... Its true story, filmed and acted with great skill, has an uncommon poignancy.
Comment
05/15/09
Flash of Genius (2008)
58 %
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted: 102
Fresh: 59
Rotten:43
Average Rating: 6/10
Consensus: The touching underdog story of a single guy against a massive corporation, Flash of Genius is a well-paced and well-written tale with a standout performance by star Greg Kinnear.
Theatrical Release:Oct 3, 2008 Wide
Box Office: $4,234,040
Synopsis: Veteran producer Marc Abraham makes his feature film debut with FLASH OF GENIUS, based on a true story set in Detroit and spanning multiple decades. Dr. Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) has a good... [More]
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Alan Alda
Director: Marc Abraham
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Reviews for Flash of Genius
As in all films that make the questionable move of placing him front and center, Kinnear just blends in with the wallpaper.
03/29/09
Ethics is at the heart of this David and Goliath story based on fact; a powerful story with a resonant emotional punch, but the storytelling is long winded with an emphasis on detail for detail's sake
02/27/09
It's as if the filmmakers are too nervous about making a mistake, so consistently take the safe path, draining the movie of colour and leaving us sympathetic but uninspired.
02/15/09
If it doesn't rise to the level of It's a Wonderful Life, it's because Marc Abrams is no Frank Capra. And after all, this isn't about angels, it's about windshield wipers.
11/10/08
Top CriticNothing too special here.
11/10/08
There is depth, there is complexity, there is authenticity to this character.
11/10/08
Following a twelve-year patent dispute regarding the invention of the intermittent windshield-wiper motor, it's not as interesting as it sounds.
10/28/08
A thoughtful inquiry into the doubtful benefits of pursuing one's ideals 'to the end of the line,' as they say in Double Indemnity.
10/17/08
On its simplified terms of one man against the machine, the movie works, thanks almost entirely to Greg Kinnear's performance.
10/12/08
Seriously undermined by the skeletal script, which barely develops the characters and unintentionally raises more questions about Kearns's quixotic battle than it answers.
10/10/08
Top CriticYou may find yourself staring at your windshield wipers in fascination after you see "Flash of Genius," whichi s based on the real-life story of a "little guy" who went up against a corporation.
10/10/08
Too much technical information about circuit boards, Motorola transistors and U.S. patent laws eventually takes up more screen time than Kearns’ sympathetic story, leaving the viewer restless and bored.
10/08/08
Top CriticKinnear is excellent...
10/08/08
As Ralph Nader learned, it's tough to make car-safety stimulating.
10/06/08
As filtered through screenwriter Philip Railsback's pen, Kearns' extraordinary life is rendered...well, ordinary.
10/06/08
Well constructed, albeit bland, story.
10/05/08
Greg Kinnear's performance drives an old fashioned and satisfying David vs. Goliath picture.
10/05/08
I wouldn't say that the new film Flash of Genius is terrible. It's actually not that bad. However, it could have been so much better.
10/03/08
Try imagining the pitch for Flash of Genius: "It's a true story about the guy who invents the intermittent windshield wiper blade."
10/03/08
Latest News for Flash of Genius
March 17, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with Greg Kinnear
How do you describe the career of a guy who started as the host of Talk Soup on E! and within five years was Oscar nominated for a role opposite Jack Nicholson? Greg Kinnear is... More...
February 16, 2009:
RT on DVD: High School Musical 3 or Midnight Meat Train?
It's a good week for mediocre films (Body of Lies, Changeling, Quarantine and Flash of Genius, which all walk a fine line between Fresh and Rotten) and an even better one if... More...
October 02, 2008:
Box Office Guru Preview: Chihuahua to Overtake Multiplexes
Hollywood kicks off the fourth quarter with a stampede of new releases that will test the elasticity of the marketplace. Ambulances are already on standby to rush the high... More...
September 02, 2008:
After 15 Years, Abraham's Flash of Genius Strikes 
Why make your directorial debut on a movie about the guy who invented the intermittent windshield wiper? For Marc Abraham, it came down to a matter of principle. More...
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