2001--A Beautiful Mind, Ron Howard

 

2001--A Beautiful Mind—Ron Howard

Nominated: Gosford Park, In the Bedroom, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Moulon Rouge!

Should have won:Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Be sure to see: Ichi the Killer, Joy Ride, Lost and Delirious, Oh Brother Where Art Thou?, Waking Life, Winged Migration

“Now that I know you're real, who are you and what can I do for you?”--John Nash

     Maybe it is because the Academy loves movies about people with mental issues. Maybe it is because they knew there were still two more Lord of the Rings movies to come so they can award the final one. Or maybe they can say that this is actually a pretty good movie. Whatever the case may be, A Beautiful Mind beat Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring for best picture. Not as ridiculous as the 1998, 1996, or 1977 upsets considering the movie does seem like best picture material. I just wish Ron Howard had the guts to accept his award, thank the Academy, then ask if they were nuts like the main character in this film is.

     It tells the story of John Nash, a brilliant mathematician whose skills put Will Hunting to shame. However, along with his genius, he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. Those close to him start to worry, especially when people who look like gangsters from a 1940s film noir want him to crack secret codes. It is hard to tell whether or not they can be trusted though they seem to have solid intentions. 

     Nash won the Carnegie scholarship and does math problems on his window. He looks at life in a way which makes everything seem important, even picking up women in a bar is a process of complete honesty. His pick up lines consist of blunt intentions. He eventually dates and marries one of his students who got around an issue in his classroom in a more convenient way than he did. The movie proceeds to tell this couple's story over a period of decades. It is romantic at times, and we know just how difficult it must have been for his wife, Alicia, to live with someone with this condition. 

     When it is revealed just how dangerous Nash's mind can be, it comes around the halfway point in the film. In other films that might be the big revealing shock placed at the end. I like that we see these issues unveiled so early because this movie isn't about twist endings; it is about Nash's mind. The title is somewhat appropriate because his genius does give him a beautiful mind however it is also dark, mysterious, and dangerous. His mental instabilities overtake his mind at times, making him distant to his wife, forget his baby in the bathtub, and one time push Alicia because he believed he was pushing her out of danger that was in his mind.

     Time passes and, through medication and a caring wife, he learns to cope with his problems. I hope it isn't a spoiler to reveal he wins the Nobel Prize. I've read than in most synopses of the film so I figure it was common knowledge. When he wins the Nobel Prize it is a sweet moment, but I wonder why his wife is out in the crowd instead of up front or in a special seat.

     A piece of Oscar trivia: No actor has ever won best actor in consecutive years that the movies he was in won best picture. Had Russel Crowe won for his role as John Nash that streak would have been broken. He won best actor the previous year in Gladiator which, of course, won best picture. Denzel Washtington's performance in Training Day kept this streak alive.

     Ultimately what I took from this movie is John Nash suffers from a condition that makes him brilliant yet delusional. Not a bad story and it is based on a real man who still (as of 2001 I guess) teaches at Princeton. It is pretty decent but I feel the term “best picture” should focus on the word “best” each and every year. Not most deserving or heartfelt. Voters shouldn’t consider that sequels will be coming out so they can award the final sequel and spread the wealth. Whatever was the best movie of the year should win best movie of the year. I think that is fair to say about any awards ceremony. A Beautiful Mind was very good and a touching human interest story. But let's be real here, it is a mental achievement while Lord of the Rings is a monumental achievement. 

*Note: It was very difficult to not reveal spoilers in this write up.