Real Genius

Staff Pick by Marjorie

Stop playing with yourself and donate!

Support Now Playing Podcast and hear this show:

Get on Patreon Apple Podcasts Get on Podbean

Podcast Series

Podcast Series

Patron Exclusive

Individual Movie Reviews

Our Review Published June 26, 2020

Anyone can make a popcorn film, but it takes a Real Genius to engineer one of the greatest comedies of the ’80s! Join Arnie this June as he slips on the Deely Bobbers and heads back to his Reagan-era school days for another look at this cherished Cold War spoof from the creators of Valley Girl and Police Academy. Can party animal Val Kilmer teach a 15-year-old nerd how to stop worrying and love the high powered laser they’re developing for satellite warfare? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize you need to become a Now Playing Podcast Patron and listen now!

Hear All Reviews of Films Featuring

Beau Billingslea Charles Parks David Ursin Deborah Foreman Ed Lauter Gabriel Jarret Harry Johnson Isabel Cooley Jeanne Mori JoAnn Willette Joanne Baron Joe Dorsey Jon Gries Louis Giambalvo Lynda Wiesmeier Marcia Karr Marii Mak Michael Crabtree Monte Landis Patti D'Arbanville Randy Lowell Robert Prescott Sandy Martin Sean Frye Severn Darden Tommy Swerdlow Val Kilmer William Atherton Yuji Okumoto

Real Genius

1985 PG 1h 46m

When teenage geniuses Mitch Taylor and Chris Knight, working on an advanced laser project, learn that the military wants to use it as a weapon, they decide to thwart the plan.

Release Date

August 7, 1985

Director

Martha Coolidge

Writer

Neal Israel, Neal Israel, Pat Proft

Stars

Val Kilmer, Gabriel Jarret, Michelle Meyrink, William Atherton, Robert Prescott, Louis Giambalvo, Jon Gries, Ed Lauter, Stacy Peralta, Daniel Ades , Andres Aybar, Charles Shull, Beau Billingslea, Charles Parks, Sean Frye, JoAnn Willette, Ina Gould, Nadine Vix, Paul Tulley, Joanne Baron, Harry Johnson, Patti D'Arbanville, Monte Landis, Sandy Martin, Severn Darden, Randy Lowell, John Shepherd Reid, Tommy Swerdlow, Mark Kamiyama, Martin Gundersen, Brett Miller, Dean Devlin, Yuji Okumoto, Lynda Wiesmeier, Penny Baker, Marcia Karr, Isabelle Walker, Marii Mak, Cheri Wells, Catherine MacNamara, Johnny Vasily, Ed Garrabrandt, Isabel Cooley, Robin Stober, Deborah Foreman, David Marvit, Michael Crabtree, Charles Sweigart, Peter Parros, Ronald Taylor, James Carrington, Michael Backes, Corki Grazer, Jeanne Mori, David Ursin, Joe Dorsey, Will Knox, Kevin Hurley, Kimberly Spak

See 49 more ▼

Producer

Brian Grazer

Cinematography

Vilmos Zsigmond

Music

Thomas Newman

Genre

Comedy, Romance, Science Fiction, Theatrical Release

Country

United States of America

Language

English

Budget

$8,000,000

External Links

IMDb | TMDB

Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Now Playing Approved

Gone Girl

...or Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married 3

Reviewed Aug 6, 2021

Justin

Now Playing Approved

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Time for a Pepsi and a five-dollar footlong!

Reviewed May 18, 2009

dusty

Now Playing Approved

True Romance

We'd love you to join us for pie after you hear this podc...

Reviewed Oct 2, 2015

Arnie

Now Playing Approved

Baby Driver

Sometimes all I want to do is head west on 20 in a car I ...

Reviewed Jul 4, 2017

Arnie

Now Playing Approved

Jaws

The true Amityville Horror

Reviewed Mar 29, 2011

Adam

Now Playing Approved

The Shining (1980)

We're the podcast hosts here. We've ALWAYS been the podca...

Reviewed Dec 10, 2013

Adam

Akira

Now Playing Podcast is about to EXPLODE!

