Flash of Genius

Flash of Genius, in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, takes its characters as seriously as it takes its plot. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 251 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Greg Kinnear — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Flash of Genius is worth clearing space for. Flash of Genius takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. 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. Greg Kinnear and Lauren Graham lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. Flash of Genius came out in 2008. Flash of Genius resists tidy resolutions in a way that respects how messy real consequences actually are. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Flash of Genius is what you recommend to people who say they do not really watch much. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Greg Kinnear's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.

Flash of Genius was released in 2008, directed by Marc Abraham. The full 119-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.