"A Beautiful Mind" is typical Hollywoodized claptrap designed to jerk the heartstrings of the average viewer, with Russell Crowe overacting like a fool.

Hopefully this film will drop out of the IMDB top 250 soon, as it's one of the more overrated films in movie history. To be honest, I cannot imagine most of the "real life" occurrences actually happening anything like the way they did in the film. Crowe is one of the most egotistical and psychologically messed-up actors around, and it's clear here that he thinks he's another Marlon Brando. Hollywood has done little to disabuse him of this notion. Who knows what further silliness and excesses we can expect from Mr. Crowe in the future?

The film isn't too bad if you ignore the blatantly manipulative elements. The story is engaging enough thanks to decent acting (particularly from Ed Harris and Christopher Plummer), and the film is watchable on a more "mindless" level -- it's fun to watch these top-list actors doing their stuff. However, rest assured that this is not an accurate portrayal of schizophrenia, or of the real-life John Nash's life.

Anyway, "A Beautiful Mind" is worth a watch if it comes on cable (currently playing on HBO), and you should make up your own mind. From where I'm standing, it's pretty much one of those flicks designed to attract Academy voters at Oscar time and tug on the heart-strings of gullible viewers. You may see things that are not really there, of course. 6/10.