Bad Genius remakes a 2017 Thai film about a group of enterprising high school students who hatch a ridiculous scheme to cheat on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test). The western version updates the setting to Seattle and adds a racial component to themes of class and socioeconomic disparity. A likable ensemble elevates a middling script with varying degrees of flawed logic, predictability, and a truly implausible third act. The teens would have to work miracles to actually succeed in their far-fetched mission. That said, the film's overall message of how the rich never play by the rules rings true.
Welcome to Exton Pacific High School
Bad Genius follows a gifted student who devises a scheme to assist wealthy classmates in cheating on exams, risking her future for financial gain. The film delves into the pressures of academic success and the moral dilemmas faced by a young scholar.
- Cast
- Benedict Wong , Taylor Hickson , Sarah-Jane Redmond , Callina Liang , Adam Beauchesne , Tina Grant , Conor Meadows , Sarah Kelley , Rob Carpenter , Synto D. Misati , Jabari Banks
- Runtime
- 96 Minutes
- Distributor(s)
- Vertical
- Callina Liang and Benedict Wong are very good, and they feel authentically like a daughter and father.
- The film raises interesting questions about exploitation, race, and class.
- The film veers into completely illogical absurdity.
- The overly stylish direction doesn't match the script.
In 2016, Lynn (Callina Liang), an Asian freshman about to start high school, sits with her father Meng (Benedict Wong) at an important meeting. Irene Walsh (Sarah-Jane Redmond), the admissions administrator for the esteemed Exton Pacific private school, wants Lynn to attend in the fall. She scoffs at the idea. Meng runs a laundromat. There's no chance they could afford the $50,000 annual tuition. Lynn, a math whiz with an eidetic memory, runs through an additional list of costs and transportation problems. Irene is astonished by her brilliance and ability to think so quickly on her feet.
Meng swears he'll figure out a way to get the money. Lynn's education is paramount. A Chinese immigrant, he dreams of Lynn attending MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). This is a plan his daughter doesn't share. Lynn desperately wants to attend Juilliard in New York City to continue playing the piano, which was her deceased mother's favorite activity. Irene tells them not to worry about any sort of payment. She will grant Lynn a free ride to Exton Pacific. Even better, one of the school's board members went to Juilliard and can surely get her admitted.
Lynn is bullied by the stereotypical mean girls because she brings her own lunch. Grace (Taylor Hickson), the most popular student, defends her. The pair become fast friends, with Lynn absorbed into Grace's clique and then introduced to her uber-wealthy boyfriend Pat (Samuel Braun). Grace complains about her grades. She's failing, and her parents aren't amused. Several weeks later, during a math test, Lynn decides to surreptitiously give Grace the answers.
A Hectic Framing Device Frames an Asian Character Study
Director J.C. Lee, a producer (How to Get Away with Murder), playwright (Luce), and noted screenwriter (The Morning Show), goes for a hard edge in his feature debut. The film actually opens with Lynn being interrogated by an unseen character about a cheating scandal. She denies everything. The supporting characters are also intercut throughout the narrative making similar denials in the same setting. Lee also jump cuts from scene to scene with grating sound effects. He's building stylistic tension while the plot slowly unveils. The audience doesn't get the full picture until a hectic climax when the poo has hit the fan.
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Lynn realizes that she's become a mascot and token for the school. Teachers parade her around like a show dog. She's the poor kid who's made the most of her opportunity. This triggers a streak of rebellious resentment. Why should she help everyone else and not get anything in return? Juilliard will cost a fortune. How can she get the money to live in expensive New York City? Start charging the trust fund babies for her help. They get good grades. She'll achieve her dream. It's a win-win situation until a fellow student notices the conspiracy. Bank (Jabari Banks), a Nigerian classmate with a story similar to Lynn's, smells a rat and wrestles with how to deal with her duplicity. Why should the wealthy not work hard and continue to get ahead?
Bad Genius tackles exploitation head on. Lynn knows that her rich friends won't suffer the same consequences if they're caught. She has no other options. They'll be fine regardless because of millionaire mommy and daddy. A troubling question then arises. Are Grace and Pat really her friends? Or just using her to achieve their goals? Morality, ethics, and loyalty get chucked out of the window by another cold calculation. Does Lynn care about their motives as long as she gets her money? Lynn becomes more ruthless as her bank account grows.
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The film veers into absurdity with Lynn's complex cheating methods. Lee's script is loaded with scenes of her remarkable memory and slick conniving. But you'd need a super computer to pull off what she does. The stakes get exponentially higher with her wild SAT strategy. Disbelief deflates tension when Bad Genius becomes Mission: Impossible. It's a bridge too far and isn't realistic in any sense.
Bad Genius does nail the emotional component. Wong and Liang have good chemistry as father and daughter. You believe they care deeply for each other and feel palpable hurt when all the cards come crashing down. Everyone feels like garbage when disappointing a loved one. It's the film's best tenet and why this reviewer gives Bad Genius a passing grade.
Bad Genius is a production of Little Ray Media, Picture Perfect Federation, and Picturestart. It will have a concurrent VOD and limited theatrical release on October 11th from Vertical. You can rent or buy it on digital platforms like Google Play, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, or on Prime Video through the link below:
Watch Big Genius
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