"Flash of Genius"

Drama, Adaptation and Biopic. Rated PG-13.

This is a true story about Bob Kearns (Greg Kinnear) who is a Wayne State University college professor who invented the intermittent windshield wiper in his basement.

It all started on his honeymoon when he tried to open a champagne bottle and the cork hit his eye and it was then that he started thinking about how the human eye works. The way it blinks at different speeds got him excited about applying that technique into the automotive windshield wiper.

He eventually showed his product to Ford engineers in the parking lot of Ford Motor Company. They liked it. Although he wanted to manufacture his own product and start his own family business, he reluctantly agreed to go into business with them.

When Ford suddenly pulled out of the deal, he was devastated. Later he found out that Ford and Chrysler had introduced and used his invention in their vehicles.

In 1971, the family then moved to Maryland, where he suffered a nervous breakdown and was institutionalized. It also took a toll on his marriage which ended in divorce.

In 1978, Bob Kearns began suing Ford Motor Company for patent infringement. In the meantime, Ford had offered a settlement of $250,000 first, then $10,000,000, then $30,000,000. But he turned it down since Ford would not acknowledge his name as inventor of this product and the fact that they stole his idea. In 1990, the trial had begun. He represented himself against the huge giant company.

Kearns is obsessed and determined to take them on and refused to be silenced based on his principles.

This story will make you sit at the edge of your seat and say "Go get 'em".

I enjoyed this movie tremendously.

OVERALL RATING: A

In Theatres Oct. 3, 2008