spy. However, the situation gets a bit gnarly as men in dark trench coats and fedoras begin to chase John. On top of that, it doesn’t quite help that he suffers from schizophrenia, a degenerative brain condition that causes John to hallucinate and slowly lose contact with reality. He must now depend on his human connections to help him get through the dilemma.

“A Beautiful Mind” is a love story, a biography and a spy flick wrapped up together in one package, and works quite effectively on all these levels. Written by Akiva Goldsman and Sylvia Nasar, along with the highly taut direction of Ron Howard, the film is tremendously engaging, despite running a bit too long. It has surprises that will keep you guessing, but most of all, it evokes drama that is heartfelt. Anchored by the strong chemistry between John and Alicia, his personal troubles sifting nightmares from reality becomes a powerful human struggle. A man who achieved greatness all by himself now needs the assistance of others to get through life.

The performances are reliably excellent from its two leading stars. “A Beautiful Mind” is getting a lot of clout for the Oscars with its multiple Golden Globe nominations, which might mean another nomination for Russell Crowe for Best Actor (which he won for “Gladiator” and NOT “The Insider”…still quite upsetting). Crowe is great as John Nash, although sometimes he looks a tad bit old for the part. The beautiful Jennifer Connelly is wonderful too as John’s love interest, and boy does she know how to pick a good script. She has been involved in some of the best movies within the last four years, including 1998’s “Dark City” and last year’s “Requiem for a Dream”. She exemplifies classic beauty and knows how to add passion to her character.


Overall, “A Beautiful Mind” is a very good film with its mind and heart in all the right places.