Time after time, Anerican audiences have stood witness to the fact Inventors have created and continue to create some of the most important breakthroughs in history. As a result, America has become the Land of Opportunity for any young inventor to make his mark in history. However, there are those in high position who believe they are so powerful, they can reach out and steal anything they want with total impunity. This movie is a case in point. The worthy film is called a " Flash of Genius. " It is essentially the story of Bob Kearns (Greg Kinnear) a college professor who in a moment of inspiration, invents a wind shield wiper with an oscillating program. A top executive of the Ford Motor company ( Mitch Pileggi) tries to plays the professor for a fool and disregarding the little man, steals his patents. Though it will take money, time, effort and patience to fight the industrial giant, Kearns risks all to fight for what he believes is the right thing to do. Alan Alda plays a wimp of a lawyer and tries to convince Kearns to take a tiny settlement and give up the fight. Despite the risk of losing his wife, his family and even his sanity, Kearns is determined and creates a wonderful David vs Goliath story. Highly recommended to anyone who believe in fighting with the best weapon of all; the truth. ****
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nuhc17 November 2008This is another true David & Goliath story which pits a home inventor, Bob Kearns, who develops a working intermittent windshield wiper control, against the Ford Motor Company who stole his idea after he demonstrated it to them. The strain is at times too much for Kearns who eventually suffers a mental breakdown, but comes back to take on Ford in a monumental lawsuit despite the strains on his marriage & family.
While a lot of people probably won't be interested in true life stories like this, I enjoy them and did enjoy this movie. The acting is good, and since the story is set in the 1960's & 1970's, you really get a feel for that era. It's worth a watch. -
dfranzen705 October 2008Flash of Genius is the true story of the man who invented the intermittent wiper blade - only to see the Ford Mother company swipe the invention for their own benefit. But of course, this being a Hollywood film, the little guy fights back against the big, mean corporation, losing his family, wife, and sanity in the process.
Bob Kearns (Greg Kinnear) is an engineering professor who comes up with the idea of the intermittent blade while driving his family - wife and six kids - home from church one rainy afternoon. He puts together a prototype and shops it to Ford, which quickly warms to the idea. Then suddenly changes its mind, saying it’s just not ready. And then double-plus suddenly, there are all these Ford cars on the road with those very same wiper blades. This is probably not a coincidence.
What follows is your standard David/Goliath courtroom drama, without the courtroom (save for the finale). Bob fights back against Ford, but no one, not even high-powered attorney Alan Alda, really wants to help. Worse still, Bob doesn’t even want a cash settlement, he wants an apology from Ford, an acknowledgment that they stole his awesome idea. This might surprise you, but they decline to do so.
On the one hand, this is a straightforward story about the little buy fighting back against all odds, taking on the big automakers at a time when the Big Three reigned supreme. After all, Ford has all the time in the world to devote to defending itself against Kearns’ claims, whereas Bob has to scrimp and hope he can make some headway; they can outlast him as surely as a rock can outlast a summer storm. They have resources, and all he has is his devoted family.
Well, not so much. Devoted to a point, perhaps. The strain of the legal battles soon take their toll on Bob and his wife, Phyllis (Lauren Graham), as well as the various kids. Which brings us to the second, even more important, conflict in this story, that between Bob and Everyone Who Means Something To Him.
This is an innocuous, slight movie; it doesn’t grab you so much as kind of pull you along reluctantly, until the final, courtroom scene. The rule for courtroom dramas seems to be this: If the protagonist has been built up sufficiently but the audience does NOT tear up when the inevitable verdict is read, then the movie is a failure. I mean, it’s really not complicated. If there’s no payoff, then everything leading up to that point has been for naught, so everyone involved has to pull off that final scene. The nice thing is that pulling off that scene, otherwise known as manipulating the audience, is pretty elementary, high-school stuff. It’s tough to mess it up.
