Story
Lynn Kang (Callina Liang) is the kind of student that elite schools dream about. She is brilliant in every area, takes top marks in every subject, is musically and athletically talented, and can solve any problem. She’s also hard working, obedient and driven to succeed, and it’s these qualities that win her a full scholarship to prestigious Seattle High School.
Lynn’s father hopes the scholarship will set her on a path to MIT. But Lynn wants to study music at Julliard and doesn’t want to disappoint her father, who has sacrificed everything to give her opportunities that he never had.
On her first day at school, Lynn meets Grace (Taylor Hickson), and the girls soon become friends. Lynn begins to tutor Grace and risks everything to make sure that she passes an exam. Grace tells her boyfriend Pat (Samuel Braun) about what Lynn has done, and Pat sees a way for everyone to improve their grades and for Lynn to make the money she needs for Julliard. Under the guise of tutoring, Lynn develops a system to help classmates pass tests by tapping out a code of piano keys linked to the answers.
When Pat’s father learns that Lynn’s ‘tutoring’ has improved his son’s grades, he makes a deal with her to help Pat pass the SATs and get into Columbia. Initially Lynn refuses, terrified of the consequences while also believing that the SATs are impossible to cheat on, but then she develops a plan. She just needs to convince Bank (Jabari Banks), another scholarship student, that they both deserve the same chance to make whatever future they want for themselves, regardless of what the rules say or what everyone else believes.
Only one question remains – can they pull off the impossible?
Themes
Entitlement; economic hardship versus great privilege; systematic racism; manipulation; disregard for rules; academic fraud; sacrifice and the cost of success
Violence
Bad Genius has some violence. For example:
- Thugs attack Bank, grabbing his bike, beating him unconscious and throwing him in a rubbish bin.
- Lynn dives into traffic to retrieve a phone. She narrowly avoids being run over.
Sexual references
There are no sexual references in Bad Genius.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Bad Genius shows some use of substances. For example:
- A drug deal appears to be taking place in front of the store run by Bank’s mother. Bank calls the police after asking the dealers to leave, and they threaten him before going.
- In some party scenes, everyone is drinking from red plastic cups. The use of alcohol is implied.
Nudity and sexual activity
Bad Genius has some nudity and sexual activity. For example, Pat and Grace often cuddle and kiss. It looks like they’re sexually active.
Product placement
The following products are displayed, used or mentioned in Bad Genius: Venmo.
Coarse language
Bad Genius has some coarse language.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Bad Genius is a heist thriller based on true events that inspired the 2017 Thai movie of the same name. It highlights the inequalities of standardised testing and the pressure many students feel to perform, while also encouraging reflection on moral choices and their consequences.
Bad Genius is best suited to audiences aged over 14 years.
These are the main messages from Bad Genius:
- Everyone deserves a chance to be successful, regardless of where they were born or how much money they have.
- In the end, we all have to live with the choices we make.
Values in Bad Genius that you could reinforce with your children include determination, resilience, resourcefulness, justice and creativity.
Bad Genius could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the real-life consequences of things like:
- cheating or engaging in academic fraud
- using others for personal gain
- believing that you’re entitled to whatever you want because you’re rich
- manipulating other people or situations to get what you want, regardless of the harm it causes.