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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Authentic and Accessible, November 22, 2002
It's been about a year since Ron Howard released the film "A Beautiful Mind" based on Sylvia Nasar's biography of the same name.Some viewers found the film superficial and not a faithful, complete representation of Nash's life. A few readers found the book a little inaccessible with its detail and its extensive footnoting and documentation. "A Brilliant Madness" allows viewers to examine the life of John Nash with the accessibility of the movie and the credibility of the book. "A Brilliant Madness" starts with the early boyhood of Nash and chronicles his life to the point where he receives the Nobel Prize. It includes footage narrated by Nash himself, his wife, his sister, fellow mathematicians, and biographer Nassar. It shows both his achievements and his illness. It includes large blocks of his life that the movie leaves out. I can understand why a feature-type movie could not accurately and completely document a life as complex and multi-faceted as Nash's. It would have to develop too many characters, explain too many complex mathematical formulas, and go in too many directions. The movie does a good job of showing who he is through the art of the film. The book, on the other hand, goes into much more detail and is very good for a reader who wants to commit some effort to understanding both Nash's accomplishments and his illness. It is very thorough and remarkably accessible for such a thorough treatment. "A Brilliant Madness," however does a fine job of presenting a credible introduction to Nash's life and work in a relatively short time. Viewers whose interest is peaked can then seek out "A Beautiful Mind" if they so desire.
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DVD ~ John Nash
DVD ~ Jennifer Connelly
DVD ~ V.S. Ramachandran
