Films have greatly evolved throughout the short years and are now full of special effects, CGI’s and modern technology. But even with updated technology, film, in various ways, need to creatively connect to an audience’s heart, not just visually but also emotionally. Great film’s are able to inspire a generation into thinking creative, feel something unknown, and learn various aspects of life we never would have thought of. Films that are beautiful, breathtaking, extraordinary… all have one thing in common. Film’s like “The Green Mile”, “Forrest Gump”, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “Parasite”, have successfully developed characters to become emotionally attached to its audience regardless of its era or technology. This can be said in the film A Beautiful Mind directed by Ron Howard. It follows the life of the the famous, schizophrenic mathematician, John Forbes Nash Jr. who is portrayed by Russel Crowe. The film follows a timeline of John Nash’s life from his graduate years at Princeton where the early symptoms of his schizophrenia began and continued into the later parts of his life. Throughout John Nash’s journey, the development of his character allowed the audience to create an emotional connection through excellent character development. The film interprets the message of discrimination against mental illness, and through character development, this message is conveyed and the plot is able to move forward as a result. The film, A Beautiful Mind, directed by Ron Howard displayed the importance of character development to the film’s overall message by displaying schizophrenia as a vessel to create an awareness and to propel the plot.
The importance of character development through the message of A Beautiful Mind is evident through John Nash’s early encounters with his illness. The film successfully projects John’s state of mind early in the movie by showing small and subtle signs of his schizophrenic delusions to propel the plot. From the beginning of the film, John is portrayed as a math genius who is generally labeled as “socially awkward”. But the first real sign of his schizophrenic delusions occurred when he met his roommate, Charles who is a graduate student studying English. This encounter is important for character development because this is the first time John’s schizophrenic delusions became apparent to the audience. John’s room is only made for one person but his delusions made him believe that Charles is real and is able influence John’s actions such as drinking and throwing his desk through a window. This clear but subtle representation of his early stages of schizophrenia develops his character from someone who can be perceived as socially awkward, to a character that may be battling a form mental health. The severity of his illness is not fully known by the audience yet, but this subtle, schizophrenic moment develops his character in the film by allowing the audience to catch a glimpse of his potential health problem and allows the plot to move forward to the next part of his timeline where his delusions become more evident.
John’s character development continues during the next part of the films timeline when his schizophrenia becomes more evident to the audience. The height of John Nash’s schizophrenic delusions occurs while he is giving a speech about his current mathematical research. He sees men in suits from the aisles of the lecture room who he thinks are soviet spies sent to capture him. It becomes apparent that these men are not soviet spies but are actually men sent to bring him to a psychiatric hospital so he can get help with his disability. This episode is important for character development because John’s delusions have made him believe that he is working for the Department of Defense providing research by sending the department sealed envelopes. This is important for character development because the audience now know that he is battling with schizophrenia and these series of events timeline his worsening state of health. John’s character also develops when when his wife, Alicia, reveals to him that there is no agent named William Parcher from the Department of Defence and none of his research have ever been opened. Though he denies this statement at first, this helps lead John to realize that he actually has schizophrenia. These events allow for the development of John as a character because of the rise and fall of his current state of mind. John accepts the fact that he has schizophrenia and the plot can move forward to the next timeline which is him accepting his illness and the establishing the main message of the film which is discrimination against mental illness.
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The cumulation of John Nash’s journey leads to the final timeline and character developments of the film. John who had relapsed with his medications, is now faced with the decision that he will have to return to the psychiatric hospital and take medications again. This is a big stepping stone for John because earlier in the film he claims that the medicine he is taking slowed down his research but he decided that he can learn to deal with his disability so that he can do what he loves: math. He is able to return to Princeton and agrees to work out of the library. While starting to work at Princeton, he had to learn to deal with his delusions in a new environment, which proved to be difficult but manageable. This scene displays how John’s character development have gone full circle throughout the entirety of the film. It is also during this period where he is able to resume his research and eventually wins the Nobel Prize. John’s delusions such as Parcher and Charles are still present, but he knows how to deal with them and portrays John as being able to rationalize his disability and that is how he “healed” himself. John’s recovery establishes the message of the film which is discrimination against mental illness. This proves just how much we do not know about schizophrenia and the preconceived notions about mental illness’ are not always accurate. Throughout John Nash’s struggles from schizophrenia, he eventually is able to live with his illness with the help of the people he loves an is able to live a life doing what he does. This is when his character development has finally reached a stage in the film where the overall message is established and the film can finally end.
Mental illness is something that affects the lives of many today and there are many preconceived notions about mental health that we don’t know about, in particular schizophrenia. By analyzing the film, A Beautiful Mind, the film is able to display certain things that we have yet to learn about schizophrenia and how to manage or deal with anyone living with these conditions. This was displayed through the various episodes of John Nash’s delusions during the movie where it went from unnoticeable delusions that barely effected his life, to evident delusions that affected the lives of everyone around him, and finally to a point in his life where he can deal with his illness and eventually do great things in his field. John’s character development in the film is fuelled by his ability to realize his illness and this drove the plot forward as a result. With the support John got during his episode, his outcome and his condition lead to a better outcome as the movie progressed. This allowed the audience to gain an emotional connection with John to root for him to get better as the films timeline continued. The film also represents the overall message of the film which is discrimination against mental health. We are able to see someone who is living with a severe mental illness like schizophrenia progress into a father, a family man, and have acknowledgement as one of the greatest minds on earth by winning the Nobel Peace Prize. 1 of every 4 people will experience mental illness and the film A Beautiful Mind beautifully conveys the message that mental ill is only a roadblock to something great and it should not affect someones life to do great thing.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2847367/
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. National Institutes of Health National Institute of Mental Health; Rockville, MD: 1999. [Google Scholar]
