Greenes
Please don't spend money on this.
StyleSk8r
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
Taha Avalos
The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
graphicspittz187
Wow I loved this movie I am a 80's kid and I never seen this. I really enjoyed this movie
classicsoncall
There was a time and place for movies like this, but even during my younger years I managed to avoid pictures this pointless. The dialog is witty at times, I'll grant that, but it sort of loses it's punch the closer we get to transforming the laser project into a military weapon. Val Kilmer looks so young in this film that I had to look up his stats here on IMDb. This was in fact his very first starring movie role, but a far cry from the performance he delivered as Doc Holliday in "Tombstone". My primary reason in watching this movie was it's presence on IMDb's Top 250 list way back in it's very first year of 1996. I'm finding that the early years of IMDb were influenced pretty heavily by an audience that thought "Up in Smoke", "Dazed and Confused" and "Cheech and Chong's Next Movie" were cinematic masterpieces. With a goal of watching and reviewing all of them, it's going to be a formidable task. If I catch a break, there might even be a good one in there.
robert3750
Watching this movie always gives me fond memories of the 80s. The song that ends the movie, "Everybody Wants to Rule the Word" gives it just the right feel. I love the depiction of college life, and William Atherton's character is wonderfully smarmy. One of the things I especially like about it is that the kids in it are SMART. I never did like the kind of movie that promotes idiocy as a virtue.
lost-in-limbo
We know how funny actor Val Kilmer could be after his debut performance in the comedy spoof "Top Secret", and the filmmakers here took that chance by giving the fresh faced actor one of central roles where he would truly make light work of his flamboyantly off-the-wall character. It's Kilmer's show… and boy does he take control! Working off a bright and snappy script, Kilmer is let loose and brings much needed zip and a real quirkiness to his magnificently inspired performance. With "Real Genius" it was one of those films that passed me by, but when I noticed it I was expecting your basic ho-hum teen comedy, but while it might have the token characters and usual situations it actually had a fresh and clever spin to it all. Sure the chaotic and scatty slapstick/screwball humour might not always come off, but it never outstays its welcome by getting on with things as it was constantly thinking on its feet. When its spot on (either with it radical dialogues or visual gags --- as there's plenty of the latter), it's quite good.It even has a message to boot; no matter how hard you work, there's always time to take a break and enjoy life's many experiences… or maybe be careful if you're super smart as the military might just abuse that gift. Yes, the plot follows that of Mitch Taylor a 15 year old whiz kid that joins a school of fellow scientific prodigies. There he meets Chris Knight, who likes to have a good time than be caught studying. However unknowingly to them their professor is exploiting them in an attempt to create a laser weapon for the military.A technically slick presentation by director Martha Coolidge who showers the air with punchy 80s tunes and gets a bunch of capable performances from the cast. William Atherton is picture-perfect as the smug professor and Gabriel Jarret brings the right quality to his naïve character Mitch. Michelle Meyrink is adorably sweet as one of the students; Robert Prescott is good fun as a suck-up nerdy student and look out for Yuji Okumoto (who I'll always remember for his part in "Better off Dead") as one of the whizzes. Jon Gries is enjoyably dry and then you get the lovely ladies Patti D'Arbanville and Deborah Foreman in minor, but potent parts.
