A Beautiful Mind

messenger

The little girl stands for your family within the organization all the attempts they will make to encourage you to come back and have their approval if you will just submit. The best friend represents all those that you grew up with in the organization, people you have known all your life, those who you may see once a year at the District Convention who rush up to you and are so happy to see you, they make you feel secure and a part of something. The government agent symbolizes the organization that has desperate need of your services. They make you feel you are apart of accomplishing the greater good for the saving of mankind and without your contribution it could mean the end of everything. These three characters absolutely control your thoughts your very life and everything you do is generated to obtain their favor. Then one day you discover they do not exist but only in your mind. The security of having everything together is destroyed in facing the fact you are a mentally deranged schizophrenic. When you discover this reality what are your options? Take drugs and live in a stupor for the rest of your life? Utilize more sever therapy that could lobotomize your brain into a simpleton state where you function as little more than a vegetable day to day. Perhaps the third alternative is to fight the visions before your eyes, to simply ignore them no matter how they beg to have interaction with you. Fight to live a semi-normal existence for the purpose of sharing life with your mate who believes in you enough to stick through the hard times. The love you have for this person gives you the will and purpose to never quite, to never stop fighting the psychosis that never relents. What does the mate symbolize? The freedom to think, to live, to love, to assist, and to have the chance a normal life offers.

The little girl, the friend, the government agent, are always there, waiting for you to give in, to lose it, and go back to what you were before. They act like you have really let them down and are desperately wrong to not come back to their world. But the love of freedom will not let you give in and you know you must fight it till the day you die to not let “them” win, to not let “them” destroy the reality of accomplishing something meaningful in life, to not let “them” take over your mind so that you would spend a lifetime in a delusional stupor of accomplishing nothing.

Will you go back to being a Jehovah’s Witness?

The metaphors described above are what came to me as I watched the move: “A Beautiful Mind.” If you happen to see it perhaps it will move you the same way.

WildHorses

I must go see that movie. I heard it was good but with the visuals you described, I have to see it.

I don't want someone in my life I can live with. I want someone in my life I can't live without.

concerned mama

I haven't had the courage to see the movie yet. Schitzophrenia is a horrible, destructive, life destroying disease. FYI it has nothing to do with split personalities, rather is a chemical and receptor imbalance of the neurotransmittors in the brain. This can lead to halluciations, paranoia, hearing voices, withdrawal, complete lack of initiative, inablility to do daily living tasks, lack of understanding of consequences, inability to maintin any relationships and many others. There is no cure, and even the newest drugs used to control the disease have many unpleasant side effects. I feel very sorry for anyone who has to live with this disease, as they don't have an easy life at all.
My Mom has had schitophrenia nearly her whole life.

Preston

Actually, I had a different take on the symbolism behind the movie even though it had nothing to do with the girl, the friend, and the CIA agent. Interestingly, (SPOILERS) the movie doesn't explain why he was hallucinating about these three people in particular. Anyway, here's my review on www.IMDB.com

Preston-10
Phoenix, AZ

Date: 27 December 2001
Summary: Crowe rises above genre, the movie doesn't. Spoilers.

A BEAUTIFUL MIND is the story of how a talented man, bound by a desire to put his craft to work, attempted to defeat disability, and went on to receive praise from his contemporaries. You might think that I have successfully described the trials of the Russell Crowe character (John Nash) in the film, and how, with the help of his wife, handled schizophrenia while going on the win the Nobel Prize. The problem is, I didn't. This really isn't the plot of the movie. In fact, the plot of this film involves what went on behind the scenes of the movie.

We live in a time where Hollywood cannot even make a decent character study without placing it in some predefined genre with the intent of increasing box office revenue. I couldn't help but consider this while watching A BEAUTIFUL MIND. That's not to say I didn't feel satisfied with Russell Crowe's performance. To put it bluntly, this is some of the best acting you will ever see. Unfortunately, A BEAUTIFUL MIND becomes a psychological thriller that leads to a pithy resolution that "love conquers all".

