Ryan Karzar Mrs.Lodge period 1

Ryan Karzar

On a fact sheet it found that as much as 51 million people around the world at one time suffer with schizophrenia. (Schizophrenia.com)In the movie A Beautiful Mind it shows the life of an individual, John Nash, as he learns that he has schizophrenia. Also this movie beautifully shows the transformation Nash undergoes when he becomes a schizophrenic. The purpose that Ron Haward had in making this movie was to truly capture the terror of schizophrenia. The way in which this movie is told makes it one of the best movies of its time.

First in order to prove that this movie was the best, the term best movie needs to be defined. On the website RustyLime (What Makes a Good Movie?) the author successfully defines what a movie needs to be the best. One criteria for making the best movie is it must move the story along and not have parts that are pointless. Also a criteria is that the actors must show the way in which a normal person would feel in the circumstance. Another concept needed for this is the movie must hold the attention of the viewer and keep them watching.

In the movie a beautiful mind it includes all of the criteria making it the best of its time. First of all it has all the scenes contribute to the main view of the movie. This is done even in the small parts with how each part leads the viewer to the conclusion that Nash is schizophrenic. This is shown during a scene where the character is meeting his roommate who at first seems insignificant but later it is viewed as a key point because that roommate ends up being a figment of his imagination. The appeal that this has on the viewer is it allows them to be entertained throughout the movie and not bored during some parts. Also by making all parts significant it helps the purpose of showing the true concept of schizophrenia. The reason that this shows that is these parts that at first seem small later as a whole contribute to the conclusion that Nash has schizophrenia. This is such an important thing to do because it demonstrates the change in Nash’s behavior showing what schizophrenia can do.

This concept of no insignificant parts allows the viewer to stay attached to the story but without actors who can really express the story it wouldn’t matter. The cast in this story do express the story really well. The way in which they do this is by really showing the real emotions that anyone would have during this dilemma. One scene that demonstrates this is when Nash stopped taking medicine and his delusions where back his wife really demonstrated the anger that most people would take from being annoyed by the constant troubles. This allows the viewer too really feel for the characters by appealing to the pathos of the viewer. This appeal is due to seeing how much emotion this story put on the characters making the viewer feel bad for the characters. Also this appeals to the purpose because by showing the true emotions of the person with schizophrenia and his family it demonstrates the true effect that schizophrenia can have on all. Also it allows the viewer to see that schizophrenia has more side effects then just physical ones.

The emotional attachment from great acting draws the viewer in but would not be affective if the director didn’t first keep the reader their long enough to see this view. The way in which Howard does this is by making a very suspenseful piece in order to keep the viewer watching. The whole movie keeps the suspense because from the start the viewer knows something is wrong with Nash but they don’t know what is wrong with him. This keeps the reader guessing and looking for clues in order to find what is wrong. Also this makes the viewer feel the need to watch the whole movie in order to figure out on their own what’s wrong with Nash. Another purpose behind this mystery is in order to be successful in showing schizophrenia. The way in which this is done is when having the viewer want to figure out what’s wrong with Nash it really makes them see the symptoms of schizophrenia since they see even the small symptoms.

This movie is a true work of art, however some don’t feel this is fully true. One reviewer, Jeffrey Overstreet says how he felt this movie was not good due to the falseness in this true story. One example that Jeffrey gives is “It ignores the fact that the real John Nash abandanded an earlier lover and child”. (Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Clooser) This is true that this was cut out, but it should have been cut out because with it in the film it would have weakened the film. The reason that it would have made the film worse is that it would have made the viewer see Nash in a way that doesn’t appeal to the writer. Also without this the viewer sees Nash as a true romantic only having on love in his whole life.

All of this creates one of the best movies of is time for A Beatiful Mind. This great movie allows the viewer to see schizophrenia in its true light. This is done by creating a film which really does qualify as one of the best by using tactics like a suspenseful movie, an emotional cast and a continuous entertaining plot. Finally schizophrenia can truly change the way in which a person acts and the way in which they see things.

Bibliography

Overstreet, Jeffrey. "Looking Closer » Blog Archive » A Beautiful Mind (2001)." Looking Closer. Web. 11 Feb. 2012. .

"Schizophrenia Facts and Statistics." Schizophrenia.com, Indepth Schizophrenia Information and Support. Web. 11 Feb. 2012. .

"What Makes a Good Movie?" Rusty Lime. Web. 11 Feb. 2012. .