Bad Genius Review – Intense, Brilliant Story Driven Performances
- Details
- Category: Film
- Published on Monday, 07 October 2024 14:08
- Written by Janet Walker
Bad Genius, from Vertical Entertainment, presents the story of a brilliant math student, on scholarship at an elite prep school, and to help her friends maintain their GPA and college tracks she develops a brilliant coding system.
The film begins with Lynn, played by Callina Liang, protesting her innocence, and immediately to an interview at Excelsior Prep School, her dad, Meng, played by Benedict Wong, is presenting her list of achievements. He is determined to secure his daughter the education and opportunities, he never had. As the interview progresses, we begin to understand the Lynn, as a passion for piano, and her desire is not MIT but Julliard.
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At the interviews end, Ms. Walsh, played by Sarah-Jane Redmond, the admissions liaison, offers Lynn a place, and instantly Lynn calculates the cost and explains the cost is too high, and then she offers her a full scholarship.
Soon, Lynn is given a school ambassador, Grace, played by Taylor Hickson, and the two become inseparable. As Lynn is practicing piano one day, Grace explains her parents have explained that if she doesn't keep her GPA up, she will not be able to audition and asks Lynn to tutor her. On the day of the math test, Lynn sees her friend struggling and helps her pass her exam.
Grace then invites Lynn to her boyfriend's house Pat, played by Samuel Braun, and he explains that maybe she would be interested in helping him out, the way she has been helping Grace out. By the end of the conversation, Lynn quickly calculates her prince which includes a fee for the significant moral backsliding involved in cheating, and the cost of her audition at Juilliard, and by the end of the conversation, they have agreed on the fee.
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We also begin to understand that "everything is a transaction even if they hide the price tag." Lynn develops a brilliant coding system based on the scales on the piano. She taps out the scales on her desk delivering the answers to the students. However, even as brilliant as her system the test scores for those who struggled, suddenly were on par with the highest achievers. So, on the next test, two separate tests were given, and no one knew. As they are celebrating, Lin is called to the headmaster's office. She is caught. However, as she is the best of the best, she is given a second chance, although her scholarship is rescinded.
It's senior year, and the only test that has any significance to both the students and the parents is the upcoming SATs. We meet Pat's dad, Ted, played by David James Lewis, who explains to Lynn, over dinner, that Pat is his last chance to have a Stone attend his Columbia, and Pat's grades even as a legacy won't cut it. He needs the SATs. Of course, while he doesn't ask her to cheat, he implies that getting his son accepted into Columbia is worth any price. She turns him down.
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This sets up the explosive and thrilling final act.
Bad Genius, an intense, unpredictable, scam-the-system suspense story, is captivating.
The ensemble cast delivers solid, engaging, exceptional performances that hold the attention through to the end frame. Benedict Wong is perfect in his portrayal of the hardworking Asian immigrant father working to ensure his first-generation daughter will achieve greatness. He delivers the range of emotions from deadpanned humor to anger to sympathy seamlessly. The story is well-written, and the direction is flawless.
A riveting, high stakes, race against time thriller, Bad Genius opens exclusively in theaters, October 11, 2024. See it.
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Country: U.S.
Language: English.
Runtime: 96 minutes.
Release Date: October 11, 2024.
Director: JC Lee.
Screenplay: JC Lee, Julius Onah. Based on the Thai Film Bad Genius by Nattawut Poonpiriya, Tanida Hantaweewatana, Vasudhorn Piyaromna.
Producer: Erik Feig, p.g.a.. Samie Kim Falvey, Jessica Switch, p.g.a., Patrick Wachsberger, p.g.a. , Ashley Stern, p.g.a., Mallory Edens, p.g.a.
Executive Producer: Julia Hammer, Sian McArthur, Pascal Breton, Lionel Uzan, Wesley R. Edens, Benedict Wong.
Cast: Callina Liang, Benedict Wong, Jabari Banks, Taylor Hickson, Samuel Braun, Sarah-Jane Redmond, David James Lewis, Nathalie Boltt, Conor Meadows, David Lennon, Reese Alexander, Rumbie Muzofa, Synto D. Misati, Aqqalu Meekis, Olivia Naguit, Yuko Tokashiki, Nikolai Witschl, Rob Carpenter, Adam Beauchesne, Sarah Kelley, Tina Grant, Kia Stuart.