Reviewed Jun 14, 2019

Stuart

Now Playing Approved

The Strangers

The night Tamara came home

Reviewed Aug 20, 2021

Santiago

Deadpool

The only podcast with rainbow-ejaculating unicorns!

Reviewed Feb 16, 2016

Justin

Now Playing Approved

Die Hard: With a Vengeance

Maybe John and Zeus can call in The Wolf to help with Simon.

Reviewed Feb 5, 2013

Jason

Now Playing Approved

Superman (2025)

At last, I finally understand the dangers of investing in...

Reviewed Jul 15, 2025

dusty

Now Playing Approved

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Subconscious Uncoupling

Reviewed Feb 3, 2023

Santiago

The Manitou

Rosemary's Afterbirth

Reviewed Feb 12, 2021

Stuart

Now Playing Approved

X-Men: First Class

Now we gotta cut loose, with nukes!

Reviewed Jun 4, 2011

Marjorie

Nope

What do you get a chimpanzee for his birthday when he’s...

Reviewed Aug 5, 2022

Justin

Now Playing Approved

Snowden

Natural Born Leakers

Reviewed Apr 18, 2025

Now Playing Approved

The Addams Family (1991)

Double the Fester, Double the Fun

Reviewed Sep 2, 2022

Now Playing Approved

The Wicker Man (1973)

How’d ya like them apples?

Reviewed Nov 11, 2022

Now Playing Approved

Toy Story

Toys Are Us

Reviewed May 28, 2019

Now Playing Approved

Jurassic Park III

Honey, I shrunk the island.

Reviewed Jun 12, 2015

Now Playing Approved

The Dark Crystal

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? Because this...

Reviewed Aug 28, 2020

Now Playing Approved

Panic in the Streets

Take an old school remedy for what plagues today’s movi...

Reviewed Apr 7, 2020

Now Playing Approved

Magnum Force

You have the right to remain silent forever punk

Reviewed Apr 2, 2021

Now Playing Approved

Midsommar

Dancing Queen

Reviewed Dec 2, 2022

Now Playing Approved

Detention

What happens when you teach Critical Wraith Theory

Reviewed May 16, 2023

Now Playing Approved

Return of the Jedi

Many Bothans died to bring you this podcast...

Reviewed Sep 29, 2015

Now Playing Approved

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Your wish for a new podcast has been grANTed!

Reviewed Jul 10, 2018

Now Playing Approved

Toy Story 3

Toys Don’t Cry

Reviewed Jun 18, 2019

Now Playing Approved

The Nightmare Before Christmas

What’s this? What’s this? A new Patron bonus podcast!

Reviewed Dec 24, 2018

Now Playing Approved

Raiders of the Lost Ark

You throw me the donation, I'll throw you the podcast!

Reviewed Apr 17, 2015

Now Playing Approved

The Devil Wears Prada

Sachs And The City

Reviewed May 3, 2026

Now Playing Approved

Star Wars: The Mandalorian – Season 2

Three Mando and a Baby

Reviewed Apr 28, 2026

Now Playing Approved

Star Wars: The Mandalorian – Season 1

No Child Left Behind

Reviewed Apr 21, 2026

Lake Placid: The Final Chapter

”Watch this shit… you’re going to love it!”

Reviewed Apr 17, 2026

Lake Placid 3

The Secret Life Of Pets

Reviewed Apr 10, 2026

Illumination Entertainment

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Now You’re Playing With Millennials

Reviewed Apr 7, 2026

Lake Placid 2

We’re gonna need a bigger budget.

Reviewed Apr 3, 2026

Now Playing Approved

Star Wars: Andor – Season 1

Do NOT confuse this title for another Caravan of Courage ...

Reviewed Mar 31, 2026

Lake Placid

Do have a cow, man!

Reviewed Mar 27, 2026

The Bride!

Speaking In Tongues

Reviewed Mar 10, 2026

Now Playing Approved

Alligator

Ramon In The Dark

Reviewed Mar 6, 2026

Scream 7

Bring Your Daughter To the Slaughter

Reviewed Mar 3, 2026