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Flash of Genius
Flash of Genius
Actors: Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Alan Alda, Bill Smitrovich
Director: Marc Abraham
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama
PG-13     2009     1hr 59min

Based on the true story of college professor and part-time inventor Robert Kearns? (Greg Kinnear) long battle with the U.S. automobile industry, Flash of Genius tells the tale of one man whose fight to receive recognition ...  more »
     
     

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Movie Details

Actors: Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Alan Alda, Bill Smitrovich
Director: Marc Abraham
Creators: Dante Spinotti, Aaron Zigman, Jill Savitt
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama
Sub-Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama
Studio: Universal Studios
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen - Dubbed,Subtitled
DVD Release Date: 02/17/2009
Original Release Date: 01/01/2008
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2008
Release Year: 2009
Run Time: 1hr 59min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 3
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Languages: English, Spanish
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

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Member Movie Reviews

Sharon F. (Shar) from AVON PARK, FL
Reviewed on 9/17/2022...
This movie reminded me of my father in a lot of ways...he was always coming up with little tricks to make things better. The guts and determination shown in this movie were very inspirational. The characters were very believable and interesting. I really enjoyed it.
Jennifer D. (jennicat) from ST AUGUSTINE, FL
Reviewed on 2/19/2015...
At first I was like, why did I get this movie. But it was really interesting and then I remembered why I got it... it was a true story. I love Greg Kinnear.
Michel D. (michelann) from WALNUT GROVE, MO
Reviewed on 1/26/2014...
I am always a sucker for films that are based on a true story or event and this one is fantastic! When the little guy takes on huge conglomerates such as the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler the odds are usually stacked up against that daring individual. Robert Kearns had a great idea with his blinking eye concept related to automobile windshield wipers. He figured out how to make those wiper blades work intermittently and wanted to manufacture them himself. Ford however did not want to share with the inventor so set about installing them on their cars with no care for that inventors patents. He took them on and even though it caused plenty of hardship for him (he and his wife divorced, several of his children turned against him) he persevered and eventually won millions from Ford and Chrysler. The movie is entertaining and informative (kept me awake!). Greg Kinnear deserved an Oscar! Lauren Graham (Parenthood) played his wife and also did an excellent job. All the child actors who played the children were also super in their roles. Highly recommended!
2 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Leah G. (Leahbelle) from NIPOMO, CA
Reviewed on 6/17/2012...
This movie was gripping and held my attention throughout. Knowing it was a true story, I was amazed at the perserverence of Dr. Kearns. Good acting.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Movie Reviews

Inspiration Comes to Those Who Blink
Chris Pandolfi | Los Angeles, CA | 10/09/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know how accurately "Flash of Genius" portrays the real Robert Kearns. If he was anything like Greg Kinnear's representation, he may be one of the most relatable people I know of. In the film, Kearns is passionate, determined, stubborn, and cursed with a one-track mind. He was a college engineering professor and an independent inventor with an absolute sense of right and wrong, and because the Ford Motor Company wrongs him, he puts all his energy into making it right. We may not all be inventors, but I think it's safe to say that most of us understand why he does what he does, and that's because we've all been passionate about something. This isn't to say that we can completely side with him; as admirable as his intentions are, he ends up neglecting his wife, his children, and his job, and he unfairly drags his family through a twelve-year legal nightmare. One wonder whether or not the journey was worth it.

The Kearns character is the lifeblood of "Flash of Genius." He holds everything together, and that's because the filmmakers develop him far more than any other character. This was done on purpose, I suspect. This is his dream, his effort, his obsession--everyone else is either along for the ride or left standing at the curb. The film's structure is just as narrow-minded as Kearns is, which will be problematic if you want a story that develops all of its characters. I wasn't bothered by it, and that's because I wanted to see things from his perspective. I wanted to understand why he believed so strongly when others didn't. I wanted to be convinced that he was doing the right thing by fighting a gigantic corporation that ripped off his windshield wiper design. I'm not too sure about that last one; he refuses each and every offer to settle, even when handsome sums of money are involved. The principle is to never give in, and while it's a good principle, it's also not very helpful for a family's financial security.

Where the film falters is in matters of time passage. While the occasional, "Four years later," is displayed, there are still far too many gaps. Kearns' children grow up before our eyes, and his hair seems to get grayer with every passing scene. I'm not entirely sure what year the story begins in. I can only go by actual history, which tells us that Kearns first came up with the idea of the intermittent windshield wiper in 1963, as he and his family were driving on a misty night in Detroit, Michigan. In the film, Kearns is bothered by the fact that his car's wipers can only move at a set speed. He then remembers his honeymoon night ten years earlier, in which a champagne cork hit him in the eye; with a little engineering, windshield wipers just might be able to operate in much the same way as an eyelid, which blinks at an intermittent rate. He proceeds to build a prototype in his basement.

