 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
A Beautiful Mind
- Review Date: May 18, 2003
- PG-13
- Genre: Drama
- 2001
Common Sense Media says
Oscar-winning biopic is too intense for tweens.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know the material might be very upsetting for kids, or for anyone who has relatives with mental illness or who knows very little about it. There are some strong scenes of family tension and peril, including a child in jeopardy, scuffles, and potential domestic abuse. There are graphic scenes of shock therapy and self-destructive behavior. A character is in peril involving shooting. There is also some crude language with sexual references.
What's the story?
A man sees what no one else can, and we call him a genius. A man sees what no one else does, and we call him crazy. This Academy Award-winner for Best Picture is about a man who was both. It's the true story of genius John Forbes Nash, Jr., who revolutionized mathematics and struggled with mentally illness. More than 40 years later, as he edged back into sanity, his contribution was recognized by academics in Sweden. They awarded him the Nobel Prize.
Is it any good?
This is an extraordinary story, and it has been made into an extraordinary movie. Crowe is, as always, simply magnificent in a role that would provide irresistible temptation for showboating for most actors. There are superb performances by everyone in the cast, including Connelly (an Oscar-winner for Best Supporting Actress), Paul Bettany, Ed Harris, Christopher Plummer, Judd Hirsch, and a dozen others.
What is really special here is the way that screenwriter Akiva Goldman and director Ron Howard have found a way to present both Nash's genius and his mental illness in such compelling, cinematic, and accessible terms. Both in essence become characters in the story as we go inside his head and wonder with Nash what to believe. This is what makes the movie more than a disease-of-the-week special with color-by- numbers "heartwarming" moments of triumph over adversity. This is what makes the movie itself a true work of art.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about mental illness, about how people with mental illness need to be treated, and about what is different now in the way we treat the mentally ill from the days depicted in the movie. Families who want to know more should check the Web site for the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
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AGE
Incredible, emotional, intense, and fascinating film.
Good for some kids--but it may be confusing to some kids, and too intense and sad for others.
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AGE
Not worth an oscar
I don't see what was so great about this one. The movie is hard to watch, confusing and leaves you disappointed and depressed. Why bother?
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AGE
Wonderful masterpiece!
One of the best movies. Go see it!!!
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AGE
The Most Underrated of Best Pic Winners
This is one of the most affecting, well-crafted, and all-around successful films that I have ever seen. And I've seen a lot of films. Russell Crowe (speaking of underrated...) completely dissolves into Forbes Nash, making us buy every twitch, every utterance, selling every eccentric line without a moment's hesitation. He's brilliant. Ron Howard's direction, disputed by some, enhanced the film immensely in my opinion. He shoots it entirely through the eyes of Forbes; what he sees, we see. It helps delve us into the same world that he's living in. The film also shows us what it's like to harbor a plot twist WITHOUT telling us that in a preview. To be honest, this film contains one of the most unexpected (and completely authentic) twists I have ever seen. Better yet, it's not heavy handed; there's no "trickery", and Howard doesn't spend the film trying to lead us astray. He simply throws it at us, packing a serious punch. (It's also worth noting that I didn't even know this film HAD a twist...It's not one of the incredibly hyped "you'll-never-believe-what-happens" sort of thing). Perhaps this "Twist" was not seen as so by some. The more sophisticated filmgoer may have figured it out immediately, playing the first portion of the film as they should, considering what is fact and what is fiction carefully (as I did upon a second viewing). Okay, enough about the twist: the film is also exciting, fascinating, and heart-wrenching. It's everything you want from a movie. See it, if you haven't. It's absolutely worth it.
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AGE
best film ever
i think this film everyone should see but i did cry 4 most of it
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AGE
amazing movie, too intense for younger kids
it's an amazing movie! while watching you'll feel sad, happy, campassion and fear. it's also very educational for understanding schizopornia
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AGE
PERFECT
WOW I think its one of the best movies i have ever watched. I saw the title and i thought it was going to be dumb but it really turned out great. And for all of you who think it is depressing i think that is exactly what the directer wanted to say that his life was not a cake walk but something that was hard and that no one should have to go through.
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AGE
One of the best movies ever made!
See this movie!!! If you don't, you are seriously missing out on one of the greatest pieces of art ever made. Some of the subject matter, such as sexual refernces, and the way the movie can mess with your mind when it comes to Nash's schizophrenia, is not app-roapriate for some children; for others, it might fly right over their head if they're young enough.
All in all, however, this movie deserved all the awards it won, and more in my opinion. You would only be doing a disservice to yourself by not seeing it.
PS: Russel Crowe should have won best actor for his performance
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| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | Ron Howard |
| Cast: | Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Russell Crowe |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 135 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 21, 2001 |
| DVD release date: | May 27, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense thematic material, sexual content and a scene of violence. |
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