If “Flash of Genius,” the story of Bob Kearns’ 16-year battle with Ford Motor Company for recognition that he invented the intermittent windshield wiper, sounds a little dull, you’d be right. This is, after all, about a windshield wiper, not life and death. And while this movie effectively tells a David vs. Goliath story, it’s hard to make it very interesting. The movie’s saving grace is the performance by Greg Kinnear. Bob Kearns (Kinnear), a mechanical engineer, invents the intermittent windshield wiper in his basement in 1967 and with the help of his friend Gil Previck (Dermot Mulroney), builds a prototype and obtains patents. Bob takes his invention to Ford, a company that had also been working on the intermittent windshield wiper but with less success. The president at Ford agrees to work with Bob, but sends him a rejection letter a few months later. Two years later, Bob discovers his invention in Ford’s latest models and he has received no money and no credit. Years of lawsuits ensue, with Ford being big enough to wait out the little guy. However, Ford underestimates Bob’s determination and moral outrage as he continues his battle.
Greg Kinnear, often underrated as an actor, brings heartbreak and a poignant understanding to his role as a man who suffers a nervous breakdown and sees his marriage fall apart and his children alienated, who hires lawyers and routinely ignores their advice, who ultimately perseveres to get is day in court. Kinnear infuses Kearns with steely determination while also revealing Kearns’ fragile mental state. He makes you a believer when he says, ‘It’s not about money; it’s about right and wrong.’ It’s hard to get excited about patents and ownership of intellectual property and the tone of the movie tends to be overly somber. Nonetheless, if you must see this movie, see it for Greg Kinnear’s performance. 10/2/08
The movie was OK, Greg Kinnear should get an "A" for his performance
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