A Beautiful Mind

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
A Beautiful Mind Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Oscar-winning biopic is too intense for tweens.

PG-13 2001 135 minutes
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Parents say

age 15+

Based on 12 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 30 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Stands out for .

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.

Community Reviews

Fatima Suleman
Fatima Suleman Adult
June 27, 2021
age 15+

The mind plays but the heart knows

It's a wonderful story of a mathematician suffering from a mental condition, known as schizophrenia. The movie captures the attention, thoughts and emotions of the viewers very well. It depicts two very beautiful lessons: 1) A mentally strong, but emotionally deprived person is at risk of developing psychiatric illnesses, as in this case, John Nash who would not talk to people much, and was not liked much by them. 2) How love could be a solution to these problems. The script is beautifully written, with some amazing lines which sound like these, "It's the past, and past haunts everyone" and "it's when you know that what you experienced, who you have memories with are not gone, not dead, they never existed." Actors have done an amazing job, and the message has been very beautifully delivered.

This title has:

Great messages
CSMContentDefault
CSMContentDefault Adult
October 17, 2018
age 13+
See all 12 parent reviews

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.

Talk to Your Kids 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.

Movie Details

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