And they don’t. True to form, that final scene makes up for all the methodical pacing of the other 90 minutes or so. Kinnear’s earnest and well cast, and Graham is a delight as his doting, no-nonsense wife. Alda’s showy role doesn’t really amount to much at all, contrary to what the trailer showed. But all in all, it’s a well done, if somewhat forgettable, movie. -
I, for one, strongly oppose any kind of plagiarism because nobody has the right to steal someone else's work and claim it to be theirs. 'Flash of Genius' tells the heartbreaking story of inventer Dr. Kearns. While windshield wipers may sound like a small thing that hardly many give consideration to (as Kearns's friends have told him), it's not a matter of the object at hand but the effort that went behind it and why should credit go to somebody else? I admire Kearns for putting up a fight and keeping up the battle for justice and even though it cost him his family, he fought to the end. I'm surprised as to how little recognition 'Flash of Genius' received considering that the story is extremely relevant even for today's world.
The director does a splendid job in telling this moving story. Greg Kinnear delivers a heartfelt lowkeyed performance which is among one of the best of his career. Unfortunately, he remains an underrated actor but I hope he keeps making the wise film choices and gets his due soon. Lauren Graham is wonderfully restrained and marvelous but she's risking getting typecast (she's played supportive wife in two other recent movies 'Evan Almighty' and 'Birds of America'). Dermot Mulroney too stands out as Privick.
Where the technical department is concerned, the director has used a lot of subtlety with the cinematography, soundtrack and visuals. It is only later that we realize what an important symbol rain is in this movie. The washed out colour adds to the tense, stressful and sad atmosphere. 'Flash of Genius' is definitely a worthy watch not only because it tells an engaging story but a very relevant one. -
Saw the very first showing of this tonight at the Traverse City Film Festival. It was a good movie and Greg Kinnear was very good. The film felt too restricted and hyper focused on the primary movie subject, Bob Kearns. It could have been made better by infusing a bit of side-story from the conflicting characters points of view. Bob Kearns low point in the movie also seemed to happen abruptly with no run-in to the plot twist, so much so that I felt like I missed something. Lauren Graham offered a fine performance, as did Dermot Mulroney's limited screen time. Overall I liked the movie but felt more could have been done to fill some gaps.
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sddavis6313 January 2010When it was over, my gut reaction to this movie was one of sadness. Yes, in many ways it was inspiring. It's nice to see the little guy (in this case, Dr. Robert Kearns, played by Greg Kinnear) come out on top. Whenever you see a David vs. Goliath story it's always nice to see David win. But at what price? The scene in this movie that really sticks with me has little to do with victory. It comes at the end. Kearns has won his court case and been awarded over $10 million from the Ford Motor Company after a jury ruled that Ford had stolen his idea for an intermittent windshield wiper. It should be a time for a grand celebration. But the journey has been a long one and a hard one. It cost Kearns his wife and almost his family. He reconciled with his children, but in that haunting scene, his ex-wife (whom he did love, and who did love him) congratulates him on having achieved everything he wanted and then simply walks down the halls of the courthouse, leaving him behind. His obsession with victory over his marriage made a reconciliation impossible. Director Marc Abraham filmed that perfectly, and got the point across: Kearns won - and he won a lot - but he also lost - and he lost big time. The whole movie, to me, builds up to that question - at what price victory? How much should we be willing to sacrifice to win - even if the victory is an important one, a serious matter of principle? Is there a point at which we should decide that the price of victory is just too high, or was Vince Lombardi right - "winning isn't everything - it's the only thing!"
Frankly, this isn't an exciting movie. It isn't going to lift you out of your seats at any point. The courtroom scenes don't have any "You can't handle the truth!" dramatic revelations or admissions. It's actually pretty simple and straightforward; some might even call it dull at times. But this isn't a movie that you watch for excitement. It's a thought provoking movie. It's a movie about principles and values. It's a movie that makes you wonder just how far you would go to fight for what's right, even if you had to give up the most important thing in the world to do it. I'm not saying Kearns was right or wrong. He answered those questions for himself. I'm just not sure that I would have answered them in the same way. But a movie that raises such a thought provoking issue - even if it isn't the most exciting movie you'll ever see - is worth at least a 7/10. -
How many inventions that we use on day-to-day life are actually stolen ideas of some unsung individuals!!
