A Beautiful Mind (2001) quotes

Cast
Russell Crowe.
Ed Harris.
Jennifer Connelly.

After John Nash, a brilliant but asocial mathematician, accepts secret work in cryptography, his life takes a turn for the nightmarish.

Imagine if you suddenly learned that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but worse, had never been. What kind of hell would that be?
– Dr. Rosen
So how about it, Nash? You scared?
– Hansen
Terrified… mortified… petrified… stupefied… by you.
– Nash

Perhaps it is good to have a beautiful mind, but an even greater gift is to discover a beautiful heart.
– Nash

How big is the universe?
– Alicia
Infinite.
– Nash
How do you know?
– Alicia
I know because all the data indicates it’s infinite.
– Nash
But it hasn’t been proven yet.
– Alicia
No.
– Nash
You haven’t seen it.
– Alicia
No.
– Nash
How do you know for sure?
– Alicia
I don’t, I just believe it.
– Nash
It’s the same with love I guess.
– Alicia

Can you see him?
– Nash
Yeah.
– Student
Okay. I am always suspicious of new people. Now that I know you’re real, who are you, and what can I do for you?
– Nash

If we all go for the blonde and block each other, not a single one of us is going to get her. So then we go for her friends, but they will all give us the cold shoulder because no on likes to be second choice. But what if none of us goes for the blonde? We won’t get in each other’s way and we won’t insult the other girls. It’s the only way to win. It’s the only way we all get laid.
– Nash

[Making an acceptance speech in front of the Nobel prize audience during the ceremony] I’ve always believed in numbers, in equations, in logic and reason.But after a lifetime of such pursuits: I ask What truly is logic? Who decides reason? My quest has taken me to the physical, the metaphysical, the delusional, and back. I have made the most important discovery of my career – the most important discovery of my life. It is only in the mysterious equations of love that any logic or reasons can be found. I am only here tonight because of you.
– Nash
[looking at and speaking to Alicia]
– Nash
You are the only reason I am. You are all my reasons. Thank you.
– Nash

Classes will dull your mind, destroy the potential for authentic creativity.
– Nash

I’ve gotten used to ignoring them and I think, as a result, they’ve kind of given up on me. I think that’s what it’s like with all our dreams and our nightmares, Martin, we’ve got to keep feeding them for them to stay alive.
– Nash

Nothing’s ever for sure, John. That’s the only sure thing I do know.
– Charles

I find you attractive. Your aggressive moves toward me… indicate that you feel the same way. But still, ritual requires that we continue with a number of platonic activities… before we have sex. I am proceeding with these activities, but in point of actual fact, all I really want to do is have intercourse with you as soon as possible.
– Nash
[pause]
Are you gonna slap me now?
– Nash

Alicia, does our relationship warrant long-term commitment? I need some kind of proof, some kind of verifiable, empirical data.
– Nash
I’m sorry, just give me a moment to redefine my girlish notions of romance.
– Alicia

This class will be a waste of your – and what is infinitely worse – my time.
– Nash

You once said that God must be a painter because he gave us so many colors.
– Nash
I didn’t think you were listening…
– Alicia
I was listening.
– Nash

I’ve made the most important discovery of my life. It’s only in the mysterious equation of love that any logic or reasons can be found. I’m only here tonight because of you. You are the only reason I am… you are all my reasons.
– Nash

[about the stars] I once tried to count them all. I, actually, made it to 4,348.
– Alicia
You are exceptionally odd.
– Nash
I bet you’re very popular with the girls.
– Alicia

I was wondering Professor Nash, if I could take you to dinner?
– Alicia
[he hesitates]
You do eat, don’t you?
– Alicia

[to Thomas King] I still see things that are not here. I just choose not to acknowledge them. Like a diet of the mind, I just choose not to indulge certain appetites; like my appetite for patterns; perhaps my appetite to imagine and to dream.
– Nash