Review of A Beautiful Mind (2001) by Matthew D — 10 Jul 2018

My favorite Ron Howard film.

A Beautiful Mind is the real life story of a genius mathematician. Ron Howard directs with a tender understanding of this man's fragile mental state. We see the brilliant mind of John Nash reduced over time with paranoia.

Howard crafts the sincere beginnings of a hopeful mathematician to the paranoid struggle of a broken man. A Beautiful Mind builds empathy for Nash with Roger Deakins' gorgeous shots and James Horner's haunting score. The somber notes swell from lovely to lonely moods.

Russell Crowe is inspired as John Nash. He plays the character with such sympathy and nuance. You feel for Nash and his plight because of how realistically genuine Crow portrays Nash.

Furthermore, Jennifer Connelly is incredible as Nash's wife. She suffers just as much as he does, but in a different way. Connelly's capability to demonstrate a working wife struggling to provide for her family at odds is something to behold.

Similarly, Ed Harris and Paul Bettany play fascinating supporting roles. You watch their characters take on a whole new meaning by the end. The way that Harris and Bettany play these roles is shocking and entertaining to the last frame with them.

Lastly, I love Christopher Plummer's smaller cameo role as the Dr. Rosen. He is empathetic and intriguing in his performance. We get to see Plummer dive into how to speak to someone troubled with a level of respect and understanding.

Overall, I think most audiences will love A Beautiful Mind. Every since it was released in 2001, I have had this movie burned into my mind. It is memorable evermore.