Flash of Genius (2008)

Robert Kearns takes on the Detroit automakers who he claims stole his idea for the intermittent windshield wiper.

Director:

Marc Abraham

Writers:

Philip Railsback, John Seabrook (article)

Stars:

Greg Kinnear, Tim Eddis, Lauren Graham

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Greg Kinnear	...	Bob Kearns
Tim Eddis	...	Maryland Cop #1
Warren Belle	...	Maryland Cop #2
Karl Pruner	...	Pete
Bill Lake	...	Scott
Dermot Mulroney	...	Gil Previck
Lauren Graham	...	Phyllis Kearns
Landon Norris	...	Young Dennis
Shae Norris	...	Young Kathy
Steven Woodworth	...	Young Tim
Victoria Learn	...	Young Maureen
Dylan Authors	...	Young Patrick
Ronn Sarosiak	...	Reverend
Gavin Kuiack	...	Baby Bob Jr.
Ben Kuiak	...	Baby Bob Jr.

Storyline

Based on the true story of college professor and part-time inventor Robert Kearns' long battle with the U.S. automobile industry, Flash of Genius tells the tale of one man whose fight to receive recognition for his ingenuity would come at a heavy price. But this determined engineer refused to be silenced, and he took on the corporate titans in a battle that nobody thought he could win. The Kearns were a typical 1960s Detroit family, trying to live their version of the American Dream. Local university professor Bob married teacher Phyllis and, by their mid-thirties, had six kids who brought them a hectic but satisfying Midwestern existence. When Bob invents a device that would eventually be used by every car in the world, the Kearns think they have struck gold. But their aspirations are dashed after the auto giants who embraced Bob's creation unceremoniously shunned the man who invented it. Ignored, threatened and then buried in years of litigation, Bob is haunted by what was done to ...

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Plot Keywords:

professor | engineer | teacher | justice | college | 

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Taglines:

They had the power. He had the truth.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [fr] Official site [us]

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

3 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un éclair de génie

Filming Locations:

Convocation Hall, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$2,251,075 (USA) (3 October 2008)

Gross:

$4,234,040 (USA) (17 October 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment, Strike Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min 119 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alan Alda only worked 2 days.

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Goofs

When the Kearns family goes to a restaurant to celebrate the successful invention, in the mid-1960s, there is a Pepsi sign featuring a logo that wasn't introduced until 1971.

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Quotes

Bob Kearns: Whatever happened to this little thing called justice you talked about?
Gregory Lawson: This is justice, Bob. This is how justice is dispensed in this country - with checkbooks. There are no brass bands, you know, there are no ticker tape parades, the mayor doesn't give you the key to the city and call you a hero. You get a check.

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Crazy Credits

Following his verdict over Ford, Bob received $18.7 million from the Chrysler Corporation.

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Connections

References Frankenstein (1931)

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Soundtracks

"Largo from Xerxes, HWV by George Friederic Handel"
Public Domain
Written by George Frideric Handel (as Georg Friedrich Händel)
Performed by Bertalan Hock
Courtesy of Naxos, by Arrangement with Source/Q

User Reviews

Needs more inventiveness . . .

Just imagine over 30 years ago inventing something as useful as the intermittent windshield wiper, a device everyone uses when it rains. Now that's immortality for inventor Bob Kearns, professor and engineer.

What is more astonishing is he was almost forgotten after the Ford Motor Company usurped the design and promoted it as its own. The dramatic tension is Kearns' fight for recognition involving years of personal and familial losses. The two moments of inspiration, the "flash of genius," one a personal eye injury and the other driving in the driving rain, are dramatically satisfying if not downright underplayed (appealing to my minimalist sensibilities).

The film is exciting when Kearns is developing the device with those design inspiration moments fleshed out and the partnering with Ford slowly materializing. The film slows down as if in a school zone when at least a third of the Kearns' time is spent struggling with wife Phyllis Kearns (Lauren Graham) over the cost to them in time and trauma to go after Ford. The dutiful wife suffering the ambitious husband has been played in American cinema and theater too much to be fresh, no different here. The scenes with family, especially his wife, evoke my usual response: All right, already, I get the point. Now get on to the good stuff.

Similarly, Kinnear plays Kearns so low key as to be soporific. Although I don't doubt Kearns was an introverted geek, a dramatic rendition would have enlivened the character without compromising his essence.