Over twenty years before the The Big Bang Theory debuted on CBS, Real Genius was the first really good geek comedy.
Sure, sure – arguments for Revenge of the Nerds, Weird Science, and even The Manhattan Project (not so much a comedy, though) could be made. However, none of these had quite the delicious amount of science coupled with 80′s fashion and hair.
The quick synopsis – Val Kilmer plays Chris Knight, a recknowned research university phenom who becomes unwittingly involved in weapons development when his graduation is threatened by his mentor played by the legendary Walter Peck / William Atherton. Gabriel Jarret plays the newest child prodigy that Knight takes under his wing.
The hair, clothes, and music are all 100% hermetically sealed 80′s with one outstanding exception: Chris Knight’s wardrobe. For the most part, you could pluck him out of this movie and drop him into Van Wilder, Superbad, or any other teen movie of this decade. Val Kilmer? Timeless.
Before Leonard, Sheldon, and the rest of the gang were making jokes about Facebook, Twitter, and Zork – Chris and Mitch were firing up 5 megawatt lasers, slicing liquid nitrogen to fake currency for the coffee machine, and embedding wireless tranceivers into braces to impersonate Jesus. Not bad for 1985.
If you haven’t checked this out yet, watch it. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it – especially the last 10 minutes.
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