Review of Young Einstein (1988) by Alex F — 31 Jul 2010

So, this is an alternate/anachronistic history comedy in which Einstein grows up on an apple farm in Tasmania, discovers the theory of relativity, and uses it to invent things such as carbonated beer, rock and roll, and surfing. With a guy with a name like Yahoo Serious at the helm, such wackiness can be expected, I suppose.

The story skips around a bit and characters are left undeveloped, but it all seems to work out due to the film's quirky innocence. The main character is a very childlike version of Einstein, so I followed the film as if it were something from the mind of a child, and it was very enjoyable. It's similar to movies like "Kung Pow" and "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." Just don't take it seriously, and it's all good.

Another thing that helped me enjoy the goofiness and appreciate the intent behind it was how nice it looked. The cinematography, art direction, and effects all match up with other good comedies of the era; things that make a film seem legitimate.

I was kind of surprised that I had not heard of this film until recently. Yes, it's Australian and came out when I was only two years old, but it felt like a movie that should be more well known than it is. So go spread the word, kids!