Review Bad Genius
Bad Genius is essentially a caper thriller and it is as suspenseful as they come.
Brilliant student Lynn (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) makes money by helping her classmates cheat on school tests. Her friends Grace (Eisaya Hosuwan) and Pat (Teeradon Supapunpinyo) then propose a million-Baht idea – to help students cheat on the STIC, an important standardized test used to gain placements in prestigious universities in the US. Lynn agrees to do it, but she can't do it without Bank's (Chanon Santinatornkul) help.
Bad Genius is one dynamite of a film. Who would have thought a simple idea of cheating in a test can go supernova. The narrative structure employed to tell the story is brilliant and assured. The twists and turns just keep on piling up, and not one time did I fall out of the story. The plot may be crazily far-fetched, but writer-director Nattawut Poonpiriya keeps it plausible and on the pulse. By that I mean it is instantly relatable, especially when we come up through the pressure-cooker education system. Initially, I think the script should be better without giving the ending away so soon but later I realize it's highly intelligent as it keeps the viewer more suspenseful and curious later.
The acting is good too. The female lead don't have the usual pretty face like most Thai movies but she carried the scenes so well I don't think anyone else can replace her role. Most of the cast are newbies. Their rawness shines through and it makes the characters compelling and believable. The writing is a mark of genius in that it comes up with ingenious methods to beat the school system; the trailer will give you a glimpse of that.
On top of that the movie has loads of heart and it puts the relentless pressure to succeed in the school system under the microscope. Bad Genius also works as a cautionary tale in that the end does not justify the means. The film clearly scores full marks in where it matters – a superb piece of entertainment.
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