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(About Our Ads) "FLASH OF GENIUS" (2008) (Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Minor Heavy None None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild Mild Heavy Moderate Minor QUICK TAKE: Drama: The inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper battles a powerful automobile corporation that stole his invention. PLOT: It's 1960s Detroit and Bob Kearns (GREG KINNEAR) is an applied electrical engineering professor and amateur inventor, happily married to Phyllis (LAUREN GRAHAM) and father to six kids. While driving in the rain one day, he ponders why his windshield wipers couldn't act like the human eye and "blink" away the moisture and in a "flash of genius" moment, comes up with the idea for the intermittent windshield wiper. After designing a prototype in his basement, he and longtime friend turned business partner Gil Privick (DERMOT MULRONEY) decide to pitch the idea to Ford. That company's technicians are initially skeptical, and Bob is cautious to show them too much lest he let the genie out of the lamp. Nevertheless, various officials there, including Frank Sertin (DANIEL ROEBUCK), are impressed enough that they strike a deal where Ford will use the product that's to be manufactured by Bob's new company. But just as quickly as they agreed to the deal, Ford suddenly backs out, and it's not long before Bob sees one of their newest models sporting his invention. After hiring lawyer Gregory Lawson (ALAN ALDA) but getting nowhere when Bob refuses any settlement if Ford doesn't admit guilt, he decides to strike out on his own. Yet, by doing so, and as the months and then years pass, his quest puts a severe strain on his marriage as well as his relationship with his kids who continue growing up without him around. From that point on, and finally winning son Dennis' (JAKE ABEL) support, Bob forges ahead to prove that Ford stole his invention. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Unless they're interested in the subject matter and/or are fans of someone in the cast, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For brief strong language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: GREG KINNEAR plays a married father of six and college professor who invents the intermittent windshield wiper and is then devastated when Ford reneges on a deal with him and then steals and installs his product without his permission or any compensation. Wanting recognition for his work rather than money, he puts his multi-year quest ahead of his marriage and family. He uses some profanity and briefly drinks. LAUREN GRAHAM plays his loving wife who initially supports him, but eventually grows tired of him putting that quest ahead of her and their kids. She eventually moves out and on with her life. DERMOT MULRONEY plays Bob's longtime friend and business partner who similarly tires of the quest that also puts a strain on their friendship and business arrangement. He smokes and drinks some. JAKE ABEL plays Bob's now young adult son who initially wants nothing to do with his dad, but then has a change of heart and helps him with his legal case. He briefly uses strong profanity. DANIEL ROEBUCK plays a Ford employee who learns of Bob's invention and then essentially steals it from him (and then lies about that during the subsequent trial). CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13 rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are present. Some non-explicit, but sexually related dialogue occurs as a wife is seen in a partially see-thru/sheer nightgown (but nothing explicit is viewed). Various bad attitudes are present, as is tense family material regarding strains on a marriage and parent/child relationships. Characters drink and/or smoke in several scenes, a tiny bit of crude humor is present, and a man throws his drink at a car as it drives away. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some handheld camerawork in the film (sometimes fairly bouncy). ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Gil has a drink as do others. Phyllis tells the story of putting on her negligee on her wedding night, but the champagne cork hit Bob in the eye, resulting in some bleeding (but then adds that he made it up to her later). Gil has a drink. Gil has a beer. People have drinks at a reception. A man has a drink and then throws that glass at Bob's car after Bob steals the man's wiper mechanism from his car. Gil and Bob have drinks. Miscellaneous people have drinks. A lawyer (Alan Alda) orders a bottle of champagne to celebrate what he thinks is victory for Bob. Phyllis hands Bob a drink but then leaves. Some inventors give Bob a bottle of champagne. BLOOD/GORE When Bob asks "What do I always say?" one of his young sons replies, "Who farted?" Phyllis tells the story of putting on her negligee on her wedding night, but the champagne cork hit Bob in the eye, resulting in some bleeding (not seen). A severed head in a helmet (presumably fake) startles Bob when he meets with someone. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Ford reneges on its deal with Bob, and then steals and markets his idea without his permission or any compensation. They then battle him in court, lying about the truth and trying to use his past mental breakdown against him to sway the jury's decision. Bob steals a wiper mechanism from a car (to prove that Ford stole it from him). Bob's obsession with getting Ford to admit they stole from him creates progressively increasing tension on his marriage, with Phyllis eventually leaving with the kids since he's putting more time and effort on that than on them. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ck Charlie Defao," "Dip-sh*t," "Sell the sh*t out of it," "Bullsh*t," "Don't give a sh*t about you," "Sh*t-load of money," "Say that one more time and I'll have your chassis waxed," "What do I always say?" (followed by "Who farted?"), "It's the damndest thing," "I'll be damned," "You did a hell of a job," "It's a G*ddman lie," "Who the hell is this guy/are you?" "Screwed us," "What the hell are you doing?" "Bastards," "We're G*ddamned shocked," "You scared the hell out of me," "Quit your bitching," "Hell if I know" and "What a piece of crap." The film could inspire kids to become inventors (a good thing). JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word, 5 "s" words, 10 hells, 3 damns, 2 asses (used with "hole"), 1 crap, 3 uses of "G-damn," 2 each of "For Christ's sakes" and "For God's sakes" and 1 use each of "Christ," "God," "Jesus Christ" and "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY We see Phyllis in a somewhat sheer nightgown (nothing seen up top, but we can see the shape of her legs through the material that's backlit). Bob asks what she's thinking and she replies that they should make another kid, but is just joking. They then kiss while standing, but he stops to go out and work on his idea for the car. Phyllis tells the story of putting on her negligee on her wedding night, but the champagne cork hit Bob in the eye, resulting in some bleeding (but then adds that he made it up to her later). A show model shows cleavage. SMOKING Gil and his brother each smoke several times, while a few minor characters smoke. We see cigarette smoke wafting up from below the camera shot (from Gil's brother). TENSE FAMILY SCENES We see a somewhat disheveled Bob in his pajamas and robe on a bus when the police board that and inform him that his family is concerned about him (the story then rewinds 3 years). Young Dennis is mad at Bob for what he's become and done to their family. Bob's obsession with getting Ford to admit they stole from him creates progressively increasing tension on his marriage, with Phyllis eventually leaving with the kids since he's putting more time and effort on that than on them. Bob meets with Dennis when the latter is a college student, but the young man still doesn't want anything to do with his dad (although he eventually comes around and helps him greatly during his court case, which also holds true for most if not all of the rest of the kids). Bob asks his young adult daughter if her mother (Phyllis) is seeing someone, and she replies that it has been four years. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The historical accuracy and/or artistic license taken with the real story. How inventions come about from the simplest of needs and/or desires. Bob saying that ethics are important in engineering (since anything that's manufactured had some sort of engineer behind it, ranging from a heart valve to the Auschwitz gas chamber). Bob saying he just wants to do something that's important. The question of what makes a person successful, such as brain and talent or luck and timing. Bob deciding to handle his own legal affairs at first, and then again at the end. The toll that Bob's legal fight against Ford put on his marriage and family life. Bob having a mental breakdown from the stress of his multi-year legal battle. Bob representing himself during the trial, meaning he must question and then answer himself on the stand. The comment that part of proof of a patent is the moment that generated the idea, the "flash of genius." VIOLENCE A man has a drink and then throws that glass at Bob's car after Bob steals the man's wiper mechanism from his car. Reviewed September 9, 2008 / Posted October 3, 2008