Singer sewing machine, phone (yes nor Bell after all but Elisha Gray), radio, monopoly game, Jack Daniels, bulb and in our times, Facebook, google earth and more.... This is a story about one such stolen invention.. it is about a patent infringement by a mega-company Ford Motors. The patent was for a variable speed (blink) wiper or known as intermittent wiper.. it was originally invented by an university professor and an inventor Dr Robert Kearns. It was 1960s.. Americans back then viewed the major corporations as the epitome of Americanism not with cynicism and mistrust. Even though the first-half if the movie is kind of stock-still, but meritorious performance by Greg Kinnear does not leave you cold.. a true story that makes this movie an Olympian in the genre and a good watch ... -
bjones5 October 2008It was great to see Greg Kinnear in another flawless performance; here as Dr. Bob Kearns, inventor and professor. To me, I think of Mr. Kinnear as sort of the cocker spaniel of American actors. Perfectly companionable for just about everyone. He just feels right in so many roles it's hard to imagine anyone else having done them. This is another instance of his having added immeasurably to what may have otherwise been a more uninteresting character. After all, it's hard to imagine anyone making an engineer or professor seem interesting; but in this outing Kinnear certainly accomplishes that.
Adding her own note of quiet grace and perfect screen presence, Lauren Graham as Phyllis Kearns gives her character both charm and great heart, not to mention that she looks better in a plain white nightgown that just about anyone I've seen... well, except for my wife, of course.
There are other great performances here too, like Mitch Pileggi as the bad guy from any corporation in America, Tim Kelleher as his greasier side-kick and Dermot Mulroney as a slightly smarmy friend of Kearnes'. Likewise the hoard of young actors playing the Kearns children added a perfect familial note to the vehicle.
But, more than any of these fine people, the focal point here was the story as it always is in these social consciousness melodramas. Yes, Virginia. The wheels of American industry is greased with the bones of the cheated and betrayed genius of America. That is so universally true it's a well known sub-plot to all of America's engineers and manufacturers. What is also well known is what happens when they try to find justice, let alone an iota of truth; which is so accurately and skillfully portrayed in this film.
Speaking as an engineer who has worked in American industry for over 40 years, I can say that I have seen this more times than I can count. It goes on every day right here under your noses, America, and no one ever does a thing to change the way America fails to protect her fragile genius. That is deliberately so. That is so because the laws America uses to define how these things are handled are made by lawyers, for lawyers. It would cease to be profitable if the laws were crafted to actually protect it's most precious resource - it's creative people. But it's not; the laws are instead crafted to provide fat and frequent paychecks to every leach that slithers through the "halls of justice".
Just as Kearns did, I had to learn the hard way that justice in America belongs only to those with a fat enough wallet to buy it through the local outlet. If you don't have the six figures to hire a lawyer then you have no rights and no freedom in this country. Like a Wildebeest grazing blissfully in the middle of the herd, you have only not been awakened to that fact yet because no one has yet decided to attack you, or steal from you.
This has been the long way around to tell you that the creators of the film got it exactly right, with one serious flaw... for every Bob Kearns who has eviscerated themselves to win a Pyrrhic victory of the sort we witness here, there have been thousands who have given up for being too shallow in pocket or too short of mental fortitude or too short of the desire for self-flagellation required to press through to an empty, moral victory.
And even here, we see unmistakably that this "victory" costs Kearns what he valued most in his life. He didn't even live to see himself depicted as "heroic" in this fine film.
Still, thank you Bob, wherever you are. -
"Flash of Genius" tells the story of the travails of Robert Kearns, the inventor of the intermittent window wiper and his battle against Ford Motor Co. which swiped his invention without compensating him.
The story's told in a workmanlike way and Greg Kinnear does a good job as Kearns although much of the time it's hard to root for Kearns. He comes across as obsessive, he's abrasive, thinks that reading some law books makes him a lawyer, etc. He is justifiably upset that Ford has taken his invention and used it without compensating him but the man lets his obsession with justice ruin his life.
As usual, a movie takes liberty with the real story. Kearns represents himself in the Ford lawsuit although in real life he had lawyers represent him. He represented himself in his later suit with Chrysler and in many other suits (many of which he lost because he wouldn't/couldn't comply with court procedures).
