10 Gripping Films About Mental Illness

8. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Russel Crowe A Beautiful Mind Super genius John Nash (Russell Crowe) can propagate mathematics theories and bust open codes. He even finds time for a wife. However, he becomes convinced he is being chased by Soviet agents and is institutionalised. Cue much psychiatric merriment with relapses, not taking drugs, dramatic realisations of the truth etc. A rather glamourised version of schizophrenia, I suspect that John Nash and his family went through a hell of a lot more stress, anguish and annoyance than portrayed in the film. The end message that Nash learned how to cope with schizophrenia without drugs sets a dangerous precedent for anyone watching to stop their medication in the hope that they can cope without it too. From what I know, John Nash did not do much significant work after his schizophrenic break. And he sired a son who is similarly tormented by schizophrenia. Laudable in that it took a taboo subject - schizophrenia - to the public and increased awareness that it is not a psycho killer illness - it affects the world's cleverest people, A Beautiful Mind is highly watchable but for people with schizophrenia, it will bear little resemblance to their daily struggles.
 
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Contributor

My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!