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For anyone who has seen the film A Beautiful Mind John Nash comes across as a man troubled
by schizophrenia, yet able to achieve success in his life. While his illness does cause him
significant problems, he is still able to achieve greatness via his game theory, to manage a long-
lasting relationship where his wife loves him unconditionally, to achieve social acceptance where
his colleagues accept his condition, and to receive the ultimate career achievement in winning
the Nobel prize. The film even shows Nash succeeding over his schizophrenia and become able
to control it and cure himself. This depiction presents Nash's story as one full of positives where
his struggle with schizophrenia and his life is seen in a romantic light. To see the real truth of
schizophrenia, it is better to read Sylvia Nasar's biography of Nash titled A Beautiful Mind: The
Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel Laureate John Nash. In this researched account of
Nash's life, Nasar describes the truth of Nash's life and his schizophrenia. An analysis of the
book will show that Nash's life is far from a romantic story with a happy ending and that
schizophrenia is a far more serious condition than the film suggests.

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Nasar's account of Nash's life also shows the many other social problems he faced on account of
his condition. In the article "Drama in four acts: 'Beautiful Mind' author follows tragedy,"
Rosemary Herbert compares the film and the book and notes that the films offers a cleaned up
version of Nash's life. In contrast, the book tells the true story. Nasar (16) provides a summary of
Nash's real life issues saying that,

He told Goodman that he thought Alicia would make a fine wife. Why? Because she watched so
much television. That meant, he felt, that she wouldn't require much attention from him.

This analysis of A Beautiful Mind: The Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel Laureate John
Nash shows that Sylvia Nash presents the real story of schizophrenia. She illustrates that
schizophrenia is not something that allows Nash to achieve greatness, to build a healthy
relationship, to gain social acceptance, or to achieve the ultimate in career success by winning
the Nobel prize. The real story presented by Nasar shows that Nash only achieves greatness
because of what he does when he is not suffering from schizophrenia. At the same time, he does
not achieve social acceptance and is not part of a healthy relationship. This shows that Nash's
story and Nash's struggle from schizophrenia is far from being a positive one where Nash
overcomes his problems and becomes a hero. Instead, it is a tragic story showing just how
dysfunctional Nash was in all aspects of his life. His only significant positive accomplishment
was the development of his game theory, which occurred when he was 21. The tragic question
that remains but can never be answered, is how much Nash might have achieved if he had not
have suffered from the disease.
This shows that Nash was largely ignored by his peers, rather than being socially accepted. Nasar
also includes an anecdote describing how Nash asks a secretary for a sharp pair of scissors. The
secretary is not sure whether to give them to Nash and asks Albert Tucker what to do. Tucker
tells the secretary to give Nash the scissors but decides to keep an eye on him. Nasar (285)
describes Nash's use for the scissors saying, "nash grabbed the scissors, walked over to a phone
book that was lying out, and cut out the cover, a map of the Princeton area in primary colors. He
pasted it in his notebook." This anecdote is actually quite revealing of how Nash is seen by his
peers. It shows that his peers are wary of Nash and a little scared of him. At the same time, it
shows that they treat him much like they might treat a child. The secretary does not simply give
him the scissors, say no, or ask him what he wants them for. Instead, asking Tucker what to do is
like asking a child's parent what to do. This illustrates that while Nash may not have been
actually thrown out of the university or completely rejected, he was belittled by way of the
opinion that people had of him. Nasar shows that Nash was largely ignored, with people only
paying any attention to him when he interacted with them directly, such as in the case where he
asks for sharp scissors. Nasar (17) emphasizes Nash's social status where she describes him as a
"sad phantom who haunted the Princeton University campus where he had once been a brilliant
graduate student." This reference to Nash as a phantom shows that he was considered unwanted
by his peers. This illustrates that Nash was not able to fit into society while he suffered from
schizophrenia. Instead, people simply tolerated him because it was easier to ignore him than to
deal with him. This shows that Nash's story is not one where he is able to gain the acceptance of
others. Instead, it is one where he remains socially isolated and ignored because of his condition.

A Beautiful mind is one of the most entertaining, beautiful and thought provoking movies I have
seen. Just before I start analysing the review properly I want to mention that this movie is based
on the true story of John Nash and I was fortunate enough to meet John Nash when he visited my
university. He is a very humble man and this movie thankfully does not tarnish his image at all,
but enhances it.

Russel Crowe is incredible as John Nash and deserved a consecutive oscar for this performance.
It shows how versatile he is that one year he can win as oscar for Gladiator and then he can
create a completely different persona for this movie and the two characters are completely
unidentifiable. As John Nash's character ages Russel Crowe uses his great acting to mimic this.
With a change in his walking style, the words he uses and also somehow his voice sounds older,
which is the most impressive aspect. Ed Harris of course is great and Jennifer Connelly is pretty
good as well.
The plot of the movie consists of John Nash being a leading mathematician, however he
developes schizophrenia and this movie shows he tackles this as well as making it in with his
love life and friends and all the other aspects of life. To say anymore would ruin the film, and it
is a beautiful film. Ron Howard does a great job here is must be said and Russell Crowe would
not have been this good without Howard and the movie wouldn't have been as good overall
without him.

Overal a fantastic film and the viewer will feel that they have learnt a lot more about life and that
people who are sane with disabilities, does not make them insane, as is the case with John Nash.
Hopefully now the next time you see someone mentally ill, you will not think they are weird, but
instead treat them with compassion and understanding, as in the long run we are all the same.

Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/400744_a-beautiful-mind-an-amazing-true-

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