What does he win though at the end of this movie? He gets about $10 million, but you don't know that he was actually suing for nearly $400 million. The audience doesn't realize that the jury's verdict didn't say that Ford had deliberately stolen his patents but that they had more or less accidentally infringed on his patent. He still won, but not the apology that he always wanted from Ford. Also, before the final arguments and verdict, the Ford representative goes to him and offers him $30 million to drop the whole thing. Nope, Kearns and his children are going for broke---and instead of getting $30 million as a settlement he gets $10 million, no apology from Ford and even the jury doesn't say that Ford stole his ideas. In truth? Kearns comes across as an arrogant chump who gets in way, way, way over his head and thinks he's won something when in fact he really hasn't. -
I cannot believe how much I enjoyed this movie! There was NEVER a moment when I felt bored,uninterested,or confused about the plot.It is based on the true story of Dr.Bob Kearns from Detroit Michigan.
The casting,I felt was perfect and Greg Kinnear definitely deserves an Oscar nomination for his performance as Dr.Bob Kearns, an engineer and inventor. His wife,played by Phyllis Graham,was the typical wife of the 50's. And her performance was also top notch..not over or underacted, but right on cue. I absolutely loved the clothes, decor and cars of that era..really brings back memories..the little blue "frigidaire", "mixmaster", and chrome kitchen set along with the rotary phones,and huge "boat cars."(we would call them that) Life seemed so simple then. Mom stayed home and looked after the kids, cooked,and took care of her husband while dad brought home the "bacon."
But things changed when Dr. Kearns stubbornly refused to give up his pursuit of justice when he felt he had been wronged by Ford Motor Company. The script is excellent and performances great. Even Alan Alda played the lawyer part very believable. I saw the movie a couple of hours ago and still feel so "Up' having finally seen a movie with No special effects,No digitalization,No remake, but just a GOOD,GOOD STORY that happens to be true.
Although Dr.Kearns died in 2005, he definitely made the case for following your instincts and seeking the truth.We CAN fight city hall and all the money in the world will not make up for that vindication, even though it is a tough road with many losses by the wayside.
Listen,if you are tired of all the Superhero,Violent,Sex-driven,and Mind-Numbing Stupid movies out today,this is a very refreshing change, and All Ages will appreciate the solid entertainment and heart-warming storytelling! Digital is great but a good storyline is something we can all relate to for sure!! -
manny-971 October 2008The issue of ethics is front and center in "Flash of Genius," a film about one man who sacrifices everything for his principles. Based on real-life events, the movie is a strong morality play grounded by the performance of Greg Kinnear.
Kinnear stars as inventor Robert Kearns, a passionate thinker, a loving husband and father, and a dedicated university professor. Aided by his wife, Phyllis (Lauren Graham from the TV show "Gilmore Girls") and their six kids, Kearns invents the intermittent windshield wiper a device that would eventually be used by every car in the world.
Helping Kearns in his patent application is family friend Gil Previck (Dermot Mulroney). They develop the revolutionary product and market it to Ford Motor Company. The automotive giant embraces Kearns' invention at first, but unceremoniously takes his creation and rejects the man behind it.
Now, the stage is set for a David vs. Goliath story that will take decades before finding resolution. Kearns, who's been ignored and threatened by Ford, seeks counsel from attorney Gregory Lawson (the scene-stealing Alan Alda). Lawson is able to get some compensation for Kearns, but our fierce inventor does not want money he wants Ford to apologize for his family's sufferings.
Veteran producer Mark Abraham ("Air Force One," "Thirteen Days") tries his hands at directing for the first time. When I interviewed him and asked about his career change, Abraham said, "I've always wanted to direct this David and Goliath story since I heard about it years ago." Based on the New Yorker article by John Seabrook, "Flash of Genius" is ably directed. The film flows and does not drag on, which I find very surprising because most biopic have tendencies to heighten the melodrama quotient of their real-life subjects.
That doesn't mean that screenwriter Philip Railsback ("The Stars Fell on Henrietta") avoided feel-good clichés. There are some moments, especially the family scenes, where you feel the script is trying mightily hard to tug at your heartstrings.
Kinnear succeeds in injecting humanity to the character. You may not agree with Kearns and his principles, but you will certainly share his triumph when he brings Goliath to his knees.
