Writer: Neal Israel
Director: Martha Coolidge
Starring: Val Kilmer, Gabriel Jarret, Michelle Meyrink, William Atheron, Deborah Foreman, Ed Lauter, Jonathan Gries

I knew watching Val Kilmer in \"Real Genius\" that I was seeing someone special, smart and funny. Not many before or since have owned a movie like Kilmer does here. Along with Michael Keaton, this is one of my favorite comedy performances by actors who were just starting to make a name. What also helps is that besides Kilmer this is a very smart, funny and charming comedy that is one of my favorites. Many did not see this movie and Kilmer\'s performance was neglected but I think it is a brilliant movie and Kilmer\'s performance is Oscar caliber. This has a smart story with some of my favorite characters ever. It takes place at a fictional college for geniuses called Pacific Tech. Val Kilmer plays a slacker but also a very brilliant student named Chris Knight who takes under his wing one of the youngest kids ever to attend a college like this. The kid\'s name is Mitch Taylor and he is totally corrupted by Chris which might be a good thing. There are also a lot of assorted oddballs who I absolutely loved including a very fast talking and funny girl who goes without sleeping for weeks. The girl is played by Michelle Meyrink and she almost steals the movie with her very funny line delivery. The director here is Martha Coolidge who two years earlier directed one of my favorite high school movies in \"Valley Girl\". She was on a major role for a little and was making very good movies in the age of John Hughes. There is also a very smug and perfect bad guy played by great character actor William Atherton. Atherton was the go to guy for a smug, jerk bad guy and he was best known for his smug reporter in the \"Die Hard\" movies. There is also one of the best and most brilliant sight gags that ranks up there with the classic \"Ghostbusters\" ending. Val Kilmer is so great here that I would rank this comic performance up there with a Bill Murray type performance. He owns this movie which turns out to be one of the best and smartest comedies of the 80\'s. Many haven\'t seen it and they should!

Article from The Regular Moviegoers Critic