Over-hyped Banal Trash

Rating: 3/10 (26 October 1998)

What is it about this movie that people like so much? It is just a two-hour cliche, and a stiflingly boring one at that. It is essentially just a badly done and more obnoxious version of Little Man Tate or Searching for Bobby Fischer. However, the thoroughly average Matt Damon takes the part of the astounding misunderstood genius to a new level. Why? Because, get this: he's... older! Wow! What a twist! That makes it totally different!
The only bright spot of this movie is Robin Williams who was cast in the sadly stagnant role of the person who just wants to help our little genius, just as Jodie Foster did in Little Man Tate, or Laurence Fishburne in Searching for Bobby Fischer. Then, we have Stellan Skarsgard in the role that Dianne Wiest and Ben Kinglsey played in the aforementioned films: the academic who is vilified for their attempts to help the genius realize his squandered potential.
The only difference that this movie has from the other two I've mentioned is that the misunderstood genius is more independent and gives the establishment a lot of grief. Yeah, Will! Damn the man! Steal an idea! Take Little Man Tate, make him 10 years older and pretend it's a whole new movie!

Number 28 in the top 250? What is the world coming to?