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Every once in a while, it’s nice to be reminded that there’s hope for the little guy. That’s why Hollywood loves its inspiring, true-life stories about unlikely heroes. But while some—especially sports-related dramas—are filled with action and drama and even thrilling suspense, others, like Flash of Genius, just tell a simple story about a mild-mannered guy (or girl) who refused to give up.
Flash of Genius is based on the true story of Dr. Robert Kearns (played by Greg Kinnear), a college professor, engineer, and inventor who, in the late ‘60s, decided to take on Detroit when everyone else told him not to waste his time.
On the way home from church one rainy Sunday, Kearns started thinking about his car’s windshield wipers—and how he wished they could be more like the human eye, which blinks only as often as needed. So, with a little help from his kids, Kearns figured out how to make windshield wipers pause between wipes.
But just when Kearns and his partner, Gil Privick (Dermot Mulroney), were about to make a deal with Ford, the deal suddenly fell through without explanation. Then, months later, the intermittent windshield wipers began showing up on Ford’s vehicles. So, feeling as though his greatest accomplishment had been stolen from him, Kearns decided to do the impossible—by suing one of the largest companies in the world.
You probably wouldn’t expect a movie about the invention of the intermittent windshield wiper (and the resulting court case) to be an especially exhilarating film—and you’d be right. Flash of Genius is a rather sleepy film—one that feels even longer than its two-hour runtime. Especially in the middle, as Kearns does his research and waits for his day in court, it moves along at a pretty slow pace. That’s understandable, since Kearns’s case was really more of a waiting game than anything else—but it definitely doesn’t make it an exciting film to watch. There isn’t a lot of Hollywood flash to it—the Mob doesn’t get involved, no one is threatened or shot at, and there isn’t even a whole lot of courtroom drama. Mostly, it’s just a man, sitting at his typewriter, desperately trying to convince others of the importance of his case.
Still, Flash of Genius tells an interesting story about determination and obsession. More than a step-by-step narrative of the invention process and the court case and everything in between, it’s a character study of a man who becomes so obsessed that he’s willing to give up everything—his job, his marriage, and even his mental health—to get what he wants. And, surprisingly, he doesn’t even care about the money. What he really wants is for Ford to publicly admit that they stole his idea—and he’ll do anything to prove it.
So Flash of Genius is a toss-up. On one hand, it has a lot going for it: solid performances, a fascinating character, an inspiring story, and a few great moments (like a brilliant courthouse moment involving A Tale of Two Cities). But, on the other hand, it’s long and unhurried—and sometimes even a bit tedious. So if you do choose to give it a try, you might want to stop at the concession stand for coffee on your way in.
