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Not the brightest, but it still shines.

If nothing watch this movie for the sheer fun of it. Meg Ryan as always is enchanting, Tim Robbins is his usual charming self, and Walter Matthau is a treat as Mr. E=mc^2 himself, Albert Einstein. Intelligent and funny with fine performances all around, don't look for the next great film in I.Q., but do have some genuine fun.

a rare blend of smart AND funny!

Sure, I'm a big Meg fan, but this one is high on my list. She's as adorable as ever, Tim Robbins pulls of another great performance, and Walter Matthau is absolutely perfect as Einstein. The movie is thoroughly funny and even manages to be reasonably intelligent!

Fun galore as brainy physicist plays matchmaker

This is a really fun, breezy, light hearted romantic comedy. You cannot go wrong with Meg Ryan's cute perkiness combined with Albert Einstein's genius. Normally, I'm not a fan of completely fabricated fictional tales about actual people, now deceased and not able to defend themselves, but I think the late Einstein might himself have gotten a chuckle out of this one.It's the 1950's...Princeton, New Jersey in the spring. The story revolves around a pretty, young, scatter brained mathematician, Catherine (Meg Ryan), who is all set to marry a stuffy jerk, a behavioral researcher named James, merely because he has the brains she's looking for in the father of her future children. However, it's love at first sight when her car breaks and she meets an auto mechanic named Ed (Tim Robbins). As she doesn't think Ed is intelligent enough, her uncle, none other than Albert Einstein, plays match maker, assisted in his endeavors by three mischievous cronies, all theoretical physicists. Uncle Albert must make Ed appear suitably smart, so concocts a charade portraying him as a physicist...naturally with amusing results.Walter Matthau is his usual hilarious self, and pulls off the character of Einstein quite effectively. With his three professorial buddies, Kurt, Nathan, and Boris, a lot of laughs ensue. The real Einstein had a genuine human side and this film just takes it one (outrageous) step further. If you suspend all logic, you can almost imagine this silly story happening!It might not be rocket science (despite its main character) but it is a wonderful sweet, refreshing movie. One of the best of the comedy romance genre.

Great Movie

I love this movie and was glad to have found a copy of it. Meg Ryan, of course, is perfect in her role as Albert Einstein's niece. Tim Robbins is a car mechanic with a fascination for science. He falls for Ryan, Einstein and his old scientist buddies find out, and they all scheme to get the two together. The banter between Einstein and his wonderful sharp old friends make the movie. Even my 19-year-old son liked it.

Underrated gem with a bonus...

This film is light and fun, well acted and knows what it is. A film that doesn't take itself seriously yet does present a convincing love story in a beautiful setting with a fun take on an historical figure.

And I might only give it 4 stars, but it gets the extra star for showcasing the beauty of... New Jersey. My home state gets a bad rap, and this film shows just how lovely much of the state truly is. While it's meant to take place in the 50s, the scenery is still there and still beautiful.

Oh, and one other thing that makes it a five... As a man, this is one of those "chick films" that I'll gladly watch with my girlfriend. It's Meg Ryan at her cutest, and Tim Robbins is weird enough looking that I look pretty good in comparison. This movie helps perpetuate the myth that goofy looking guys without much to offer can attract smart, attractive women, and hey, what's wrong with that? ;)

One of the worst movies of the 90s

Typically stupid modern American comedy. The language and sensibility are 1990s while using 1950s props and a mix of hair styles and clothes from whatever era. They should have left it in the 90s and made it Dr. Salk. Too bad because it is a good cast. Feels like it was written by teenagers. Two stars at best.It's really too bad because there are some scenes that begin quite cleverly and then fall very flat, not the actors fault really, it's just so poorly done. The movie tries desperately to be a throwback to some of the fun comedies made in the late 40s-early 50s...Monkey Business comes to mind, maybe even A Song is Born. All in all quite forgettable.

SILLY, BUT CHARMING

Apart from a quote I love ("I'd rather be an optimist and a fool, than a pessimist and always right") the movie is also a relatively intelligent feel-good romantic comedy. Matthau is hilarious as Einstein, almost looks like him too! Robbins is at his suave best, and Meg a prim intellectually inclined neice of Einstein.

If you have any respect for the history of physics and the reputations of the people who formed non-Euclidean theory, leave it at the door. (One cannot but wonder if fictional physicists, instead of real characters could not have accomplished the same thing in terms of compelling characterizations?)

In any case, the movie is a neat little love story, and worth a cosy evening's rental.

