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much
to crowe about
Lynda Del Sasso previews A Beautiful Mind, and more
A
Beautiful Mind
USA 2001, Cert. 12
Director: Ron Howard
Star Rating * * * *
In
1947, socially inept young mathematician John Nash (Russell
Crowe) attends Princeton University, determined to make
significant, original contributions in his field. An eccentric
figure, he shuns traditional lectures and social events
but finally manages to deliver a game theory paper which
wins him respect and a further scholarship.
When
the US government secretly employs him as a codebreaker,
Nash becomes involved in a sinister world of FBI agents
and cold war spies.
Meanwhile,
working as a reluctant lecturer, Nash falls in love with
one of his students, Alicia (Jennifer Connelly). Despite
his social awkwardness, the pair marry. Alicia becomes
increasingly concerned about Nash's odd behaviour. Doctors
are consulted and he is diagnosed as schizophrenic.
As
in most Russell Crowe films, the skill and charisma of
the lead actor is mesmerising. Crowe is as convincing
as a difficult, unattractive misfit as he was the courageous
and heroic Gladiator Maximus in his last movie. Jennifer
Connelly's performance cannot be faulted either, though
the same cannot be said for the script. Clever in parts
- the device used to embody Nash's schizophrenia works
well - it is unfortunately too soppily sentimental for
many British tastes. Sugar-coating being director Ron
Howard's trademark however, this is difficult to avoid.
Whether it was Howard's decision to sanitise Nash's life
and omit all references to his bisexuality, his illegitimate
child, his divorce, is not known, but this enjoyable film
may well have benefited from just a little more honesty.
Duke
of York's from March 1
The Mothman prophecies
USA 2001, Cert. 12
Director: Mark Pellington
Star Rating * * *
John
Klein (Richard Gere), devastated after his wife's sudden
death, throws himself into his work as a Washington Post
journalist. Two years later, Klein is intrigued by mysterious
images of a moth-like creature, depicted by his wife before
she died. When his car breaks down on a deserted road,
he finds himself in a rural area where the residents have
also experienced the mothman images. With the help of
the local policewoman (Laura Linney), he stays on to investigate
the phenomenon.
Director
Mark Pellington (Arlington Road) does a fine job of creating
atmosphere and building tension in this well-made supernatural
thriller based on the book of the same name by John A.
Keel. The first half of the film is excellent, with Richard
Gere putting in a sensitive performance as the bewildered
widower, however a dragging second half with predictable
schlock-moments and the totally inexplicable nature of
the 'monster' turn a promising mystery into average pap
by the end.
Odeon
and UCG from March 1
Bully
USA 2001, Cert. 18
Director: Larry Clark
Star Rating * * * 1/2
In
present-day Florida, two teenage girls (Bijou Phillips,
Rachel Miner) flirt, go for a car ride then have sex with
two boys, Marty (Brad Renfro) and Bobby (Nick Stahl).
Marty and Bobby have a strange, sadistic friendship, and
when one of the girls falls in love with Marty, her resentment
of the disturbed Bobby begins to grow into a childish
fantasy of murder. Friends are enlisted to help with the
plot, which seems more of a daring adventure than a serious
crime to their drug-addled, unsophisticated minds.
Director
Larry Clark (Kids) once again presents a group of American
teenagers whose parents are peripheral characters, unimportant
and largely ignored. Based on a true story, Bully depicts
a half-child half-adult world, where the difference between
right and wrong is understood but not deemed relevant.
A powerful if flawed film, criticised in the US for its
lingering gaze on the female teenage flesh, but nevertheless
interesting from a social viewpoint, and with some strong
performances.
Duke
of York's from March 1
Other Highlights
Wonderwall,
1969,
with Jane Birkin cavorting in a psychedelic universe.
(Cinematheque, March 3).
Little
Otik, 2001, Jan Svankmajer. Karel cuts down a tree,
presents the stump to his wife, she adopts it as her own
child. (Gardner Arts, March 3).
Judex,
1963, Georges Franju. A rare opportunity to see Franju's
elegant tribute to the fantasies of Louis Feuillade. (Cinematheque,
March 10).
La
Ville Est Tranquille (The Town is Quiet), 2000, (Gardner
Arts Centre, March 24).
copyright New Insight 2001
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