jigga6286

I know it won best picture and all, but is it a safe blind purchase? Any help would be great. Thanks.

Souljahh

Chalk me up as one of those who were unimpressed (I'm probably the only one). Not that I wasn't unimpressed, I just thought it wasn't nearly as good as everyone was making it out to be. Russell Crowe did a pretty good job as did Ed Harris like always. I will have to say Jennifer Connelly gave a very good performance.

I thought it was a good film but I don't think it deserved to win Best Picture. Maybe you should rent it first. Chances are you'll like it though.

Struz

Rent it. I hated it.
Not my type of picture.

The Escapist

I agree -- a very overrated film. The performances were fine, but the script was formulaic and weak, and the direction only workmanlike. I buy lots of DVDs, but won't get this one. Seeing it once was enough.

Pointyskull

It may be overrated, as most Best Picture winners are, but I still think it is one of those non-condescending, well-written dramas with a couple of solid performances from Crowe and Harris.

The 2-disc packaging is a bit of overkill, too, but that's to be expected these days, I guess.

I liked A Beautiful Mind...

Geofferson

I am in total agreement. I'll be passing on this one.

evenflow

I saw it in the theaters. Pretty good but it's not a movie I'd want to see again and again.

uteotw

I disagree with most posters here. I thought it was a fantastic film with stellar performances all the way around. Picked up the DVD set today and it likewise is very nicely done. HIGHLY recommended.

AnonomusBob15

Bought it blind, and I really did not care for it. Definately did not deserve Best Picture.

MoviePage

Hated it. Sentimental Hollywood trash, designed for the sole reason of winning Oscars. Phony and manipulative.

myrdh

Rent It, it's worth A watch. Great performance by the cast but slow moving movie

calhoun07

I bought it blind, knowing nothing about what it was about (save for it was about a mathemitician) and I thought it was a good movie. I do want to see it again, because there is definately a blur between reality and fantasy here (who else thinks David Lynch should have directed this! It would have been MUCH better!!!) and I want to watch it again to see the clues I missed. Watching it blind is better, because if you don't know what's going to happen, you're gonna be surprised along the way. If you know what's going to happen, I guess I can see where it gets predictable.

In the end, I think it might be like Sixth Sense, a movie you watch a few times to see what you missed the first time around then you don't revisit it too often. Not that's bad, but it's that kind of movie to me.

BadBrandon

I loved this movie. Very well acted, directed, and written. I dont know if it was worthy of best picture, but it was a great movie.

macsax

I think it's a film worth seeing, especially if you like "genius" movies (those that focus around the extreme talent of a character). It doesn't have the edge it could, given the story and is a bit predictable at times, but it is well acted and I think the tempo is good for the story as told. If you live a bit on the jaded side and have a heavy leaning towards very edgy independent flicks, this may not be for you. It is after all a Ron Howard film.

ericbill0

Wow. Very surprising, this backlash to the BEAUTIFUL MIND hype. I just rented the dvd, and though I was very skeptical and scrutinized the first half, I was eventually won over 100% by this thoughtfully constructed film. I can still certainly identify with those who liked the film, but whose enthusiasm was checked by the massive hype machine for this film (I pay absolutely ZERO attention to the Oscars - it's the most bulls#!t awards show ever conceived by the most overbloated egos in Hollywood). I've had this very same reaction to many films (MINORITY REPORT is a perfect example - liked it, but was no better than Verhoeven's PK Dick adaptation, TOTAL RECALL) that others have loved.

I've seen a lot of movies in my life... I mean A LOT. The shorthand techniques of emotional manipulation (which I now consider to be "cheating") used to work on me like a charm when I was a kid, but only frustrates me as a slightly jaded somewhat cynical adult lover of cinema. I don't want to start any Spielberg debates (at least, not in this thread), but I've had this very reaction to nearly every Spielberg film I've seen post-INDIANA JONES. Spielberg's propencity for emotional overemphasis and the way he telegraphs everything from a mile away leaves me quite annoyed. I only bring this up because the negative comments concerning A BEAUTFUL MIND above are basically my same complaint with Spielberg's films, yet I didn't see any of that in ABM despite the fact that I was looking very closely for just that kind of trickery. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks, I suppose.

After checking out the supplements, I may decide to actually purchase this dvd. It might seem odd, but there are elements of A BEAUTIFUL MIND that remind me of both THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY and David Cronenberg's highly underrated 'ode to Burroughs' NAKED LUNCH - two particular favorites of mine, so perhaps this has something to do with my positive reaction to the film.

Iron_Giant

Great Acting. Good Story (little Hollywoodish). Great Rental! Good Buy. Ok Replay value.

If you can get it a great deal on the DVD, buy it.

RVN

Is everyone watching and talking about the same movie here?

I thought it was a gem! I felt the story was straight-foward and real. Some of the deleted scenes, had they been in the movie would have been over-the-top. The formula for making the Hollywood, box office bonanza, that is by design, over-stretched, cheapened and shamelessly juvenile to appeal to the younger demographic was not evident at all. It's absence, in fact, made the movie fresh and real for me. This was a great movie!

Blade

Actually, yes.

When this came out, and especially when it was nominated for Best Picture, there were plenty of strongly pro and strongly con opinions on the movie.

Personally, I thought it was very well done, and am not surprised (given the competition) that it won Best Picture. (Though I think I would have picked Fellowship of the Rings for Best Pic, I can see why it would have been turned down...fantasy...part of a trilogy...not really a perfect "movie".)

It's use of the Sixth Sense "gimmick," I thought, was an excellent way to convey the very real problem with reality that Nash was having. Moreover, the movie really distilled the struggle that he went through to overcome his mental disability. And Crowe and especially Connelly really did a stand out job in their roles.

And the features on the DVD are very nice.

If you like popular films, then I think this is a fairly safe purchase, but if your tastes can be a little less mainstream, you might want to check it out as a rental first.

-David

scottmurr

saw this last night , and count me in as one who thought it was a great film. felt it did deserve the accolades it got at the academy awards, and truly felt that although Denzel was very good in 'training day', that this performance by Crowe should have easily won him the best actor award!
great set of extra's on the dvd as well IMO.

bluntman86

It was a good movie, I am proud to own it. By no means did it deserve Best Picture though. It's a little over sentimental at parts. Other than that I enjoyed it though.

JAMMER57

Wasn't going to buy it but saw it at Wal-mart for 14.88 so I bought it. Pleasantly surprised. I liked it, the wife loved it. Best Picture? NO.

RVN

I thought it deserved Best Picture!

Blade

Not to get all moderator-like on you , but that's really a better question for the Movie Talk forum.

To keep this thread on topic, it would be better if you started a thread in Movie Talk and posted the link in here instead. You could just copy and paste your above post into a new thread, and provide a link here for context.

If you do that, I'll be happy to answer your question.

Thanks.

TGM

http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/24/us/fea...led/index.html

Both Nash and his wife apparently died in a car accident. Very tragic.

JeffTheAlpaca

Sad news