I can only suspect that this was not the film that Ron Howard wanted to make. Don't get me wrong, I've never identified Howard as being some kind of independent spirit or unconventional filmmaker. After all, Howard did direct THE GRINCH. But here is why what went behind the scenes overshadows the story: Howard does put a lot of emphasis on character development, and I could sense his desire to give John Nash's story full emphasis with a studio pressuring him to make a thriller. As a result, the film is kind of half-baked. We become more concerned with whether John Nash is delusional or not. At least, I was.

I still recommend A BEAUTIFUL MIND. Crowe's performance is the reason to see it, along with praiseworthy performances by Ed Harris, Adam Goldberg, and Christopher Plummer. This was also one of the few times I've went to see a film where the audience applauded at the end. I can't help but praise an action star like Russell Crowe for transcending the Hollywood genre. I wish I could say the same for the movie itself.

http://us.imdb.com/CommentsShow?268978-27

closer2fine

Messenger - please edit the title of this thread. It isn't fair. I opened it, not knowing there were spoilers. Please change the title to read "A Beautiful Mind (spoiler alert)" or something like that. I haven't seen it yet, and don't want it ruined for anyone else.

thanks,

closer

LB

Well I'm simple minded. I only saw the movie in front of me and didn't think of anything else. It was captivating though. Russel Crowe did a great job but I was also impressed with Jennifer Connely. She's always just been the cute girl with big boobs, but this lady can act.

Did I say boobs??????

I'm so glad there isn't a back room around here!

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

Robdar

Preston,

You wrote:
"To put it bluntly, this is some of the best acting you will ever see. Unfortunately, A BEAUTIFUL MIND becomes a psychological thriller that leads to a pithy resolution that "love conquers all"."

This is the best, most accurate critique that I have read of the movie.

I did a little research into John Nash. He never even made an acceptance speach when he won the Nobel prize. The committee was worried that he would embarrass himself if he did. So, the "love conquers all" speech is a Hollywood fluff fest. Also, in real life, Alicia divorced him.

Although the acting was incredible, I felt that I was ripped off $7.00 ($14.00 if you count my husband) by going to see this movie at the cinema. I would have enjoyed this movie much more if I had paid less money to see it by waiting for the release of the video.

Robdar

patio34

Thanks for the critiques! I plan on seeing it on Friday afternoon (so I don't completely waste the 7 (No, i think it's 9 around here!), Roblar. Messenger, thanks for the comparison with our common situation here. That'll make it more interesting to watch.

Pat

"It's easier to put on slippers than to carpet the world." (from "Stuart Saves His Family")

Mulan

We just got home from seeing it. I like the analogy you made. I told my husband on the way home, that it's kind of like when we see dubs in the stores, we can ignore them, as part of our past.

Some people can triumph over their illnesses, and it isn't fair to lump all schizophrenics into one lump. They aren't all the same. My mother is borderline, and she is just plain unpleasant, with delusions, and extreme paranoia. I wish she would get medication, but she won't admit there is anything wrong with her. So, we just had to live with her moods.

Marilyn (a.k.a. Mulan)
"No one can take advantage of you, without your permission." Ann Landers

teejay

Saw the movie this afternoon, a movie I think has a clear message that exJWs might find appealing. I know I did.

One thing that Preston said above is that the movie *became* a psychological thriller. I saw it the other way around with it starting as a thriller and then a mystery and finally becoming clearer as it progressed to its climax.

I liked the time Ron Howard's took to create the tension as Nash's character was developed. By moving the story along the way he did, he allowed the man's unique problem to become our own.

What I thought was the powerful moral of the story -- the way Nash finally accepted and dealth with the trio of Parcher, Charles, and the little girl -- will easily be seen and understood among us exJWs. When I saw it near the end I couldn't help but be very moved by it. As far as I'm concerned, it is a very good analogy. Not only that, I think some may actually be helped to come to grips with a past that's not always past.

For Nash's autobiographical statement, go to http://www.nobel.se/economics/laureates/1994/nash-autobio.html

A Beautiful Mind

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