Flash of Genius

Play trailer

Flash of Genius

PG-13

Released Oct 3, 2008

2h 0m

Drama

Biography

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

62%

Tomatometer

106 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

When college professor and part-time inventor Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) develops an intermittent windshield wiper, he believes he, his wife (Lauren Graham) and their children will be set for life. Though the invention is a big hit with automakers in 1960s Detroit, Kearns finds himself forced out of the picture. Determined to collect the recognition and financial reward due him, he wages an arduous legal battle with the auto industry.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics 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.

Read Critics Reviews

Jonathan F. Richards

Film.com

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.

Nov 10, 2008

Full Review

Reece Pendleton

Chicago Reader

Seriously undermined by the skeletal script, which barely develops the characters and unintentionally raises more questions about Kearns's quixotic battle than it answers.

Oct 10, 2008

Full Review

Rex Reed

Observer

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.

Oct 8, 2008

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Had the film itself come together as nicely as Kinnear's performance, there would simply be no doubt about the inevitability of an Oscar nomination for Kinnear.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 7, 2020

Full Review

Joanne Laurier

World Socialist Web Site

Flash of Genius is a sincere and moving work, although somewhat pedestrian.

Sep 2, 2020

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...many of Flash of Genius' problems stem from an overlong and padded-out running time...

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 4, 2018

Full Review

Read all reviews

Hans H

Superb movie. The scene when father comes home from hospital is why I rate this movie as great acting.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/25/23

Full Review

robert p

Unfortunately I cannot give any movies a *5* star rating about delayed windshield wipers, but the guy did invent them and then got shafted by all the Major Car Manufacture's. He deserved winning his case!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I am obsessed with endings. I think, ultimately, that's all audiences really care about when they form their opinion on a movie. Flash of Genius' ending (which I won't say), simply undercuts the whole theme / message / point of the story. Even if it's true to history, which I respect, it left me feeling like this was a waste of my time.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Good film about windshield wipers. Kinda falls apart and drifts off into something else in the second half.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

steve d

unpleasant biopic that forgets to get you to care about it's characters beyond their situation.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is a great movie that's based on a true story. Greg Kinnear and the rest of the cast did an excellent job in this movie. The plot to the movie is great. It's about fighting for what's yours and never giving up no matter how long it takes. People should see this movie because it would inspire people to get what they want in life and never let anyone get in their way or let them say it can't be done. Check it out. It's worth seeing.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Marc Abraham

Director

Greg Kinnear

Robert Kearns

Lauren Graham

Phyllis Kearns

Dermot Mulroney

Gil Privick

Jake Abel

Dennis Kearns

Daniel Roebuck

Frank Sertin

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

The Soloist

57%

56%

The Soloist

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Soloist

The Blind Side

66%

85%

The Blind Side

Watchlist

The Social Network

96%

87%

The Social Network

Watchlist

Creation

47%

49%

Creation

Watchlist

And When Did You Last See Your Father?

72%

64%

And When Did You Last See Your Father?

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Five Favourite Films with Greg Kinnear

RT on DVD: High School Musical 3 or Midnight Meat Train?

Box Office Guru Preview: Chihuahua to Overtake Multiplexes

View more photos

Synopsis

When college professor and part-time inventor Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) develops an intermittent windshield wiper, he believes he, his wife (Lauren Graham) and their children will be set for life. Though the invention is a big hit with automakers in 1960s Detroit, Kearns finds himself forced out of the picture. Determined to collect the recognition and financial reward due him, he wages an arduous legal battle with the auto industry.

Director: Marc Abraham
Producer: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Michael Lieber
Screenwriter: Philip Railsback
Distributor: Universal Studios
Production Co: Strike Entertainment, Barber-Birnbaum
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language)
Genre: Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 3, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.2M
Runtime: 2h 0m

Most Popular at Home Now