Genie Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Genie Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker November 18, 2024

Arriving in time for the upcoming holiday season, 'Genie', starring Melissa McCarthy ('Spy', 'The Heat) from a script by Richard Curtis ('Notting Hill', 'Four Weddings and a Funeral') appears on Blu-ray disc courtesy of Universal. As the down-on-his-luck Bernard (Pappa Essiedu, 'The Lazarus Project') watches his career and marriage collapse around him, can a magical entity help him put the pieces back together in time for Christmas? The film features some lively performances and solid technical merits. A slipcover, DVD, and Digital Code are not included in this Blu-ray release.

As Christmas looms, things are not going well for Bernard Bottle (Pappa Essiedu). He's underappreciated and mistreated by his fabulously wealthy boss, Mr. Flaxman (as portrayed by the always outrageous Alan Cumming, Son of the Mask, The Good Wife), whose unreasonable demands cause him to miss his daughter's eighth birthday. Further fumbling the critical event, when he finally does arrive, his poorly chosen gift is missing, causing him to race around the apartment before hastily selecting an antique jeweled box to give to the young girl. Her disappointment is obvious, and her feelings are echoed and amplified by his wife, Julie (Denée Benton, UnReal). Fed up with what is evidently the latest in a string of disappointments, Julie states she needs some space and thinks it's best they not be together for the holidays. Julie quickly departs for her mother's house with the heartbroken girl, leaving Bernard alone to think about what he's done and how he's going to make amends. It's then that he makes a critical discovery. When polishing the antique box his daughter discarded, to his great shock and disbelief a genie named Flora (McCarthy) emerges, and Bernard begins to see a way he can repair his strained relationships before the holidays.

Genie is a remake of Curtis' decades old Bernard and the Genie which landed on television screens in 1991 thanks to the BBC. That film featured a much younger Cummings, coincidentally enough, in the Berard Bottle role with Bernard's boss, here called Charles Pinkworth, played by the fantastic Rowan Atkinson, who had, at the time, just completed another collaboration with Richard Curtis - the legendary (among fans of Britsih comedy) Blackadder. While the plot of the original differed a bit from this one, the skeleton remains the same; a put-upon Bernard Bottle frees a genie from an item found in his apartment after the critical elements in his life crumble away to nothing. And while not airing on network television as the original did, this one premiered on the streaming platform Peacock, which, for my money, is close enough.

Right, wrong, or indifferent, comedic takes on genies can be a bit of a sticky wicket, and whether consciously or unconsciously, thoughts of Robin Williams' performance in Disney's Aladdin invariably begin to seep into a viewer's mind. While a decidedly PG project, Williams still had almost limitless latitude given that virtually anything he said and no matter how quickly the jokes came, animation could keep up with his riffing. Here, Melissa McCarthy is a bit hamstrung given this film's PG rating and Genie being a live-action feature. I tend to find her bawdier and more "adult-humor" more entertaining than what she has the ability to churn out in the family-friendly Genie, she's still entertaining here. By all accounts, she did a fair amount of improvising on set, which should come as no surprise to fans of her work. Much of the magic in Genie is dependent upon items or people appearing or vanishing, and those are handled easily. Other magical moments reliant on CGI, while few in number, unfortunately, do not fare as well. Both the smoke, fire, and embers that accompany one ill-advised wish, and the magic carpet ride around New York City which should have been the magical high point of the film, are hampered by dodgy effects work.

Much of the humor and energy in the film is derived from McCarthy's Flora being a fish out of water (she's not been out of her box in more than 2,000 years) and some very poorly planned wishes. McCarthy doesn't understand modern cuisine, modern technology, etiquette, or even clothing, all of which lead to some entertaining lines and sketches. Surprisingly, despite her gaffes, few in her presence ever react, nor do they notice the use of her genie magic in public. There is but one department store clerk who seems to notice and is surprised by Flora's inexplicable and unmistakable wardrobe change. As is frequently the case with vampire movies where the "rules" can sometimes change to fit the plot, so too do the rules surrounding genies change here. Being limited to three wishes? That, Flora points out, is a myth. Wishes are actually unlimited with humans often only ceasing to wish after they've grown bored or angry with the lives their wishes have created. Bernard, for reasons that are unclear, chooses to share the existence of his genie with others. Initially, after a challenging holiday dinner with his family, Bernard reveals Flora's true nature and gits each of them three wishes. Unsurprisingly, the quarrelsome bunch rapidly squanders enough of their wishes and creates enough havoc to demonstrate that this is a type of power for which most are not equipped. Later, he shares her existence with another person, and while it doesn't go as poorly, inexplicably neither situation generates any ripples in the rest of the film other than the quick laughs their wishes generate.

