Movie Review

Flash of Genius

Director: Marc Abraham

Stars: Greg Kinnear, Dermot Mulroney

Audience Suitability: G

Studio: Universal

Running Time: 110 Minutes

Release Date: October 3, 2008

Reviewed By: Robert Waldman (Vancouver Correspondent – Canada)

Doing the right thing is something we all admire and respect.  Not everyone, however, plays by the rules.  A true David vs. Goliath case with a great human backdrop is Flash of Genius, the latest reality tale from Universal Pictures now offering insight into the ways of the world.

Turn back the pages of time until when the car was king.  Back in the 60s is when the American auto industry was really taking off.  Sometimes, however, the best ideas come from the unwashed public and not necessarily the big business brains.  Such was the case of one Bob Kearns.  Engineering was in this man’s blood and the Michigan resident took pride in his teaching position along with a wife, five children and a new born baby.

One day on a routine drive Dr. Kearns noticed a flaw in his wipers.  Upset and annoyed at the medieval way the blades hit the glass some heartfelt hours in the garage saw this neophyte come up with a better way.  Drivers today can thank Dr. Kearns for inventing the intermittent windshield wiper.  With dollar signs in his head, an eager family to provide for, and a boyhood chum our good man decides to take his “invention” to the Ford Motor Company.

Despite having a patent on it and the sincerest of intentions Kearns gets his idea “hijacked” by the brass at Ford.  Upset and not willing to give in what follows is a multi-year legal battle for Kearns to regain his invention and take the corporation down.  Huge obstacles stand in this man’s way but he’s a fighter who just won’t quit.

Films based on true stories can be “hit” or “miss” affairs.  Director Marc Abraham makes a nice debut and pays honest homage to the 60s with a very good atmosphere of a time when life was a lot simpler.  Busy and trustworthy Greg Kinnear (The Matador) puts on a brave face as the idealist professor doing what he can to preserve his pride, maintain a family and get his just rewards.  Stand by her man wife Lauren Graham (Evan Almighty) is equally appealing with Dermot Mulroney (Zodiac) and Alan Alda (The Aviator) offering sympathetic support as legal beagles.

Expect 119 minutes of nice family life sidetracked by one man’s ambition and the evil suits out to capture his creativity.