A Beautiful Mind (Ron Howard, United States, 2002, Imagine Entertainment)

A Beautiful Mind is the biographical rendition of Nobel Prize-winning economist and mathematician John Forbes Nash, Jr. The content for this motion picture is taken from the book written by Sylvia Nasar, which just so happens to go by the same name. 

Nash suffers from schizophrenia, resulting in hallucinations, paranoia and a fear of persecution. His hallucinations manifest in the form of people, now these people affect his life in a variety of ways; from a roommate, whose primary purpose is to aid John in his studies; to a government agent, who recruits John with the mediocre task of saving the United States from nuclear annihilation. 

I went into this film blind to John Nash and his story, similarly to the mental health condition of schizophrenia. 

The way in which the audience are introduced to these hallucinations gives no indication as to the nature of John’s condition, it is kept from us as it is from John. I believe this to be a powerful way of communicating his condition on screen, thus setting us up for an increased sense of psychological shock at the reveal. So much so, that I refused to believe the allegations against Johns sanity, however I believe this to be the very intention set by the filmmakers involved. To have us sympathise with Johns plight and mental manifestations. 

I was emotionally moved by the way in which this condition affected John, even more so by the effects on his loved ones. 

In my film, I intend to have the protagonist be unaware of his conditions, only by seeking help does he come to terms with what ails him, putting a name to it and finally being able to tackle it head on. 

I’d also like to get across that the closest people to him are unaware of any issues, only to realise when he breaks down in front of them. I believe this will add dramatic affect and signify the importance of telling people how you feel, for how else are they meant to help.