12/24/2001

By Philip Wuntch / The Dallas Morning News

	Universal Pictures
	Russell Crowe as mathematical genius John Forbes Nash Jr. in A Beautiful Mind

The film will be deservedly lauded for Ron Howard's courageous direction as well as Russell Crowe's and Jennifer Connelly's superb performances. But Akiva Goldsman's screenplay tells us enough about this disturbed and disturbing genius to make us wish we knew more.

We first meet Mr. Nash, played with a perfect mix of wryness and innocence by Mr. Crowe, as a 1947 Princeton prodigy. He's freshly arrived from West Virginia with an eccentric and arrogant demeanor. The other prodigies are just as arrogant but have channeled their eccentricities into socially acceptable behavior.

"I don't like people much," he mutters, and might have added "and vice versa."

Still, he earns the loyalty of those nearest to him. His roommate, Charles (cheekily played by Paul Bettany, whose Chaucer was the most memorable character in A Knight's Tale), remains a steadfast chum against various odds.

He makes a more important human connection five years later, while teaching at M.I.T. One of his students is the intelligent, assured Alicia Larde (Ms. Connelly), and she quickly pursues him. Alicia is accustomed to getting what she wants. But since her choices are never easy, you can hardly hold it against her. She chooses Mr. Nash for a husband, and he is not an easy mate.

Mysterious CIA agent William Parcher (Ed Harris) suddenly appears to enlist Mr. Nash in Cold War espionage. But once Nash's schizophrenia becomes more pronounced, the audience learns that nothing is quite what it seems, and several major surprises are in store.

Nevertheless, the film tends to tie its various elements into overly tidy packages, with the screenplay simplifying a mind too complex to fit into a convenient file.

Mr. Crowe's performance locates the extreme complexities that the script treats gingerly. Even more than in the highly physical Gladiator, he acts with his entire body. His body has a language of its own, frequently at odds with the words that come out of his mouth. Initially, Mr. Nash is not an easy character to like, but Mr. Crowe wins our affection and concern honestly rather than with facile acting tricks.

For too long, Ms. Connelly was burdened with the dismissive label of "promising." With 2000's Requiem for a Dream, "promising" gave way to "accomplished." Her portrayal of Alicia reinforces her standing as an actress worthy of challenging roles. Toward the end, the movie almost turns Alicia into a woman-who-loves-too-much stereotype. But Ms. Connelly's performance contains a compelling edge even when Alicia is smiling through her tears.

Mr. Harris is called upon to reprise his Truman Show routine as a shadowy manipulator, and he does so with ease. Mr. Bettany is sprightly and even ingratiating.

For director Howard, the many layers of Mr. Nash's mind must have been more difficult to fathom than the outer space horizons of Apollo 13 . He makes several brave choices in visualizing Mr. Nash's mental state, and he displays enough skill to substantiate his choices. The former child star should never again be referred to as "the one-time Opie." He, Mr. Crowe, and Ms. Connelly give the film a rich texture that's not always apparent in the screenplay.

A Beautiful Mind

B+

Starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Paul Bettany, Christopher Plummer, and Judd Hirsch. Ron Howard directs. Rated PG-13 for dramatic intensity, sex, and brief violence. 134 mins.