BAD GENIUS

Several years after the college admissions scandal comes a film that will undoubtedly pique your interest. JC Lee‘s heart-pounding film BAD GENIUS follows overachiever scholarship student Lynn and her tight circle of elite private school classmates as they devise a way to cheat the biggest test in history.

What begins as a favor to one morphs into a financial opportunity for Lynn. Using her staggering math skills, Lynn initially creates a secret code to pass test answers to a small group of acquaintances. As the scheme grows, so does the danger. The stakes get even higher when the SATs come around. Lynn must recruit help from the only other student needing tuition funds. A borderline insane plan comes with a price tag bigger than any dollar amount.

The screenplay is fast-paced and undeniably thrilling. It constantly twists, leaving your heart in your throat. You will root for the morally ambiguous behavior, specifically in Bank and Lynn’s cases. I would love to see the storyboarding and progression of the story from its earliest conceptions. It is a skillfully crafted script by Lee and Julius Onah, working through tropes for an entirely engrossing narrative.

This cast is fantastic. Benedict Wong plays Lynn’s hardworking widower father. He is a lovely addition to the film. Performances from Jabari Banks and Callina Liang are the anchors. Banks delivers vulnerable energy that perfectly mirrors his character’s backstory. Liang effortlessly leads, giving Lynn a slick confidence from start to finish. Focusing on a whip-smart female lead is a winning strategy.

The script begs the broader question, “Why should three hours on a Saturday morning determine the rest of our lives?” In a system that is entirely rigged by and for the wealthy, why not beat them at their own game? Some systems deserve to break. BAD GENIUS will captivate audiences who have testing PTSD and parents who know it’s coming for their kids. It boasts a deliciously satisfying finale. Tens across the board. A must-see.

BAD GENIUS Trailer:

RELEASING THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11TH

DIRECTOR:

J.C. Lee

WRITER: 

J.C. Lee & Julius Onah

FEATURING:

Callina Liang (Tell Me Everything)

Benedict Wong (Avengers:Infinity War) 

Jabari Banks (Bel-Air)

Taylor Hickson (Motherland: Fort Salem)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Julia Hammer
Sian McArthur
Pascal Breton
Lionel Uzan
Wesley R. Edens 
Benedict Wong 

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