"I was attracted by the character," Kinnear says about his motivation for playing Kearns. "He's not heroic like other man against corporation movies; he struck me as a very human guy." That human guy and his well-told fight against the big machine are the reasons why I'm recommending this movie. You may wince at the idea of a film about the inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper, but you will stand up and cheer when his principles are finally honored. And for that, "Flash of Genius" gets 3 Genius Kisses -
Seamus282919 October 2008You just got to hand it to Greg Kinnear. He has certainly put all of himself in every role he has undertaken. From the host of E Entertainment's 'Talk Soup', onto such film roles as 'Little Miss Sunshine','Auto Focus' & this fine film. Kinnear plays a downtrodden Joe Sixpack from the suburbs, with his wife & six children. Here he is an engineering professor who has re-invented the windshield wiper (or did he just upgrade it?), only to have his idea stolen by Ford Motors. After 12 years of struggle that includes a nervous breakdown & the melt down of his marriage, he finally has his day in court. Does he emerge the victorious? I won't kiss & tell. This is a quiet,understated little film that deserved far better than it got. Alan Alda also shines as his attorney that tries to go to bat for him. This is one of those films that (hopefully)will have a second chance when it gets released on DVD. Slapped a PG-13 by the MPAA for some salty language,a moment of sensuality & some rather erratic behavior,due to a nervous breakdown.
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Greg Kinnear is Robert Kearns who invented the intermittent windshield wiper and then spent the next bunch of years battling the car companies for patent infringement. Its an amazing story, that would be great film except for the fact that Kearns is a very difficult man to warm to. You understand how his tunnelvision disrupted the life of everyone around him. As good as the film was, and it is an excellent film on all levels, I wanted it to be over so I could know how it came out and I could not have to spend any more time with Kearns. (Kinnear is excellent by the way) I understand why this film isn't better known and why it hasn't caught on since as good as the film is, our hero is almost one note. Try it it may click with you.
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aenthal14 October 2008Though this is passed off as a true story, the details are so changed from reality that the only real thing left are the "blinking eye" wiper blades and the names of the characters and car companies. Dennis Kearnes was a far more unlikable, obsessed, and dramatic person than this movie lets on. Most glaringly fictitious is his David against Goliath legal fight against the big bad corporation, where he is portrayed as representing himself all alone (with the legal clerking of his kids). It isn't true. He WAS represented by lawyers in his suit against Ford Motor Company. Google his REAL life and you will find a colorful nut case, who could have made a great biographical figure. But he couldn't make a sympathetic figure. So Hollywood sweetened him up, taking away the drama and conflict to make him a hero for the plot. Just like you know when you see a movie about the Titanic, that the ship will sink in the end, there is no suspense to the court trial (last third of the movie). There would have been no movie if he lost the case.
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crownek21 August 2009I cherish this movie; a lot of this is for personal reasons. The film is well done; Greg Kinnear really impressed me with this and little miss sunshine.
I am a sales guy who sells to big companies. I recently gave ford a free education in a service we offer, and it took so much evangalizing, repetition, re-explanation and hitting them over the head. I was astonished that a business this big didn't have smarter people.
Then, when we gave them our price and offer, they said "no thanks were going to build this in house rather than use you".........I felt a visceral connections to Bob Kearns.
Suddenly, Ford is an expert on this. I would talk to anyone who would listen, and I put my blood into helping them improve their business. I have a new opinion of the buying and technology that Ford uses to run its operations. One of the reasons they might be the "least screwed up" of the auto makers" is their soul-less way of getting companies on their knees, and then kicking them down when you cry "uncle" for them.
Sorry for blabbing. It just hurts to know we really wanted to help them , and help us make a buck in the process. And we were treated like dogs. -
ajs-1019 March 2010I really enjoy a courtroom drama and I really enjoy watching the little guy get the better of the big corporation. So I was really pleased when I came across this film, which combines the two. Set in Detroit in the 1960's, it tells of one man's battle to get recognition from a large automobile manufacturer who, he claims, stole his idea.
Bob Kearns is a college professor who teaches engineering, he's also an inventor. He is married to Phyllis and they have six children (yes, six). One day while driving his family home from church in a rainstorm, he comes up with an idea for an intermittent windscreen wiper. He designs a prototype and, with the help of his long-time friend, Gil Previck, he gets it patented. Now Bob wants to sell his idea to Ford, the largest automobile manufacturer, but he also wants to manufacture it himself. They show the idea to Ford, being very careful not to show them how it works, and they are impressed. After a meeting with one of their top managers, Macklin Tyler, and with promises of contracts, Bob eventually lets them examine his prototype. Just as he's getting ready to go into manufacturing, Ford pulls the plug and Bob is left feeling let down. This is until the day he sees a new Ford Mustang in the street with an intermittent wiper on it. He is determined to get Ford to admit they stole his idea, so much so that it affects both his marriage and mental state. I'll leave my little summary there or I'll give too much away!
