Real Genius Poster

Real Genius (1985)

PG 08/07/1985 Comedy, Romance, Science Fiction 1h 46m
67%
User
Score
6.9/10
77%
71/100

When he gets mad, he doesn't get even… he gets creative.

Overview

When teenage geniuses Mitch Taylor and Chris Knight, working on an advanced laser project, learn that the military wants to use it as a weapon, they decide to thwart the plan.

Martha Coolidge

Director

Neal Israel

Screenplay

Pat Proft

Screenplay

PJ Torokvei

Screenplay

Top Billed Cast

Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer

Chris Knight

Gabriel Jarret

Gabriel Jarret

Mitch Taylor

Michelle Meyrink

Michelle Meyrink

Jordan

William Atherton

William Atherton

Professor Hathaway

Robert Prescott

Robert Prescott

Kent

Louis Giambalvo

Louis Giambalvo

Major Carnagle

Jon Gries

Jon Gries

Lazlo Hollyfeld

Ed Lauter

Ed Lauter

CIA Man Decker

Stacy Peralta

Stacy Peralta

Shuttle Pilot

Full Cast & Crew →

Media

First 10 Minutes

First 10 Minutes

Official Trailer

Official Trailer

Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop Backdrop
Poster
Loading Wikipedia summary...

Similar Movies

F+
0%
F+ Jun 06, 2025
Signature Move
54%
Signature Move Mar 11, 2017
The Year of Spectacular Men
56%
The Year of Spectacular Men Jun 15, 2018
The David Dance
39%
The David Dance Mar 08, 2014
Strange Days
70%
Strange Days Oct 13, 1995
Desert Hearts
70%
Desert Hearts Oct 01, 1985
Bollywood/Hollywood
59%
Bollywood/Hollywood Oct 25, 2002
Legend of the Red Reaper
32%
Legend of the Red Reaper Aug 01, 2013
A Beautiful Mind
79%
A Beautiful Mind Dec 14, 2001
Bend It Like Beckham
63%
Bend It Like Beckham Apr 11, 2002
36 Fillette
50%
36 Fillette Mar 03, 1988
Monsoon Wedding
68%
Monsoon Wedding Aug 30, 2001
Fire
67%
Fire Aug 22, 1997
Hope
69%
Hope Nov 22, 2019
The Broken Hearts Gallery
72%
The Broken Hearts Gallery Sep 11, 2020
Cherry-Red
55%
Cherry-Red Oct 30, 2007
Johnny Dangerously
63%
Johnny Dangerously Dec 21, 1984
The Guitar
55%
The Guitar Nov 07, 2008
Apartment Troubles
50%
Apartment Troubles Jun 15, 2014

Reviews

A review by Wuchak

Written on April 28, 2018

The Big Bang guys when they were in college (not really, but sort of)

RELEASED IN 1985 and directed by Martha Coolidge, "Real Genius" is a college dramedy about a 15 year-old genius in laser technology (Gabe Jarret) who’s recruited by physics Professor Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton), who has ulterior motives for having the kid work in his personal lab. The newbie’s roommate turns out to be the most brilliant freshman in history, who’s now a senior and seemingly clouded by college-age mischief (Val Kilmer). Michelle Meyrink plays a kinetic student interested in Mitch (Jarret) while Jonathan Gries appears as a curious wraith-like individual. Robert Prescott is on hand as a brown-nosing foil.

To give you an idea of the filmmaking style, the director also made 1983’s “Val...

Read the full review on TMDb →

A review by Filipe Manuel Neto

Written on March 27, 2024

**After all, it is possible to make a film for teenagers without barracks humor or sexual obsessions.**

During the 80s, there was an explosion of films aimed at young audiences, and this is, perhaps, one of the most interesting, although it is as forgettable as almost all of them. Of course, it fits into the young thinking of the time: rebellion, revolt against institutions and parents, incapable of understanding their children, but it combines humor, youthful boldness and a certain education that does not give space to slang or obscene situations. After all, it is possible to make a funny youth film without barracks or sorority jokes, and without a permanent obsession about sex.

The story is set in a university (or pre-university) institute, where young people with great mental capa...

Read the full review on TMDb →
×