Review of Flash of Genius (2008) by Johnson L — 08 Oct 2009

As with many a biopic, this film takes many a convenient shortcut in its story telling, and when it does stray outside the normal narative, it fails (while the beginning scene sets a nice mood and is later dove tailed into the court preceedings, it makes no sense - why would the police be interested in this guy in the first place??).

I feel that the scriptwriter felt somewhat hemmed in by the subject matter - how can you make the war of attrition that Ford Motor Co uses, stalling the courtroom drama for almost 7 years, interesting? You can't - therefore so much of the middle of this film wanders aimlessly, with the luke warm attempt to show the strain of this Quixotic enterprise on Kearn's wife and family. The single minded obsession that drives him temporarily insane somehow manages to come off flat and lifeless, though I think from no fault of Kinnear.

The last half hour of courtroom "drama" almost falls into the realm of the absurd, as facts are revealed and Kearn, who decides to represent himself in the proceedings, is given way too much leeway by the fatherly judge, and easily objectifiable moves become ignored - making it overtly transparent that the entire courtroom phase is nothing more than a vehicle to reveal the film's tired message.

There is enough here to marginally recommend this film, especially in the first half, but once Ford Motor shows its true corporate colors the film starts its slow descent into boilerplate mediocracy.