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Ryan Scott
13th June 2007, 09:41 AM (09:41)
I re-watched this one this week for the first time in several years (perhaps since it came out in theaters, although I don't remember).

This is an essentially true story about Dr. John Nash, a Nobel Prize winning mathematician who has suffered from sever mental illness for much of his life. This is the film where Ron Howard actually won an Oscar for Best Director and is probably his most complete film. Russell Crowe plays Nash from his time as a grad student at Princeton until, essentially the modern day. Jennifer Connelly plays his wife. There is a long list of fantastic actors in the cast as well.

I don't want to get into much plot, but the film does a wonderful job of putting us in the head of someone suffering from mental illness. Obviously, Nash can't really describe what the illness is like, so the director and screenwriter had to be creative and did so exquisitely. Ultimately the movie is about love and the grand connection that holds people together when the situation is beyond the capabilities of one person to handle.

There is a beautiful monologue in which Connelly explains why and how she remained with her husband through the worst of his illness. Certainly for those of you who are married will appreciate the understanding of being a part of something larger than yourself.

Great movie.

Mike Norris
13th June 2007, 03:39 PM (15:39)
....I've seen it 2 times.....and think it is a really good movie. I was so caught up in the plot the first time that I saw it.....that I was really unaware that the " action " that was going on was , in fact , all in his mind and not in reality.

Ryan Scott
13th June 2007, 04:02 PM (16:02)
I tried not to mention that, as it is the crux of the impact of the story, but I don't think you gave too much away.

Barb Bouldrey
13th June 2007, 05:26 PM (17:26)
That is a fascinating movie! That it is a true story makes it even more fascinating.

Barb

Gina Stevenson
13th June 2007, 11:43 PM (23:43)
'Saw part of it once, and wished I'd seen the beginning. So, it's on my "list" (tho' not officially written out ;)) of movies to see someday. Thanks for the reminder.

Ryan Scott
14th June 2007, 09:07 AM (09:07)
I thought the most ingenious part was that the real Nash doesn't remember what his delusions were like. He can't describe them, so the writer had to come up with a fictional aspect to the very real story, which fit so well into the plot and was so successful at communicating the situation.