Flash of Genius

Flash of Genius
A fantastic movie about what's right and what's wrong. As an individual that creates for a living, this movie really struck a chord with me. In the film, based on the true story of a local professor that comes up with an idea for an intermitent wiper. In the 50s, all wipers were timed out, I guess, in such a way that you had to trigger it every time you needed it to wipe the windshield. Bob Kearns, played by Greg Kinnear, invents the wiper that we know today. He makes it in his basement. He wants to manufacture the wiper himself. Ford gets wind of the inventon and asks to see it. He livesd in Detroit, so he goes to show them.
They're blown away. Apparently, they'd been trying to master the wiper and had no such luck. They ask for a test unit. Bob says no. They say in order to pursue it as an investment, they'll need to test it. Bob sees their point. Bob apprehensivlry gives them his product.
And here's any creators worst nightmare, and where the film takes off. Ford tells Bob they're not interested anymore. They tell him they're not gonna pursue it. Bob thinks they've jsut taken his invention and duplicated it without including him. His worst fears are right, as he sees it on a new mustang model a month later. They took it. Bob is crushed but demands justice.
I think I've said enough to pique your interest. It's a complicated struggle beween Bob's quest for justice, holding his family together, and the power of 'big-comapny' taking from the little man. A true David vs Goliath story. And its a tearjerker, too. But I cry every time Rudy makes the last tackle, so take it for what it's worth.
Kinnear does an amazing job as the guy who wants to do what's right and wants others to do what's right too. You go along on this journey with him as he turns down settlement offer after settlement offer and his family unravels.
He doesn't care about the settlement money. He wants them to admit they took his invention. He wants them to do what is right.
The buildup to the jury's verdict is as tense as I've seen in recent memories.
And getting that message across in movies today is pretty spectacular.
I think Kinnear was nominated for an Oscar for it, which he deserved to win. The guy is brilliantly good. He can play the guy that you root for. I don't wanna say I feel sorry for him, cause that's a decently easy card to play, I'd imagine. No, ya just root for the guy. Empathy I suppose.
All in all, it made the perfect in flight movie on my trip home from Uruguay. I think I might have been the only one awake to watch it and I'm glad I did.
I can't say I've had the flash of genius moment, yet, buy I look forward to it. I named the second installment of my Cowboys and Indians cartoon 'Flash in the Pants' which is kinds close. Cause of the 'flash' aspect and that prospectors use pans. (Crickets)
Ugh. I ways find a way to put my quippyness on an otherwise heartfelt post. Damned humor as a defense mechanism.