The evolution of the intermittent windshield wiper is now an exciting, sit on the edge of your seat thriller? Not likely. Whenever I read a blurb about a film I'm going to review I can't help but form an opinion. I know that perhaps I should not do that but it is human nature to assign a value to an experience before you actually experience it. I'd like to think that I can tell if what I am about to see will be a winner or a loser, and no doubt that is often an incredibly easy task. Hell, if Sylvester Stallone is in the cast I can pretty much guarantee a non-Oscars contender. However, like everyone else I am often wrong, and boy is that the case with "Flash of Genius", the story of the man who invented the intermittent windshield wiper. This is a winner on just about every level.
"Flash of Genius" is a story that moviegoers will eat up and embrace. At the screening I attended, there was cheering, a very uncommon occurrence in your local theater. It's David vs. Goliath. It's the average Joe vs. the big, bad evil corporation. That it comes in the form of establishing who really in fact owns the rights to the invention of the intermittent windshield wiper would be comical if it weren't true.
Our hero is Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear), a professor of engineering and a semi-professional inventor. He is frustrated by his windshield wiper's inability to react to the weather conditions. In his mind, windshield wipers should be able to intermittently react, depending on how hard the precipitation is. After a few stops and starts he perfects his idea. A few of his well-to-do buddies are excited, underwrite the project and promote it, eventually taking it to Ford Motor Company. The engineers at Ford are dismissive at first but when they see that it actually does work, they want it - and bad. Kearns meets with folks very high up on the chain of command at Ford and a handshake deal is struck to incorporate the invention into Ford's fleet. Kearns believes that the handshake is good enough. You know where this story is headed.
Of course, Ford dupes him and installs these wipers into their cars and cuts Kearns out of the profit loop. In fact, they cut him out entirely. This takes a horrific toll on both Kearns and his family, eventually tearing them apart. He refuses to let go of reclaiming credit for his invention even if it destroys him financially and mentally. His wife, Phyllis (Lauren Graham) is a lovey-dovey 1950's television wife who believes in her man, at least until she doesn't anymore. Her character isn't very important. Actually, almost no other character in "Flash of Genius" is particularly important. This is strictly Kearns vs. Ford going toe-to-toe, so the only actor that matters here is Greg Kinnear and he surprises me by being up to the task of carrying the entire film on his back.
My only criticism of "Flash of Genius" is that it is virtually a roadmap of predictability. It's following a non-fiction scenario so director Marc Abraham is handcuffed in a way, and it's better to stay as close to the truth as possible in cases like these. We know deep down that somehow good will triumph over evil because everything about "Flash of Genius" screams that we must conduct ourselves with integrity in every facet of our lives. Despite this minor complaint, I have no doubt that "Flash of Genius" will be a huge crowdpleaser and it will turn out to be a great word of mouth, feel good event, helped by our current dour economic conditions. Just sit back and forget your woes and watch one man fight off "the man" just like you wish you could.
