I.Q. (1994)

[peteyeesh 0]

 

[GrahamS. 803]

Holy shit, this looks AWFUL. Is it just me, or does Meg Ryan appear to have a British-y (because it’s not exactly British) accent in some scenes and not in others?

Anyway, this looks like it has stranded a strong cast in a cutesy made-for-tv premise (perhaps a sub-par Lifetime film?). The idea that Einstein is a shlubby dude whose primary goal in life is to help Tim Robbins hook up with Meg Ryan is BONKERS.

This same director made Roxanne, a movie that I would watch over this one any day of the week. That movie was good, this one just looks...punishing.

[SlidePocket 707]

Walter Matthau as Einstein was inspired casting though.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

Walter Matthau is far more delightful in this movie than it deserves. It's a strange premise executed even more strangely. The basic plot of this movie is that between discovering the theory of relativity, Einstein was not only trying to introduce his niece to some random dude but also actively sabotaging her engagement to Stephen Fry.

It also basically becomes a weird version of cyrano de bergerac, with Einstein trying to trick his niece into loving a dummy. 

[GrahamS. 803]

I do like the idea (since I haven’t seen the film itself) of Matthau as Einstein. 

13 minutes ago, Ofcoursemyhorse said:

It also basically becomes a weird version of cyrano de bergerac, with Einstein trying to trick his niece into loving a dummy

Roxanne was also an updated version of Cyrano de Bergerac. I wonder if the director just likes retelling that story(?).

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

Had no idea the director also did Roxanne, thats an absolute trip. I have to wonder, did he feel he didn't do a good enough job adapting the material the first time around and thought this was a better fit?