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Flash of Genius

Flash of Genius

Corporations have time, money, and power on their side. All Bob Kearns had was the truth.

2008119 minPG-13Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Director
Marc Abraham
Starring
Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Jake Abel

In this David vs. Goliath drama based on a true story, college professor Robert Kearns goes up against the giants of the auto industry when they fail to give him credit for inventing intermittent windshield wipers. Kearns doggedly pursues recognition for his invention, as well as the much-deserved financial rewards for the sake of his wife and six kids.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Flash of Genius?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Flash of Genius to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Flash of Genius?

Flash of Genius earns 7 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Flash of Genius worth watching?

Flash of Genius' Midcredits score is the 77th percentile of all films, from 22K ratings across 6 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

77th percentile

Better received than 77% of films

62nd percentile among Biography75th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)70th
Approval (how many liked it)81st

67 /100

70th percentile of all films

55th percentile among Biography69th percentile among 2000s

Critics 57 · Audience 68

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

67th percentile among Biography79th percentile among 2000s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 62% · Audience 55%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 0 noms overall

88th percentile

22K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Biography81st percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 25% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$20M
Opening weekend$2.3M
Domestic gross$4.4M
Worldwide gross$4.8M

Returned 0.2× its budget — 57th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps recognize it as a straightforward David-vs-Goliath true story about a man who sacrificed his family to fight Ford over a stolen patent.

Fans praised

  • Greg Kinnear's committed, humanizing performance as an obsessive inventor
  • Inspiring David vs. Goliath story of principled fight against corporate theft
  • Emotionally resonant portrait of the personal cost of seeking justice

Detractors panned

  • Protagonist made unlikable anddull, undermining audience sympathy
  • Slow, plodding pacing that drags without emotional or dramatic payoff
  • Formulaic underdog courtroom drama with no fresh angle or suspense

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

Kinnear's earnest, layered portrayal opposed by critics calling him dull and one-note

Plot and storyDivisive65

Straightforward underdog courtroom narrative with predictable beats

Emotional impactDivisive60

Sympathy for sacrifice and loss, but muted by protagonist's stiffness

EndingDivisive58

Bittersweet victory; morally satisfying but with unresolved personal cost

CharactersDivisive55

Kearns written as principled but obsessive, with mixed views on likability

TensionDivisive50

Courtroom stakes feel subdued; predictable outcome reduces suspense

PacingDivisive45

Slow first half, second half picks up in courtroom but overall sluggish

OriginalityDivisive40

Highly formulaic David vs. Goliath structure with few surprises

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 15 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Flash of Genius like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlays the story straight with earnest gravity, treating Kearns's crusade and personal cost with solemn respect.
The rideThe film sustains a persistent undercurrent of tension (legal and domestic) and melancholy (from Kearns' losses) across its runtime; the hopeful notes are concentrated in the early invention phase and the late courtroom climax.
StructureA straightforward linear narrative following Kearns from invention through obsessive legal fight to courtroom verdict.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayKearns wins his legal victory but loses his family, leaving a lingering question about the cost of principle.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% (this title) · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Corporate villainy: A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

Why this archetypeThe film follows Robert Kearns's legal battle against Ford Motor Company after they steal his intermittent wiper patent, a classic David vs Goliath story where a corporation is the monster he must overcome.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsObsession · 3% of films: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Redemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeA man who believes he has been wronged by a corporation fights a lonely decades-long legal battle — the film is about whether the system delivers fair acknowledgment, and at what personal cost.
StanceThe film mourns the corruption of the patent system and the personal toll of fighting for justice against a corporate Goliath; it treats the fight as bittersweet — justice is served but at the cost of family and sanity.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Aaron Zigman
Setting1960s-1990s Detroit and surrounding Michigan suburbs, moving between the Kearns home basement lab and Ford corporate boardrooms
MusicZigman's score underpins the emotional beats — swelling in the courtroom and subdued in the domestic breakdown scenes.

Content guide

Is Flash of Genius okay for kids?

PG-13

Flash of Genius is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for brief strong language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (19/100), language at moderate (56/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • Germany6
  • Spain12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (16 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Flash of Genius have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Flash of Genius?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Greg Kinnear
as Bob Kearns
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lauren Graham
as Phyllis Kearns
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Dermot Mulroney
as Gil Previck
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jake Abel
as Dennis (21 Years)
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Daniel Roebuck
as Frank Sertin
Mitch Pileggi
as Macklin Tyler
Tim Kelleher
as Charlie Defao
Bill Smitrovich
as Judge Franks
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Conor O'Farrell
as Chris Finley
Alan Alda
as Gregory Lawson
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Flash of Genius?

Movies like Flash of Genius include Erin Brockovich (2000), The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) and Silkwood (1983). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories of corporate villainy, and several are films set in the American Midwest.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its character type: a marriage in crisis. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Flash of Genius?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: scientist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.