I can't explain it...

I don't know what it is. just a great romantic movie. I love meg ryan as an actress, and I love romantic comedies. A perfect combination! Highly reccommend.

"I.Q." has fake but witty i.q.

"I.Q." pits Tim Robbins and Meg Ryan in a fun and witty romantic comedy that is actually pretty good. Catherine (Meg Ryan) is already engaged to a scientist that is smart just like she is. She shows up at Ed's (Tim Robbins) mechanic shop after the car she's riding in has a problem. Ed falls in love with her instantly, but there's one problem, Catherine loves with her brain, not her heart, so she wouldn't ever give a normal everyday guy like Ed a chance. However, there is hope for Ed because Catherine is the niece of Albert Einstein (Walter Matthau) and Mr. Einstein wants Catherine to go out with Ed instead of the guy that she is engaged to. Soon Albert and his colleagues help Ed get to Catherine by turning him into a seem to be genius even though he's not a genius.

"I.Q." is witty and it's a good movie to watch. It's plot is interesting and the acting isn't bad either. My only complaint is that it wasn't as funny as I was expecting it to be. Parts of it are funny such as when Albert Einstein and his colleagues help Ed answer some multiple choice questions, but it could've been funnier since it had Walter Matthau and Tim Robbins as two of its main stars. But it's still a good movie and I do recommend it.

True meaning of Hollywood is sadly missed by critics and reviewers!

For the people who didn't like or "get" this movie. This film is perhaps one of the best reasons to work in Hollywood, it's MAKE BELIEVE! This film is pure fiction, but that's what most movies are. If it's accuracy you're looking for, then movies are not for you. The whole idea of film is little thing called "Suspension of Disbelief". Unfortunately, some folks don't understand that. Of course Einstein, who is played brilliantly by the late Matthau, didn't play matchmaker for his niece, played delightfully by Ryan. But the point is, the person who wrote this film was obviously not an historian, however, he made perfect use of hollywood and it's true purpose. This is a film to entertain, not to document history. As far as a film goes, this one was charming and sweet. The acting was well played considering the era this film takes place, the 50's. Although the parts of the niece and the charming auto-mechanic (Tim Robbins) are quite over shadowed by the performances of Mathhau and his group of absent minded geniuses, the film itself holds it's own. Stephen Fry is wonderful as usual as the jerk fianc`e of Ryan's character. Overall, this film is a delightful romp, but not to be taken to heart.

Cute love story but chemistry isn't there

When I first saw this film, I thought it should have come from the children's section - It's very fun and at times humorous, and is actually quite a good story, but it severely lacks the "romantic chemistry" that actors like Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins are capable of delivering. I must note that Walter Matthau is perfect for the part of Albert Einstein, and his performance is extraordinary, but that's the sole exception. This film appears a bit forced, the directing lacks substance, and oh yeah...the music is ridiculously awful, it didn't put me in a very good mood. But if you are not expecting a smart, well-crafted comedy/romance tale, then this certainly can be entertaining, like I said..it should be in the children's section. Einstein and his buddies are a good relief from Tim Robbins' boring, almost tense quest to steal Meg Ryan's heart. A very conflicting film, but as long as it's not taken seriously this can be an alright movie.

LOVELY LOVE STORY WITH A LOTTA LOVE :)

Love, Love, Love, i love this movie. i'm a romance fanatic and when it comes to romance movies, i feel like i've seen em all. the romance/drama section of the rental place is always just full of movies i've already seen. but anyways, watch this movie. Meg Ryan is just awesome and tim robbins does a great job too. great movie, go see it!!!! take it from a romance movie expert this one's good!!! :)

A movie for those lazy nights cuddled together with a loved one...

I.Q. is a pleasant romantic comedy with a twist - the uncle of the young woman the story is about is none other than the great genius Albert Einstein (played brilliantly by the late great Walter Matthau).

Set in the late fifties, the story begins when Catherine Boyd (Meg Ryan) and her fiancée James (Stephen Fry) experience car trouble while riding around in his MG, and seek assistance at a garage. The garage mechanic, Ed Walters (Tim Robbins), sees Catherine and falls hopelessly in love with her. Of course, Ed's aspirations seem to be hopeless. Ed is a very good car mechanic but has no formal college education. But in the spirit of all romantic comedies, Ed feels that the relationship has a chance if he can only meet her and spend some time with her.

