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Real Genius | Year: 1985 Directed: - Martha Coolidge Actors/Actresses: - Val Kilmer Smart Comedy Of all comedic movies I have ever seen, few have been as well written, well acted or as underrated as Real Genius. There are so many great lines that you could sit around and quote them back and forth, assuming you've seen it a couple times and this is the type of movie you can see over and over again. It relies on wit and on some levels, some drama. There is an underlying story in this movie about a young teen genius (Mitch) trying to fit in where you think he would fit in with no problem, a school for gifted young scientists. But due to his young age and sheltered life, he is ridiculed from the moment he steps through the door. Val Kilmer plays Chris, the star Senior student who relates to the kid because he sees Mitch as himself when he was younger. This is Val Kilmer's best role, before he became so particular about his work. His character seems to genuinely care for Mitch. It's as if he's determined to save one soul from the think tank of their head instructor who is using his students to resolve a power problem on a laser project. College pranks are still abound but the hi-jinks that go on are imginitive, as you would expect from highly intelligent students. The script is smart, funny, quick witted and clear. You will love this movie, trust me. Buy it! Excellent movie until the end This movie is a classic. It's wonderful. Val Kilmer's wise-ass lines are incredibly funny and makes the whole movie worth while. The one problem - at the very end, when the geniuses of this thinly-disguised Cal Tech decide to do something wacky and zany to get back at their professor, it is impossible to forget that this movie was made in the '80s, with schemes and humor straight out of Police Academy or Revenge of the Nerds. i hate the ending - it's so damn silly, moving from the mostly-realistic humor of the movie's initial dialog to the silly escapades at the end. But despite the dumb ending, the movie is wonderful, and i wish i could find this on DVD (any day now, right?) One of the Most Underrated Comedies of All Time "Real Genius", along with Amy Heckerling's brilliant "Johnny Dangerously", is one of those comedies that never seemed to grasp the audience of other famous '80s flicks like "Caddyshack" or "Back to School". Well, now that it's on DVD, it's a perfect time to see what you've been missing. "Real Genius" is a simple story really. It's about a 15-year-old whiz named Mitch who goes off to this technology school, where's he's forced to fit in with all of the other brainiacs who spend most of their time simply being smart. While there, he meets up with fellow genius Chris Knight, played with full gusto by Val Kilmer. Chris and Mitch are hand-picked by their professor and head genius, Jerry Hathaway, to lead a team of students that will develop a laser. Seemingly harmless, the team later learns that Hathaway has his own agenda for the laser (actually, the military's agenda), and they attempt to spoil the plot as only really smart kids can. Mitch and Chris' on-screen chemistry works, simply because as Chris puts it, "I was just like you." Kilmer's Chris Knight is the rebel of the group, scheming against the brown-nosing Kent and causing Hathaway's major headaches throughout the film. Kilmer's facial expressions are some of the best of the decade, and he's got some classic lines to boot. It's too bad Kilmer went on to things like "The Saint". His best work is in "Real Genius". Consider this: When Hathaway tells him he needs to be "seeing more of him at the lab," Kilmer replies, "Fine. I'll gain weight." Oh yeah, comedy baby. So if you haven't seen "Real Genius" yet, I urge you to rent the DVD when it arrives. And make sure you're eating popcorn. Best College Comedy EVER Maybe it's just that I was in college when this film came out, maybe it's that I'm a big Val Kilmer fan, but whatever the reason, Real Genius is one of the funniest films ever made. It contains what I consider to be the single funniest line ever put on film ("Was it a dream where you see yourself in sort of sun God robes on a pyramid, with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you? Why am I the only person that has that dream?"). The mostly never heard from again cast (aside from Kilmer and Atherton) does a great job, and Martha Coolidge directs her best effort with a perfect contemporary soundtrack (though another reviewer is *definitely* right about the music being mixed far higher than the dialog). All of that said, it is an incredible crime against all people my age (mid to late 30s) that this DVD has **NO** features. An interview or commentary by Kilmer would be a must (not to mention director Coolidge). Kilmer told *great* stories at the time about his research for the role with the brainiacs at Pepperdine ... those should be ON THE DVD. What is it about these studio people that they don't get the whole point of the DVD medium. Putting just the film on DVD makes the studio look stupid, makes it clear they don't care about the film, and it's insulting to those of us who have been anxiously awaiting this release. Buy Real Genius at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Real Genius Search with the Priority Search Engine on Real Genius This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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