#Russell Crowe’s 13 Best Movies Ranked

The second of Crowe’s back-to-back best picture winners, “A Beautiful Mind” thoughtfully examines the troubled life of brilliant mathematician John Nash. Crowe shows again that he can portray austere characters with depth and empathy, as early on the neurotic genius is characterized by his social awkwardness, and later by his schizophrenia. 

Crowe respectfully doesn’t lean into showy eccentricities that would devalue or demean the struggles that Nash endured. Instead, “A Beautiful Mind” treats mental health trauma thoughtfully, avoiding harmful stereotypes. We see Nash’s decline through his own eyes; his shock at discovering that he’s suffering from delusions is a twist for the audience too, as we’ve been led to believe that Nash’s perception was accurate. Director Ron Howard brilliantly tells the story entirely from Nash’s perspective, fleshing out the symptoms of his illness.

Crowe’s sincerity guides the film through story beats that could feel like biopic clichés. Nash’s his romance with his protégé — and later, his wife — Alicia (Jennifer Connolly) comes across as touching, not tacked on, and the quintessential “inspirational end speech” in which Nash calls Alicia’s love his anchor point is genuinely moving. “A Beautiful Mind” feel light compared to other best picture winners, but Crowe’s performance remains a standout.