Father of Invention

Even first rate actors like Kevin Spacey cannot save a film just on their name alone, they need a better script to work with. In this case Kevin Spacey plays a successful multi-millionaire inventor named Robert Axle who ends up serving a 10 year prison term for inventing and releasing prematurely an exercise machine that severs fingers from a number of purchasers. Robert Axle invested his whole life in marketing his inventions and no time what so ever with his little girl, played by Camilla Belle, or his ex wife Lorraine played by Virginia Madsen.

When Axle gets out of prison not only is his name poison with the large retail giants, but his ex wife has remarried to a Forest Ranger named Jerry King played by Craig Robinson, and they have slowly squandered a fortune of over 200 million dollars. Axle's only daughter Claire, played by Camilla Belle still suffers from latent child abandonment issues. So life has been cruel to Robert Axle these past 10 years in prison. He first befriends his daughters two roommates, who agree to give up their couch to Robert rather than have to watch him live in a men's shelter for too long.

In an effort to redeem himself and regain his Midas touch with a new invention, Axle goes to work at the fourth largest retail chain named Family World, whose immediate Assistant Store Manager is a guy named Troy Coangelo, played superbly by Johnny Knoxville. Axle and Troy don't see eye to eye on the store's priorities and as such Axle's career at Family World is short lived. Desperate to make amends with his daughter Claire, Axle does come up with a new invention but can't find an investor willing to risk financing a dead beat and felony ex convict like Axle.

Eventually he does find one investor and he also makes amends with his daughter. Yes, there are a few sentimental tear jerker scenes between father and daughter but not quite enough good film value for me to recommend Father Of Invention for your viewing pleasure.

As a result I rate the film a 5 out of 10. Viewer beware of a weak script with little decent content.

As the charismatic inventor who appears on TV, Kevin Spacey does quite a good job. He's done this type role before, but Bernadette Peters was there to overshadow him. Here, that's not a problem. Later, I can't say Spacey is that good, considering what he has accomplished, but he has his moments. The best one comes when he realizes he needs to fix his relationship with his daughter.

Heather Graham doesn't start out well. She is nothing more than a nasty lesbian who keeps pointing out that she's a lesbian. Later, she proves to be much more and is even likable. And not a lesbian. Bi, maybe. While I liked her two roommates better at first, by movie's end Phoebe is the best character.

I'm not sure what to say about Johnny Knoxville. The store manager resembles Ty Burrell and, maybe just for that reason, I think Burrell could have played the role. And better. Perhaps he wasn't available. His bumbling Phil Dunphy had similarities to this character that make me think it could have worked. Still, there were times I found the man entertaining.

I liked Claire okay, but she quickly grew impatient with her father, and I guess with good reason. She wasn't as easy to like later, and I'm not even sure how good a job the actress did. One thing stands out about her and that's her great smile at the bank.

I also liked Donna, but she really gave me a reason to like her. At least at the beginning. I'm not sure she had much in the brains department, but she is a sweet girl.

Red West was memorable as Axle's engineer. While he was old and getting senile he knew what he was doing, mostly. It is a great scene where Axle realizes this man he is depending on isn't quite what he used to be.

John Stamos is ideal for the role of a constantly smiling but superficial pitch man. You want to like him because of how he appears on the surface and can't stand him when you see what he's really like. He's just not around much.

Michael Rosenbaum is kind of a disappointment. He makes the most of a small role but he used to be so much like Axle. Genuinely evil with lots of money, though, instead of just someone who messed up.

Craig Robinson is easy to like as the new man in Axle's ex-wife's life.

And about the ex--she is nasty and I can't stand her. And yet Virginia Madsen played such a wonderful character when I saw her the same weekend in "Sideways". She proved what a range she has. Be sure and stay around for her atrocious duet with her husband in the closing credits.

Other than the hideously bad closing credits, the music is good most of the time.

It was a mostly enjoyable movie. I wanted to see Axle succeed. But it's not easy.

Not so good cast of actors, especially the female roles, it seriously disappoint because all its ideas are already used a lot previously. Despite all: it entertains quite well.

I came across this on YouTube free streaming movies "with ads". But there were no ads.

I used to live and work in the New Orleans area and it is fun trying to recognize locations. Kevin Spacey is Robert Axle, inventor, but he likes to call himself a "fabricator" because he always gets his inspiration from things that already are available, usually two things, and he combines the ideas. He has become a Billionaire this way.

However quickly the movie cuts to 10 years later, Robert is getting out of prison after 8 years, seems his last product had a nasty habit of cutting off the fingers of the users. Still there should have been $$Millions left had it not been for his extravagant wife.

So most of the story is about his getting back on his feet and holding down a job, a condition of his parole. And also getting back into the good graces of his daughter, now 20-ish. There are a number of funny situations, plus some that fall flat.

It isn't a memorable movie but Spacey is good and I enjoyed it for what it is.

This film is about a famous fabricator whose life is derailed by a problematic product. After an eight-year prison term, he is determined to get back on his feet.

I find "Father of Invention" very good. The script is very good. It tells a successful business hitting rock bottom, losing his career, reputation, money and his family. Kevin Spacey is very convincing as a man in such difficult situation; we can see the desperation in his face, and yet his eyes still sparkle with determination to be the successful. The subplot about family is touching as well, the characters connect with each other and with the viewers as well. I really enjoyed "Father of Invention".