January 21, 2002

  • I went to see ‘A Beautiful Mind’ tonight, which is about a schizophrenic math genius. It’s not a bad movie, but also not a great one. It only trivialized the plight of delusional schizophrenics a little bit, for forgivable reasons.

    And I was thinking about those reasons. They’re predicated on the notion that this movie is not for the schizophrenic, but about them. In the way that nature shows on TV aren’t for nature, but about it; they trivialize nature by trying to show you its grandeur.

    And that reminded me of this great web site:

    The Institute for the Study of the Neurologically-Typical (ISNT)

    (ISNT is a joke you might not get if you’re not autistic. Cut to the chase with this page.)

Comments (9)

  • i found that BM had its high points, but overall, it didn’t show the treatment of schizophrenia, just its effects. there is no real sense of coping there, instead there is a look, he took his medicine and they lived happily ever after. i wouldn’t say it was a great film, it was more along the lines of very good.

    have you seen amelie? i enjoyed that.

  • that movie sure did kick ass at the golden globes last night. not sure if i’ll see it or not…don’t really like jennifer connelly and the whole movie just doesn’t seem like it would be true enough…too hollywood…if it were an independent film i might be more inclined…=OP =O)

  • Jeanie, I was glad that there were a number of moments in the movie where the point was made that the medication can be a hindrance. Also, look how effective the insulin injections were. Heh.

    And yah, it’s a Hollywood picture. Ron Howard interpreting schizophrenia and genius.

  • I don’t know. Are nature shows only there to show its grandeur? Besides. My cat likes to watch nature shows, esp. ones about birds. :D

    I haven’t seen Beautiful Mind, but hopefully it gives enough of a framework to allow one’s imagination to create the “backstory” to what living with schizophrenia is like.

    Then again, it IS Ron Howard. Bound to be touchie-feely and all, making me want to go out and adopt a schizophrenic while buying the matching set of cups with the Happy Meal at McDonalds.

  • LOL to the happy meal comment, & i LOVED the ISNT site.

    haven’t seen a beautiful mind and it’s not that high on my list. i’m curious enough about it to want to know how it was, but don’t have enough faith in ron howard & the hollywood system to believe it would be fabulous. i am VERY stingy with my time when it comes to movies. i like to see them, but if they’re not spectacular i’m like, ‘i just spent two hours of my LIFE watching THAT??’ hee hee. therefore i definitely appreciate the review and conversation. *tipping hat*

  • Heh. I get it. Get it? I get.

  • I don’t really have much of a desire to see it.

  • But faithless… You’ll get a free Happy Meal(tm)!

  • I didn’t realize it was a Ron Howard movie.  Although I liked “splash” I hated “the grinch.”  I think I’ll wait for the children to move out in 28 years and then I’ll rent it.

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