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Genius

Play trailer 2:31 Poster for Genius PG-13 2016 1h 44m Biography History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Genius

Genius

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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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Critics Reviews

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Anna Leszkiewicz New Statesman Genius ends up being terrifically boring, while enthusiastically reproducing the creative hierarchies of the time it portrays. Aug 25, 2016 Full Review Roxana Hadadi Chesapeake Family Magazine 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. Rated: 2.5/5 Aug 1, 2016 Full Review Leonard Maltin leonardmaltin.com 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... Jul 11, 2016 Full Review Ian Brill Battleship Pretension 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. Apr 13, 2021 Full Review David Walsh World Socialist Web Site 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. Feb 11, 2021 Full Review Sarah Knight Adamson Sarah's Backstage Pass 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... Rated: 3/4 Jan 23, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Chris P Yet again, sadly, i mostly disagree with the critics reviews, this was a great movie. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/01/25 Full Review Meri S. 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. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/14/25 Full Review One I 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. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/28/25 Full Review Susan R I thought this was a brilliant movie. I’m surprised that the reviews aren’t better. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/18/24 Full Review Andrew B 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. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/20/24 Full Review Michael E 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. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/12/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Michael Grandage

Director

Colin Firth

Max Perkins

Jude Law

Thomas Wolfe

Nicole Kidman

Aline Bernstein

Laura Linney

Louise Saunders

Guy Pearce

F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Genius

Genius: Trailer 1 Genius: Trailer 1 2:31 View more videos
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Genius

Genius (2016) (L-R) Jude Law as Thomas Wolfe and Colin Firth as Max Perkins in "Genius." (L-R) Colin Firth as Max Perkins and Laura Linney as Louise Perkins in "Genius." Colin Firth as Max Perkins in "Genius." Vanessa Kirby as Zelda Fitzgerald in "Genius." Laura Linney as Louise Perkins in "Genius." Dominic West as Ernest Hemingway in "Genius." (L-R) Jude Law as Thomas Wolfe and Vanessa Kirby as Zelda Fitzgerald in "Genius." (L-R) Colin Firth as Max Perkins and Jude Law as Thomas Wolfe in "Genius." View more photos

Movie Info

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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