A really well made film that captured the world of 1960's Detroit very well. Great performances from both Greg Kinnear as Bob Kearns and Lauren Graham as his long suffering wife Phyllis. Honourable mentions go to Dermot Mulroney as Gil Previck, Mitch Pileggi as Macklin Tyler and it was nice to see Alan Alda as the lawyer Gregory Lawson.
The first half of the film is quite slow, there's a lot of character development and I felt it ambled along a little too much. However, the second half is much better, the story really starts to take off and there is a really good ending. I really engaged with the main characters and I found it a very enjoyable film to watch. It's slightly over long, but it's one I can certainly recommend.
My score: 6.8/10 -
AudioFileZ18 August 2009When I heard "Flash Of Genius" was about the invention of the intermittent windshield wiper I thought instead of viewing it, perhaps, I might spend my time watching paint dry because it would be of equal entertainment with the added benefit of a freshly painted room. I'm glad I opted to watch the "wiper story" because it is a factual document of one of the world's largest corporations doing what they do on a daily basis, that is to take advantage of their enormous power with little or no regard to the individual...But, I'm glad to report, in this case, having criminal culpability and enormous financial liability.
Dr. Bob Kearns was a inventor, college professor, and family man. He solved the deceptively simple task of matching an automobile's windshield wiper wipe frequency to varying rain intensity. Bottom line, he invented the intermittent windshield wiper for the automobile, but he made the mistake of allowing Ford to dissect his invention prior to having an ironclad contract. He trusted Ford to be morally upright and true to their word...Big mistake! What follows is a man's personal descent into Hell. His best friend and business partner bails on him, he suffers a mental breakdown complete with forced hospitalization, more than one or two lawyers claiming to do whatever it takes for justice actually are hoping for fast settlements, and his wife divorces him moving away with their kids. All the while, first Ford, and then all automakers, sell new cars with their miraculous "intermittent wiper" feature. As I watched this I was actually glad I had not owned a Ford vehicle in five or so years! Flash of Genius is "Rudy" by another name and genre. It is akin to David slaying Goliath. It's like cresting Everest in flip-flops, shorts, and a t-shirt! Bob Kearns didn't just win against Ford, he exposed their dishonesty, lack of morals, and treachery in front of the world-a far greater, if not impossible, accomplishment. The story is even better because after exhausting all those high minded "justice seeking" lawyers Bob "took out the garbage" and acted as his own legal counsel. Thus when Dr. Kearns won his settlement Ford also had to pay him legal fees which went 100% to his family. The portrayal of these facts just serve to make the story more rich! For me, Greg Kinnear makes this story come to life. He's not overly sympathetic, but he's completely vulnerable as his old life dissolves into a complete need to have Ford give him his rightful compensation. He deftly plays a brittle, though not completely broken, man who has lost everything save his pride regarding his invention. There is a true low-key brilliance at work here, both in the message and the messenger. If you value true life underdog stories where against all odds the protagonist prevails look no further. A very good film overall I'd say. -
SnoopyStyle8 October 2016Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) is happily married to Phyllis (Lauren Graham) with six children. He's an ethics professor and a mechanical engineer with no manufacturing experience. He does see a problem with his windshield wiper and invents the intermittent windshield wiper. He with the help of Gil Previck (Dermot Mulroney) patent and tries to sell the device. He works with Ford and sets up his own manufacturing plant. However, Ford steals his idea and he struggles to gain redress in court.
