GENIUS (2016)

Genre: Biography/Drama
Director: Michael Grandage
Cast: Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Laura Linney, Guy Pearce, Dominic West, Vanessa Kirby, Gillian Hanna
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 25 August 2016

Synopsis: From Academy Award-nominated screenwriter JOHN LOGAN (Gladiator, The Aviator, Hugo, Skyfall) and acclaimed, Tony Award-winning director MICHAEL GRANDAGE (former artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse) in his feature film debut, comes Genius, a stirring drama about the complex friendship and transformative professional relationship between the world-renowned book editor Maxwell Perkins (who discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway) and the larger-than-life literary giant Thomas Wolfe.

Movie Review:

Based on A. Scott Berg’s Max Perkins: Editor of Genius, renowned screenwriter and playwright John Logan (Gladiator, Spectre) penned this passion project of his, which chronicles the turbulent relationship between American novelist Thomas Wolfe and his editor Maxwell Perkins.  

Wolfe (Jude Law) might be a genius, talented writer that churned out lengthy novels but he remains a nobody if not for the quietly intelligent editor Max Perkins (Colin Firth) at Scribner. Sensing Wolfe’s work is unique, Perkins constantly works to shape and pare down Wolfe’s words into a book that is fit for publishing and that results in Wolf’s first major literary success – Look Homeward, Angel.   

It has been said that Wolfe has found a father figure in Max while the latter looks upon Wolfe as sort of a foster son. In a way it’s more of a family relationship than a mere bromance. But with the success of his published books, his maniac egoism starts to believe that Max’s frequent editing of his works might be hurtful to his reputation. At the same time, Wolfe’s older lover, Aline Bernstein (Nicole Kidman) is on the verge of a breakdown when Wolfe spends more time with Perkins than her. And there’s also Mrs Perkins (Laura Linney), an inspiring stage actress and their five young daughters in the story.

Truth to be told, you don’t expect a movie about writers to be that exciting. The entire affair plods along like a stage play, transiting from one talky scene to another in very sparse sets. This is not a surprise consider it is helmed by acclaimed British theatre producer Michael Grandage. The drama spent a considerable amount of screentime showcasing the dynamic interaction of the two men though you might walk out of the theatre knowing very little of Wolfe and Perkins in the end. Wolfe can be considered as a wildly eccentric individual while Perkins has the weird habit of keeping his hat even in the comfort of his own home.

It’s a huge pity Logan’s screenplay fails to delve further into the colorful life of Thomas Wolfe or the real hidden genius, Max Perkins who is also responsible for removing the fats off the works of other literature greats Ernest Hemingway (A Farewell to Arms) and F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby). There is so much more to tell than repetitive shots of Perkins having dinner with his lovely family or catching the train home. Other recognizable faces include Dominic West (Money Monster) who has a pathetic single scene as Hemingway while Australian actor Guy Pearce (Iron Man 3) portrays a troubled Fitzgerald. Last but not least, Nicole Kidman dazzles as the jealous, disheartened set designer spurned by the young Wolfe.

Genius is a piece of work best watched for the sake of an enthusiastic Jude Law who is exuberance as Thomas Wolfe and Colin Firth for his restrained performance as Maxwell Perkins. For a movie about American literary greats, the production is overstuffed with a Brit and Australian cast. Kind of ironic when you think of it.  

Movie Rating:

(More of a classy stage play than a movie)

Review by Linus Tee