I.Q. (1994)

I.Q. has all the elements of a classic romantic comedy. Certainly Meg Ryan has demonstrated she has the stuff for funny love with films such as When Harry Met Sally... and Sleepless in Seattle, and director Fred Schepisi's Roxanne ranks among top contemporary romantic comedies. Even though Tim Robbins received acclaim for dramatic work in Jacob's Ladder and The Shawshank Redemption, his early comedic work shouldn't be forgotten (well, maybe Howard the Duck, but not the hilarious Sure Thing). And Walter Matthau? No explanation needed.

Combine I.Q.'s talent with its fresh story and it charms. Garage mechanic Ed Walters (Robbins) is captivated at first glimpse by pretty, perky Catherine (Ryan), a gifted academic who lives with her uncle, Albert Einstein (a brilliant Matthau). Catherine is engaged to pretentious James Moreland (the oh-so-appropriate English actor and writer Stephen Fry). Catherine's early 1950s world is all bookish and brainy, even though she has aspirations toward the romantic (Moreland's idea of a honeymoon is the Belgian Congo with Pygmies; she longs for Hawaii). Einstein and his professor pals, played by Lou Jacobi, Gene Saks, and Joseph Maher, conspire to match their beloved Catherine with the sincere and smart (though not intellectual) Ed.

This is a sweet--but not saccharine--story about "engineering" the course of true love and the ironic triumph of heart over head. The topnotch performances (which also include Tony Shalhoub and Frank Whaley as fellow mechanics) really draw audiences into this winning movie. --N.F. Mendoza Amazon.com

Funny and delightful

This is a lighthearted and funny movie, and though nothing profound, perhaps, is still a very enjoyable film to watch as several of the greatest scientific minds of the century try to find the right guy for their beloved Meg, Einstein's niece. Matthau is wonderful as Einstein, whether he's pondering the secrets of the universe with his physicist buddies or engaging in romantic intrigues to match-up his favorite niece. Einstein might seem like an unlikely matchmaker, but few people know Einstein himself had more romantic relationships than one would expect for such a cerebral man.

Matthau has Einstein's character just right, managing to look somewhat disheveled as well as dignified at the same time. In one scene, Einstein is shown strolling with his friends and discussing the idea of determinism or indeterminacy in the cosmos. Notable among them is Kurt Godel, who would even astound Einstein sometimes with his mathematical brilliance, and once even discovered a solution to Einstein's relativistic equations that he had missed.

Both Bottoms and Ryan also do a fine job in their roles as well. The whole movie is a cute, clever idea fleshed out with enough substance to make it worth watching. It might not be The African Queen, but it's a lot better than The Love Boat. It's a little reminiscent of the modern opera Aniara, which takes place on a spaceship, which is truly about love among the stars. Our characters are a little more earthbound, but are no less romantic for that.

One of the cleverer side plots is when Bottom's character, a local mechanic who turns out to have an I.Q. of over 180, but didn't know it, making him as smart as Einstein himself. In one scene, Bottoms takes Matthau for a ride on the back of his motorcycle, which, while not at relativistic speeds, he finds thrilling. Overall, an engaging and enjoyable movie based on a unique premise that I hadn't seen done before. May 24, 2008

Happy with this DVD

I love this movie and wanted a copy for a long time. When I found it on Amazon for such a good price, I had to have it. I think the choice made for people in this movie could not have been better. Very funny and romantic.
DVD arrived in great shape and right on time.

J. Ray May 19, 2008

Delightful.

I.Q. is a sweet and charming romantic comedy, I am a sucker for these types of films, they all have the same formula but they are satisfying. Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins have wonderful chemistry, you root for them to end up together, and Walter Matthau is a hoot as "Albert Einstein." I can see why people like this movie, check it out sometime. May 18, 2008

Cute Romantic Comedy

I remember being completely charmed by the movie when I rented it on VHS years ago. What would you do if you fell for Einstein's granddaughter? Meg Ryan played her part very well. as did Matthau as Einstein. Unlike most of the readers I actually know who Kurt Godell (one of Einstein's friends) is- he was a mathemetician and philospher- arguably the most important philospher of the last century- and that certainly added to my enjoyment. April 26, 2008

Great movie.

Great movie. You'll love Einstein and his friends. This is just a feel good , learn something new movie. April 21, 2008

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