Movie Notes: Flash Of Genius

December 1st, 2009

= 3 stars

Starring Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney
Directed by Marc Abraham

Synopsis

Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) invents a new kind of windshield wiper, only to have the idea stolen by Ford motor company.

The Good

• The usually comedic Kinnear takes on a straight-up, dramatic role, and largely succeeds, playing a determined inventor whose work becomes an obsession that takes over his life.
• A compelling, core idea of a single man standing up against a corporate machine. It’s a classic underdog story, but we also root for him because he’s an inventor — someone who created something new before anyone else, and fights for his right to be recognized. It can be summed up as “Ford stole my idea.”
• Kearns’ uncommon tenacity. He’s offered huge settlement offers, and each choice he makes is both frustrating and entertaining, as he places ethics above common sense.

The Bad

• Near the end of the movie, plot-wise, there is only one possible outcome which really kills the tension of a climactic trial.
• Lazy direction. Kinnear’s outstanding effort isn’t presented in a way that really lets his performance take off. The trial scene reaches for the everyman heights of Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington but falls frustratingly short.

Conclusion

Despite a great core and solid acting, lazy direction holds things back. Ultimately, Flash Of Genius feels like a somber copy of the much more uplifting Tucker: The Man And His Dream. Check that one out before taking Flash Of Genius for a spin.

IMDB: Flash Of Genius
Wikipedia: Flash Of Genius
Rotten Tomatoes: Flash Of Genius 57%