In 1967, Kearns and his business partner, Gil Privick (Dermot Mulroney), patent the new wiper system. They then show the device to the Ford Motor Company, who seem genuinely interested, if a little too curious; they want to know how the device works, but Kearns won't tell them, not until a deal can be worked out. A Ford exec (Mitch Pileggi) appears intrigued on the surface, but we suspect that underneath, he cares nothing for Kearns. He just wants the device, and true to form, he makes it so that the company backs out of the deal and installs Kearns' wiper system in all the newest car models. It's a reliable but nonetheless unoriginal method for developing a movie villain. This isn't to say that such people don't exist in real life; I'm well aware that major corporations--and the people who run them--have been known to be greedy and corrupt. But since we're talking about a movie here, it might have been better if the filmmakers had taken a different approach.

Kearns carries his anger and resentment all the way to 1982, when, after years of fighting uphill legal battles, he was finally able to sue the Ford Motor Company. Because his relationship with his attorney (Alan Alda) had soured, Kearns decided to represent himself. Some will see this movie and determine that Kearns gave up too much to get that far. It takes thirteen years to see the process through, and at a certain point, his wife, Phyllis (Lauren Graham), and their children begin to feel abandoned. On top of that, Kearns is continuously offered large cash settlements in exchange for dropping the lawsuit. Because they refuse to admit any wrongdoing, Kearns always turns their offers down.

On the other hand, some audiences will completely side with Kearns, believing that the principle is more important than the money. I have to admit that I'm on the fence. Is it worth it to keep fighting a powerful corporation, even when you know you're right? Is it worth it to stand up for what you believe in while your loved ones are left in the sidelines? What makes "Flash of Genius" work so well is the fact that we're made to see everything from a very single-minded perspective, which in turn allows us to understand the main character. I'm surprised it worked, considering the fact that stories told from multiple perspectives are more complex, more thought provoking, and more compelling. We're immersed in one man's quest for justice, and we see him through to the end. I won't reveal what happens, even if you know everything about case. But rest assured, it ends appropriately, and it reminds us that, with determination, even insignificant people can make a big difference."
Greg Kinnear Finally Brings It
Daniel G. Lebryk | 03/08/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)

"Greg Kinnear's performance of his life. Well known as a B actor in mostly B films, or deep in the supporting role in A films. Greg comes out swinging in this film. He is simply remarkable as the possessed engineer Bob Kearns that invented the intermittent windshield wiper. Lauren Graham is his gorgeous wife, Phyllis. Where Kinnear ages during this many years film, Graham does not age much. She does come off a bit young for the mother of the seven children.

This is a long film, almost 2 hours. The director played with the timeline in a needlessly confusing way, through subtitles. The film opens with a scene that is then rewound to three years earlier. And the time increments just get stranger and stranger. About 1/4 of the way through the film the viewer is now back at the same time as the opening of the film. In fact it gets very hard to figure out, what will the rest of the film be about. By about the first half hour, he's already invented, tried to build and sell the device, been shot down, had the idea stolen by Ford, and goes crazy. Never fear the rest of the film is interesting, but it does feel spent after that first half hour. Although the viewer is treated to strange time jumps, a month here, a few months there, a year here, another few years here, and four years there....

The topic of the film is that age old, an individual stands up for what they beleive is right, to heck with money and any other damage that fight might bring. That theme is well played, well told in this film.

This is not the best edited film. There are some pacing issues, mostly taking too long to get to the point. The moved around timeline really gets in the way of telling this story, it was almost an artificial effect to create interest. The other technical components are well done, decent filming, and sound well recorded. Music was subtle and supported the film very well.

The DVD has a few deleted scenes. Several should stay deleted, a few actually belonged in the film. There were moments where the film had been edited down to reach a certain film length. Certain story elements were left hanging and those two deleted scenes would have helped.

The film is PG-13, for language, and it is reasonably mild use not gratitous. There is no nudity. No real eroticism either, simply a moment early on where Phyllis asks Bob if he'd like to make another child. This is a film that younger viewers might want to watch with parents. There is a fantastic story for discussion about doing the right thing.

Flash Of Genius was a bit of a surprise. Greg Kinnear was a stand out. The story was moving. The timeline manipulation brought the film down."
Flash of Genius
C. A. Luster | Burke, VA USA | 02/25/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you build it, they will steal it. No "Field of Dreams" for Dr. Bob Kearns. Most people are unfamiliar with the case involving the "intermittent wiper" or may have heard of the settlement when it took place. Some law students may be familiar if their professor discussed this one along with the mandatory McDonald's hot coffee. Suffice it to say this is an interesting story if you like to see David taking on the giant. Here Ford is the giant and Dr. Kearns plays David. Kearns patented the first "working" intermittent wiper, but Ford thought they could claim they made it after seeing his working model because they built all the parts. This is as much or more about the impact the drawn out case has on Kearn's family as anything. Sometimes getting justice does not mean getting a happy ending. Great drama. Good quality DVD with good replayability. If you enjoyed this catch "Tucker".

CA Luster"