Modern Heresy

Don't read any spoilers before seeing this film. It's based on a true story, so of course that's tempting, but the twist of perception, similar to that in The Fight Club (which is frankly a better film) is best met unprepared. Russell Crowe, who talks only slightly more in A Beautiful Mind than he does in Gladiator actually does a bang-up job as protagonist John Forbes Nash Jr... In Gladiator one gathers that Crowe is a troglodyte who shouldn't try to speak too much, merely strut around and grunt occasionally. In this film Crowe offers us a socially shy character with troubled even illusory relationships, but one capable of expression - of humour and pathos. Crowe fits into the role as hand into glove. The film takes a suitable length of time to develop without being slow and has some genuinely lovely moments of suspense seen through Nash's eyes. There are felt similarities with Hearts in Atlantis (which this reviewer found more satisfying) and Mr. Holland's Opus (which was far less satisfying than A Beautiful Mind).