This is a small guy being taken advantage by a large corporation. It's a simple idea and a simple underdog story. The drama is straight forward. There are no big unexpected twists. In the end, it is just compelling enough to be good. -
Greatornot5 October 2008This movie was the proverbial big bad corporation taking advantage of a little guys talents. Excellently acted by all. I especially enjoyed the supporting acting in this film as much as the headliner actors. Alan Alda had a minor role as an attorney but he was excellent. This movie was about an idealistic guy that cared more about his place in history than anything else in the world. His ideals may or may not be misplaced. He seemed to care more about what is right but neglecting his family in the process. He was obsessed with an invention that was stolen from him by Ford originally and other manufacturers shortly after. I liked Greg Kinnear in this role and thought he was his finest. Truth be told , none of us know how we would feel, what our price would be if someone stole any one of our ideas. I , for one, would not judge Robert Kearns. As the years dragged on he seemed to show more appreciation toward his family , perhaps realizing they are worth more than anything. Thus, still pursuing his dream of going down in history as the inventor of Intermittent Windshield Wipers. All in all , the movie was a great experience and one I highly recommend. I know Intermittent Wipers are about as sexy as say an ice tray... but give the movie a try. It is highly informative and entertaining.
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blanche-230 January 2014Greg Kinnear stars in Flash of Genius, featuring Lauren Graham and Dermot Mulroney.
Flash of Genius is the true story of Robert Kearns, an inventor, an engineering teacher and Ph.D who invented the intermittent windshield. While in negotiations with Ford Motor Company, Ford pulled out and decided they didn't want it, even though they had been working on one for years and hadn't come up with a solution.
When Kearns sees his windshield on a car, he realizes that Ford has stolen his invention. Though everyone, including his friend and business partner (Mulroney) don't want him to pursue it, and he does, hiring an attorney, Gregory Lawson (Alan Alda). Lawson gets a settlement offer for a quarter of a million dollars. Kearns turns it down for one reason. Ford will not admit they stole his invention, and though they approach him again, he continues to turn them down. Finally, working as his own attorney and with his son's help, he finally gets his day in court.
As another poster pointed out, the story is sad in a way because for every Bob Kearns who won't give up, there are hundreds and maybe thousands of people who have invented things, only to see their invention stolen.
Kearns suffered through a nervous breakdown, the deterioration of his family, and isolation as he fought his case.
Greg Kinnear did a wonderful job as Kearns, a serious, somewhat eccentric, and brilliant man who believed in ethics and integrity.
This is a very inspiring story -- it's not easy to make a movie about the invention of a windshield wiper, and maybe it's not the most exciting film I've ever seen, but I liked it. -
two-cents5 October 2008A beautiful story of honor, ethics, hard work and the American Dream. I believe the true story was a bit more complex; read somewhere that Kerns had at one time 12 lawsuits going simultaneously and several law firms on them. And I think his mental health problems were sanitized in the film. Nevertheless, the thread of maintaining integrity comes through in this film. And as far as being a true story, I wonder what role his victory has had for victories we occasionally read about today. (probably too few that end in victory but at least some do make it). Kerns certainly gave hope to many, and it seemed like the American justice system worked back then.
The film is interesting. It lacks the usual Hollywood melodrama--which I was glad some plot twists that I thought were so predictable did NOT turn out to happen, and it lacks the pace of fast action, special effects and sex. All of which contribute to a quieter, more thoughtful, and ultimately more touching film. It stayed with me throughout the next day.
I highly recommend it, for reasons of believing in what we were and what we can become again....maybe. -
TamPalm4 September 2010I don't think I've ever seen Greg Kinnear not bring his A-game, never seen him play in junk. This movie is not exception. He is truly one of the finest character actors on the scene, we should all be grateful we get a chance to experience his work, they don't make too many like that these days.
This movie is one I had only glanced at previously on HBO, never really took the time to watch in full. I finally did today and I'm glad I did. I think only a certain type of person will really be able to identify with the main character. Only if you feel you have something unique to offer can you really grasp the depth of anger and sadness and betrayal one would feel if that uniqueness is stolen. Kinnear evoked that real emotion very well. Other highlights were Alan Alda and the kids.
I really found myself disliking the characters played be Graham and Mulroney. Their ability to leave someone at a time he needed them most was just infuriating to me...even though it was probably realistic.
Anyway, yes the movie is somewhat formulaic, but I didn't mind that. I even found myself wishing towards the end, "Please let that jury find in his favor." As someone emotionally invested in the film by the end, I would have been devastated had it not turned out favorably for the main character. And this movie had the added benefit of being true, which in my eyes, made it even more endearing.
