> All I can tell you is that my sister-in-law, who has been a psychiatric nurse for over 30 years, says the portrayal is excellent.

Mmm. I wasn't referring to his role in the film as someone mentally disturbed though really, after all he was meant to achieve far more than that. I was talking about his mumbling genius act. I'd hazard a guess that your sister-in-law's opinion was determined by more than his theatrical capabilities too. Experts on Roman culture may too have liked him in that gladiatorial mush - either way both films remain (in my cynical eyes) a waste of time.
I heard they gave an Oscar to Denzel can't-act-his-way-out-of-a-paperbag Washington - need we say more about the farce that it is.