★ 7 / 10
Russell Crowe and Ron Howard make for quite
CinemaSerf
Russell Crowe and Ron Howard make for quite a formidable partnership in this biopic of the acclaimed mathematician John Nash. Like so many folk with an acute…
Russell Crowe and Ron Howard make for quite a formidable partnership in this biopic of the acclaimed mathematician John Nash. Like so many folk with an acute scientific ability, his social skills bordered on the wrong side of inept and a combination of his good looks and his superiority complex soon lead him to a life that vacillates between the extremely happy and the downright depressing. There are maybe two people in his life whom he has made some sort of connection with. His Princeton college "Charles" (Paul Bettany) and the exceptionally patient "Alicia" (Jennifer Connelly) whom he met whilst teaching her and whom he eventually marries. Meantime, his brainpower has attracted the attention of Uncle Sam, and that's when he meets "Parcher" (Ed Harris) who embroils him in a plan to crack some top secret Soviet codes. The enemy also knows he's been drafted in to help and so he is soon a target for their assassins and their network of fifth columnists too. A combination of his own inherent insecurities and this way more palpable threat lead Nash to a paranoia that threatens to destroy himself and everything he holds dear. It's also a testament to Howard's direction that he manages to create quite a menacing character from the usually charming Christopher Plummer, whose "Rosen" is a dab hand with an hypodermic. Crowe is at his best here, his portrayal of this frankly rather selfish and obnoxious man is almost perfect and though I can't say I ever liked the character, nor felt especially sorry for his predicaments, I did feel invested in just how he could emerge from the internal conflicts he faced unsure of what was true and what was not. A bare minimum of romance to clutter it up and both Harris and Connelly contributing well to a story of a flawed yet brilliant human being makes this well worth a few hours.
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★ 9 / 10
Crowe Does It Again!
ccthemovieman-1
The more I watch Russell Crowe, the more I am becoming a big fan of his acting talent. Here again, he demonstrates his skills in a role that had me spellbound.…
The more I watch Russell Crowe, the more I am becoming a big fan of his acting talent. Here again, he demonstrates his skills in a role that had me spellbound. Of course, mentally-ill people are usually fascinating. Look how popular the cable television show "Monk" has become.
Crowe's character, mathematician John Nash, is not nearly as eccentric as "Monk," but his schizophrenia makes for a fascinating portrait of a very troubled man. This is another of those Ron Howard based-on-a-true-story films, so don't take everything here as gospel truth....because it ain't so. (One example: in real life, Nash's wife was anything but as supportive as Jennifer Connelly was portrayed here.)
The first time I saw this film I was disappointed. Maybe I expected more, maybe I felt the story was unfair to the viewer and I felt like this was just one more attempt at Liberal Hollywood to make fun of those in the 1950s who were opposed to Communism. Well, on the second viewing, just a few weeks ago, I didn't have a problem with any of those things, just enjoying the performances and the classy-looking cinematography, thanks to one of the best cameramen in the business, Roger Deakins. I'm not always a fan of director Ron Howard, but his films are usually interesting and pleasing to the eye. He and Crowe seem to be a good pair, too, as witnessed by 2005's "Cinderella Man."
For those who enjoy a cerebral thriller, this is a very intriguing film. Ed Harris, Paul Bettany, Adam Goldberg, Judd Hirsch, Josh Lucas and Anthony Rapp all deliver solid supporting help and, if you haven't seen this, this story will deliver a big surprise. If you know the ending, a second viewing is even more interesting as you trace Nash's actions from the beginning.
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When will the 4k Bluray be added???