It's a nice movie, no fireworks, no Oscar nominations or anything, just a nice way to spend two hours. 7/10 -
This is absolutely the best movie I have seen, so far, this year! I sincerely hope Flash of Genius gets a few Academy Awards! But one thing is for certain! People will be watching this powerful film a 100 years from now! It's that good!
When I left the theater and reached the safety of my car, I sobbed uncontrollably! Why? The reason is simple! I can identify with what Dr. Kearns went through, having had a somewhat similar gut-wrenching experience as a whistleblower.
I really don't think most people can begin to understand what it is like to stand up for one's honor and to confront a powerful institution, such as a huge transnational corporation, (or in my case a government agency) - no matter what the personal cost.
Making matters even more difficult is that many politicians with a conservative bent love to turn the issue of litigation awards into a political football! Oh, how rich and powerful institutions are the "victims" of shady lawyers and questionable plaintiffs, they cry! But what these unethical politicians don't tell you is the mind-boggling amount of work that goes into preparing your case before you can even find a lawyer willing to take it! Or, that no matter how serious the injury, there's no guarantee your case will ever see the light of day!
This true story is also about love & family! Dr. Kearns is so fortunate to have such wonderful children. It's amazing how much can be accomplished when a human being gets emotional and logistical support from those he loves! Ultimately, I think that's the bottom line, here! -
This is a complex film because it asks some big questions. Is it worth being ethical and being right, if it means the dissolution of your marriage and your family? My gut reaction to that question is no. It's not worth 25 million dollars and exoneration. No amount of money or credit for an invention is worth losing the person you love and the life you are living with your family. In the beginning of the film, we see, despite time and money challenges faced by millions, a close-knit family headed by a loving mother and father who love each other. What price is that worth? There are elements of A Beautiful Mind and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in the film; and those elements work well. Greg Kinnear does the best work of his career in the film, and he deserved a nomination for it. However, this is not a feel-good movie. And one gets the feeling that playing a real-life game of Deal or No Deal with the Ford Motor Company was not the best of ideas by an otherwise intelligent man. Yes, he would have had only a fraction of the money; 1 or 2%. But was it worth losing his wife and life with his children for the other 98%? Was ethics more important than love and family? My impulse would be to say no. A very entertaining film that makes you ask yourself important questions. Well writtern and directed.
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neacorp25 February 2009I'm an inventor and an engineer at hart and wanted to see this movie as addition to my experience.
Did you know Robert Kearns died in 2005 before seeing this movie? If you did some background search about him, the movie will be different. Yes, it will be the same "David vs. Goliath" but you will see a different David. So you might want to see this movie twice and stop reading revues NOW.
Yes, he wins in the end. Hollywood won't make a movie where David looses in the end. The story of inventing the intermittent wiper in 1953 was great, but a tad long. In my opinion there were too many scenes to make Robert more compassionate before we get the actual trial. His family life is shown mostly from Roberts perspective alone. At some brief points I did believe the entire world was against him. But the lawsuit itself is short for an "epic" fight. And the ending wasn't really an ending - he got a lot more cash after that.
Everyone's acting is good for a history reenactment. Tim Kelleher looks like dramatic Jim Carrey at some angle in this movie. Nicely edited to see on TV if it ever comes out.
OK, now about the story that follows and THIS is the part where you STOP reading if you haven't seen the movie yet.
SPOILER.
Robert Kearns is listed as #3 in "7 People Who Never Gave Up (But Absolutely Should Have)". See the phrase for more info on that, but I'll tell it short. He was crazy, probably partly because of the propaganda lifestyle at the times. He set his primary goal to get justice, like some superhero, that he was THE inventor. Though he won, he lost his family in the process. And after that he set ALL his cash into (are you ready?) more lawsuits. Yep, he didn't invest the money, nor did he retire. He went for the name of THE inventor of intermittent wiper. It wasn't ever about the money. He became his own lawyer AFTER the Ford trial. In 1991, a federal judge dismissed all his outstanding lawsuits because Kearns' patents had expired. Kearns retired to a big house in the country to devote himself to a new hobby: trying to reclaim his patents.
His craziness wasn't a mental breakdown it was his way of life. Knowing this you will not see a man with some problems, you will see some crazy guy going for god knows what and slowly loosing his family in the process. Good thing he died in 2005 or he would have used this film for his crusade. A crazy David vs. Goliath? Now that's an interesting movie.