Boy Genius (2019) User Reviews (8)

a mess

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 1 March 2020]

Emmett Charles (Miles Brown) is a confident, imaginative 12 year old prodigy attending high school. There is a thieve in the school and police detective Gordon is called in. Suspicion falls upon Emmett's brother Luke.

Emmett is an annoying brat. He can claim some of it as comedic flourishes but there is too much of it. Everybody keeps complaining that he's too perfect when Mac is closer to the truth. He's a know-it-all but has non of the experience. Quite frankly, I feel sympathetic to Mac and I shouldn't. The movie forces me. Then there is the smorgasbord of differing styles and tones. It's a mangled mess. It wants to be a kiddie movie. It wants to deal with the serious race card. It wants to be a wacky screwball comedy. It's all over the place. The production looks weak. That part is surprising since there are some good actors involved. The mystery is not a tough mystery. I thought the case got solved with the pawn shop surveillance footage. When that happens, the tension of Luke all goes away. This is a mess.

Finally a smart and engaging family movie!

[sydneybmail · 10/10 · 18 September 2019]

This movie is a charmer. Funny, smart and endearing-a film that you can play for the whole family. The story is about an engaging 12 year old boy genius named Emmett who must help solve a mystery at his school to help his brother. But more than that it is a joyous window into the life of Emmett. Lots of great themes of friendship and family are included in this wistful and fanciful gem!

Highly creative coming of age movie

[[e-mail] · 9/10 · 24 September 2019]

I normally am not too into family movies because most of them are cookie cutter and you pretty much know how they're going to end. Boy Genius surprised me because yeah it had some familiar family movie things but this "family" movie had cool fantasy sequences, good acting (especially from the lead), strong directing, and a solid script. I went in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

Really Fun Watch!

[millijackson · 9/10 · 24 September 2019]

This was such a sweet movie. Really well-made and the kind of film you finish feeling really good about the world. Miles Brown is definitely a star-on-the-rise, and great chemistry between him and Rita Wilson. This is the kind of film you could watch with the family and know that everyone will enjoy.

The kids I saw this with absolutely LOVED it!

[sorgenm · 9/10 · 24 September 2019]

For a certain middle grade demographic, this is the rare movie that really speaks to their age category and relates to some of the issues they're going through right now. The 11 year old girls I saw it with were bouncing off the walls excited after we saw it.

For adults, there's a lot of fun to be had with Nora Dunn's character, and Rita Wilson is the most fun I've ever seen her. She even does a funny rap parody of one of my favorite songs from my own youth-- and she really puts her back into it!

It's a fun film for the whole family.

A Future Classic

[gregory974 · 10/10 · 26 September 2019]

Loved this unusually touching and funny movie for all the usual reasons -- great script, superb acting and beautiful, subtle direction. Miles Brown is Emmett, a junior high school prodigy, and Rita Wilson is Mary, a mystery writer, who joins forces with him to exonerate Emmett's brother, under suspicion for a series of thefts. Brown and Wilson are outstanding in their roles and make a truly winning odd couple. A captivating movie of great humor and imagination, whose life lessons and heartfelt moments are handled with a light touch. This one's sure to be a classic.

Very cute, valid and necessary...

[RosanaBotafogo · 8/10 · 29 May 2023]

A twelve year-old child prodigy Emmett (Miles Brown) teams up with a quirky retiree to solve a crime and save his family from splitting up. A 12-year-old child prodigy teams up with a retired eccentric to solve a crime and save his family from falling apart. Very cute, valid and necessary... Direction Bridget Stokes...

Those teenage Disney films, almost childish, and silly, but cute at the same time, exaggerated, the brothers' relationship is very cute, won my heart... see deep-rooted structural racism... Many layers that can be analyzed within varied and dramatic contexts... Very cute, valid and necessary...

a silly, sweet, moving delight

[lance-rubin · 10/10 · 27 October 2019]

A true delight of a film. Silly, sweet, and moving, with an absolutely exuberant lead performance from Miles Brown. The cast is terrific across-the-board, with especially wonderful turns from Tracie Thoms, Skylan Brooks, Rita Wilson, Nora Dunn, and Ravi Patel (hilarious every moment he was onscreen).