Profession : Génie

First off: This is an 80s movie. It contains within it certain aspects of the 80s film genre which may cause you to cringe. A youthful, innocent boy gets corrupted by the feckless rebel; a vicious adult has his own agenda; boy gets seduced by teenage girl who may or may not be the current sex symbol. All generalizations aside, the roles in this movie are well-written and well-played. Val Kilmer is at his absolute best, William Atherton is as sly as Jeffrey Jones is oafish in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." The supporting heroine is annoying and unneeded, but who needs her when you've got Jonathan Gries to laugh at? All-around fun and plenty of one-liners that'll have you wishing you could be so witty.

Real Genius is a hilarious political commentary of the 1980's. Mix greed, government corruption, college pranks and a truly talented cast, and you have the movie "Real Genius". This movie is a family favorite for us, and with good reason. Clean language, developed plot, and fun, the "Real Genius" is great for the family collection. There are scenes in this movie that will stick with you long after you have seen the movie. Kilmer is upbeat and charming in the lead role as are all of the supporting actors/actresses. The lighthearted movie is brought to real-life with the reality of laser technology and the influence of greed which infiltrates every aspect of life - even college campus'.

I've noticed that some people who've commented on REAL GENIUS do not appear impressed. This must be either because they lack a sense of humor or simply don't know a good movie when they see one. Val Kilmer is hysterical, the script is filled with clever one-liners. William Atherton is THE ego-meniacle bad guy. And Chris Knight and Mitch Taylor have a guy named Lazlow living in their closet. Come on, this film is terrific. I could watch this film every day. It's that good.

Had very fond memories of this film as a kid in the 80s. Still holds up even today. DVD widescreen format shows off how well directed this movie is. Val Kilmer is terrific as the genius slacker hero. The whole cast gel well together, and the dialogue is very sharp and well-written (reminded me of TV show Scrubs in places). Had me laughing out loud in many places - rare for a modern version like American Pie. Lots of tasty 80s musical montages scattered throughout. Something really likable and positive about this movie, leaves you feeling really good at the end. Highly recommended - really hasn't dated at all. An enjoyable trip down 80s memory lane!

It is unfortunate that Val Kilmer so quickly "graduated" from the realm of youth oriented roles, as his work in Real Genius is by far the most enjoyable to watch. Kilmer proves adept at excellent comic timing, and he is given a motherlode of razor-sharp one-liners to fire off in every scene (I speculate that writer Pat Proft enjoyed watching The Marx Brothers in his formative years). Chief drawback of this film is the hammy, sneering villain played by Atherton -- as the old saying goes, just give him a mustache to twirl. But if you happened to see the film as a young person, the above-mentioned won't get in the way of your fond memories. I sure know that every time I see that slow-motion romp through the popcorn and hear Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," ramp up on the soundtrack, my cynicism just melts away.