People who do not understand mental illness will see this film in a new light, because it not only shows how Nash reacts to his own illness, but how others, from employers to family and friends react. Some of the reactions indicate fear, some loathing, and some just bewilderment and a sense of unreality and hopelessness. Some of the reactions are also based on some of the stereotypes of schizophrenia, such as the disease is a multiple-personality disorder, and it is not treatable. It also breaks apart the myth that schizophrenics are violent. Some can be, but many are not, and this film shows that Nash may have had some bizarre behaviors, but he was not violent or hurtful to his family. Of course, his family suffered, and the film shows this, but they did not suffer physical abuse, really it was more mental abuse and stress and strain from worrying about him and having to make a life without him while he was in treatment.
The film also chronicles the trouble with medications of the time, and psychopathic medications that Nash said "deadened" his mind, so he refused to take them. It also shows some of the other treatments, like insulin shock treatments, that are no longer used in treating the disease, and it shows the horrible environment of mental institutions in the 1950s, after his wife has him involuntarily committed several times in an effort to control his disease. In the end, he did manage to control his disease, and the film shows him hearing voices but learning how to control and ignore them so he can lead a meaningful and worthwhile life. He teaches again, and he and his wife remain together. The film gives hope, but it also realistically shows many aspects of schizophrenia, from the onset that usually takes people by surprise to the end, when often people can function again. It also shows treatments and medications that some people believe can be worse that the disease itself.
Is the film totally realistic...
This is a film made ultimately to entertain, not educate, and the film does take some license with some of the attributes and treatments it shows. It shows Nash learning to "manage" his disease mentally, but that is not an option for many schizophrenia patients, and some of them do not recover as they age. It also depicts Nash as having hallucinations and hearing voices that seem very real, but some schizophrenics do not have these symptoms, either. It also shows the accepted treatment of the time - institutionalization, but that treatment is no longer accepted, and most schizophrenics are not institutionalized, although there are exceptions in every case, of course.
Ultimately, "A Beautiful Mind" is an educational film that helps the viewer understand schizophrenia a little more completely. It illustrates that the disease can be conquered, and that the "cure" is often just as bad (or worse) than the disease itself. It shows that drugs and other therapies do not always work, but that many schizophrenics can come to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives. Nash won the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work, and that shows that even this debilitating disease can be managed and treated effectively, and that time often heals the disease, as well. The film creates new understanding about schizophrenia, dispels some old myths about the disease, and is helpful in getting the public more aware about this illness and how it affects all the people surrounding the life of its victims. Schizophrenia is a difficult disease to live with and manage, and this film helps people become more aware of it and how it affects people, which is certainly worthwhile. It is not a perfect rendition, but it did bring attention to the disease and what it means for patients and families, and that has to be an important breakthrough in gaining more public awareness about this devastating disease.
