Genius

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2:31

Genius

PG-13

2016

1h 44m

Biography

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

51%

Tomatometer

111 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Renowned editor Maxwell Perkins (Colin Firth) develops a friendship with author Thomas Wolfe (Jude Law) while working on the writer's manuscripts.

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Critics Consensus

Genius seeks to honor worthy subjects, yet never gets close enough to the titular quality to make watching worth the effort.

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Anna Leszkiewicz

New Statesman

08/25/2016

Genius ends up being terrifically boring, while enthusiastically reproducing the creative hierarchies of the time it portrays.

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Roxana Hadadi

Chesapeake Family Magazine

08/01/2016

2.5/5

The biographical Genius is uneven, and that imbalanced focus-the same thing that novelist Thomas Wolfe needed help with all those years ago-is its weakest element.

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Leonard Maltin

leonardmaltin.com

07/11/2016

Documenting the inner life of creative artists and their world is challenging at best... 'Genius' manages to capture the grandiose dreams of both infamous writer, Wolfe, and his long-fabled editor...

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Ian Brill

Battleship Pretension

04/13/2021

As Perkins and Wolfe discuss the importance of every choice and omission an artist makes in crafting work, it is sad that Genius doesn't know show much evidence of that same consideration.

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

02/11/2021

A great wall separates the producers, writers and directors at present from the kind of mental effort it takes to represent the world in a serious artistic manner. For the most part, unhappily, they have only clichés and guesswork at their disposal.

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Sarah Knight Adamson

Sarah's Backstage Pass

01/23/2020

3/4

Michael Grandage could've used his female stars more powerfully-and the whole film smells of Oscar Bait-but the opposites-attract friendship between Perkins and Wolfe is the stuff of literary lore and is more than enough...

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Chris P

Sep 1

Yet again, sadly, i mostly disagree with the critics reviews, this was a great movie.

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Meri S.

@mschroeder Aug 14

I’m not sure why this film get such low ratings. It does drag in a few parts, but an interesting story that seems pretty true to life about Thomas Wolfe and his editor. Very well acted with a number of A list actors and actresses.

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One I

Jul 28

A powerful film diving into the compelling drive and agony of writing, the fear of failure, fear of success. And the impacts on loved ones losing a writer to mania.

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Susan R

11/18/2024

I thought this was a brilliant movie. I’m surprised that the reviews aren’t better.

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Andrew B

07/20/2024

I've read both of Thomas Wolfe's books. 'Look Homeward Angel' I would describe as a great American classic to rival Steinbeck. I found 'Of Time and the River' to be a bit of a slog. What i loved about this film was Jude Law's brilliant depiction of the man as a man, a flawed genius, which put me in mind of a prototype Kerouac. It was an Hour and 3 quarters well spent.

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Michael E

03/12/2024

I loved it. Tragic tale of a bloke who wrote and drank too much but didn't have enough love for real life. Distracted by writing, success and contempt for those who helped him. The three leads are well played. There is a pleasing pace and tone and a good ending.

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Michael Grandage

Director

Colin Firth

Max Perkins

Jude Law

Thomas Wolfe

Nicole Kidman

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Genius: Trailer 1

2:31

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Synopsis

Renowned editor Maxwell Perkins (Colin Firth) develops a friendship with author Thomas Wolfe (Jude Law) while working on the writer's manuscripts.

Director: Michael Grandage
Producer: Michael Grandage, John Logan, James Bierman
Screenwriter: John Logan
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Production Co: Desert Wolf Productions, Michael Grandage Company
Rating: PG-13 (Suggestive Content|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 10, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 23, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.4M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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