7/28/2019 Summary of A Beautiful Mind movie.docx

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MM 5005 Business Economics Sufian (29112017) X 47 MBA ITB

MM 5005 Business Economics Sufian (29112017) X 47 MBA ITB

Summary ofA Beautiful M indmovie (2001)

Release Date: 2001-12-21

Runni ng Time: 134 mins.

Genre: Adaptation, Biopic, Drama

F ilm stars: Russel Crowe, Ed Harr is, Jennif er Connely, and Paul Bettany

This film is based loosely on the book of the same name by Sylvia Nasar,

A Beautiful Mind (2001). This true story-film won the Academy Award for best

picture in 2001 and it chronicles the life of John Nash, a mathematician at

Princeton who is noted for his pioneering work on general equilibrium theory. In the

movie, Nash's eureka moment occurs while he is with his friends in a bar. Five girls

enter the establishment and Nash and his friends start contemplating who will get

the blonde. He surprises his colleagues with the question that if we all want the

same woman, nobody wins, if we all go after her friends, nobody wins, thus there

must be a solution to ensure that everyone wins. With that, Nash writes a formula on a napkin, rushes out

of the bar and spends the next few months writing his treatise on general equilibrium theory. West Virginian

John Nash earned a Ph.D. in mathematics from Princeton for foundational work on the theory of non-

cooperative games, published in 1950.

The twist of the movie, which happens about halfway through, is that Nash is suffering from a

severe form of schizophrenia, and half of the situations/places that exist in his life, are only part of his

beautiful mind. He no longer can think right, feel right, or act right. Battling decades of illness with the loyal

wife, Alicia, by his side, Nash is ultimately able to gain some control over his mental state. This is the

turning point of the movie, where Nash learns how to really live his life. Nash learns that life is more than

making a discovery, or solving an equation. There is love and emotion involved; A wife, taking care of your

baby, and the everyday joys of life.

Nash eventually earns the privilege of teaching again. In 1994, he is honored by his fellowprofessors for his achievement in mathematics, and goes on to win the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics

for his revolutionary work on game theory (Game theory is an analytical tool(s) to guide us to understand

the phenomena behind the way decision-makers interact e.g., voting, elections, dating), he was only 21

when he wrote his paper. His theories are used in market economics, computing, evolutionary biology,

artificial intelligence, accounting and military theory.