When she accidentally leaves her pocket watch at the gas station, he seizes the opportunity to try and see her again by personally returning the watch. Imagine his surprise, when he knocks on the door and Albert Einstein answers.

Surprisingly, Ed and Professor Einstein hit it off immediately. Ed is no scientific genius, but he understands human nature and the importance of having fun in life, two things that Einstein feels are lacking in his niece's life, which has been largely based on trying to emulate her uncle. Einstein is getting on in years and wants to make sure that she is happy and will be looked after properly. When Ed expresses the depth of his feeling, Einstein vows to help set things up. Einstein and his physicist friends -who also dote on Catherine-, decide to try and set Ed and Catherine up as a favor to both of them. It turns out that the car mechanic pretends to be an amateur physicist to impress Meg Ryan. Ed -allegedly- develops a process to use cold fusion to power a spacecraft, which during the cold war and the space-race was extremely important. However, this process didn't exist, Catherine finds out that Ed is a fraud and Ed realizes that he must level with her if they are ever to have a true relationship. The clever and romantic ways that these issues are resolved by Einstein and his cronies and by Ed and Catherine themselves make up the remainder of the story.


The highlight of I.Q. has to be the performance of Walter Matthau as Einstein. He has created an original character that seems totally different from the kind of roles he always played with Jack Lemmon.

Ed and Catherine are engaging as the young lovers and give us good on-screen chemistry, like they were meant for each other.

While this film is by nature light and predictable, you will find it quite enjoyable entertainment.


One of my favorite lines from the movie is in a dialogue between Albert Einstein and Tim Robbins' character Ed. They are discussing how to get Catherine to go out with Ed since Catherine will only go out with intellectual types.


Einstein: "The problem is she would never go out with a guy like you."

Ed: "Well that's easy. Lend me your brain for a while."

Einstein: "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Ed: "Now what are the odds of that happening?"

Original and funny i can give it that much....

I have just hired I.Q out from my video ezy store this week and i have to say it was the most original piece of work i have seen in 5 years. It has its funny moments as well i did like meg ryan but unfortunately Meg Ryan always plays that same sort of part so she did well but its time for a change of role for her. Tim Robbins of course this is only the second movie i have seen him in so he to me is an OK actor IMO he is a good B grade actor to me. As for Walter matthau he to me was the star of the show and even though he has passed on he will always be an A grade star in my books. This is good but at times be a bit silly and most of all repeat itself but as like i said it was original and funny in parts. So what are waiting for have some fun rent it out.

Charming!

This is a romantic comedy where Albert Einstein, played wonderfully by Walter Matthau, and his cronies play match maker to his niece (Meg Ryan) and a talented auto mechanic (Tim Robbins). The interplay among these major roles is augmented by a terrific supporting cast of well recognized character actors. This movie is cute and fun ... a "feel-gooder"! Hearty recommendations.

Clarifications

The movies I was referring to are BALL OF FIRE with Gary Cooper and A SONG IS BORN with Danny Kaye. I.Q. owes a sizable debt to these great films, yet does no harm in emulating them. And the reference to Minnie Driver was a mistake on my part. I meant Sandra Bullock, in WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING. In that very funny movie, Bullock does a hilarious pratfall with Bill Pullman on the lawn of her apartment complex that looks an awful lot like the pratfall Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins take on the lawn of a public park in I.Q.

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

So-so romantic comedy; Matthau shines

Who would have thought that Walter Matthau could pull off a role as Albert Einstein? But he does. Well. Tim Robbins puts in a decent performance. Meg Ryan is, of course, cute cubed. However, the plot just doesn't carry through to the end. Nothing wrong with this film, but everyone involved has done better work elsewhere.

Delightful!

Let's face it, most movies are becomming filled with trash. It's nearly impossible to find a good plot accompanied by clean, quality humor and acting. But despair no longer! IQ is a delightful film filled with quirky, clean fun, and outsdanding acting. I would rank it alongside movies like You've Got Mail and That Thing You Do. If you're in the mood for a romantic comedy, you've found the perfect one.

Probably the best attempt to revive screwball comedy lately

Meg Ryan meets Tim Robbins and Einstein plays the matchmaker, abhorring the all so straight and boring professor played by the never than excellent Stephen Fry. The cast alone is enough to glue you to the screen, even though the remodelling of Tim Robbins is far from convincing and takes quite a bit of the film, as does Meg's infatuation with the new "top I.Q."
This being a good old fashioned romantic comedy love triumphs, of course - and why should that be such a terrible thing?