McCarthy, as is expected of any actor playing the role for which the film is named, has to do much of the heavy lifting here. From the start she's endearing and energetic, anxious to acclimate to a new world, help Bernard put his life in order, and connect with people. Running gags are made of her sometimes misguided approach and attempts to help and displaying a potential for violence that, while not acted upon, somewhat surprisingly lurks beneath the surface. She's quickly adaptable and emotes a legitimate sadness at having spent millennia alternately in servitude to others or imprisoned. Her reactions to Bernard treating her with kindness are truly touching. Her comedic timing is sound and the story moves along quickly enough that gags that didn't illicit laughter are gone quickly enough and replaced by one that does work. Luis Guzmán appears in a small role as Detective Perez, whom the pair meet when a wish goes awry. Though he doesn't get much screen time, he makes the most of what he's afforded and his interrogations are a highlight.

The most troublesome aspect of the film has to do with the character of Bernard's wife. Julie. In the opening minutes of the film, she expresses extreme dissatisfaction and frustration with Bernard for putting his work before the needs of the family. That moment is evidently the tipping point, which causes her to flee with their daughter to her mother's for the holidays. Despite Bernard's best efforts, with the obvious assistance of Flora and her magic, he seems unable to mend the rift, with each action driving her further away. The issue here isn't acting. Denée Benton does a solid job in her role. Her character is let down by the script in two ways. First, other than the initial terse exchange in the early goings and a quick shot of a few text messages, Julie is never given a chance or a reason to be upset with Bernard, and yet she frustratingly remains so. Whatever his transgressions of the past are, we remain oblivious to them and are therefore unable to see her side of the situation. Confounding things further, the comments she makes to him and to others about him seem generally positive, increasingly disconnecting her character from what the viewer would perceive to be a reasonable course of action. Secondly, Bernard is never written as anything other than likable and well-meaning even if other forces, like his boss, or the universe conspire against him. He misses his daughter's birthday because he feels he has no choice. He wears his love for his wife and daughter on his sleeve, they are clearly the most important part of his life, and he seems somewhat adrift without them. Nothing that he does or that is revealed about him generates any ill will, and instead paints him as kind and generous, if occasionally forgetful. The result is that the script leaves the viewer as hurt and confused as Bernard when Julie rebuffs him, rendering her increasingly unlikeable. Julie merely acts the way she does simply because the plot needs her to do so.

Genie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Genie has been given a very solid 1080p transfer. As a movie set during the Christmas season, primaries like reds and yellows have numerous and frequent opportunities to pop in the heavily festively decorated location exteriors and interiors as well. Detail levels are high, with each light on Rockafeller Center's tree being discernable. Clothing particulars are easily visible as well, with viewers able to spot fuzz and pilling on chunky knit sweaters and scarves. The Bottle family's cluttered apartment likewise affords viewers a chance to investigate the various books, drawings, and knickknacks that fill shelves, walls, and floors. Blacks are pleasantly deep and inky, but can sometimes crush detail. Skin tones look consistently healthy and natural throughout. Genie has a warm and filmic appearance, and I did not detect any defects or anomalies.

Genie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fans of the film couldn't wish for much better than Genie's English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. audio track. More concerned with emotional conversations and comedic zingers than magical mayhem it's not given a complex task. As one would expect, dialogue is front and center focused and is always properly prioritized. Surrounds are appropriately leveraged to fill in atmospheric elements to crowded streets and stores lending additional realism to the scenes. Magical sound effects arrive in short spurts and are handled well. Depth is added to routine sound effects like closing doors and falls with an acceptable bass presence in these situations. It's not really until holiday music is allowed to dominate that one can better appreciate the power of the track, reproducing crisp notes, clean vocals, and, when allowed, thumping bass beats. It's a capable if laid-back track for an easily accessible holiday film. English SDH subtitles are also available.

Genie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This release of Genie has not been given any supplemental material.

Genie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As Melissa McCarthy's Flora informs Bernard when he finally grasps the magnitude of having unlimited wishes, her magic cannot be used to make some fall in love with another person. That he'll have to do on his own. As Shakespeare once wrote, "The course of true love never did run smooth", and that's born out here as the audience watches Bernard hit bump after bump as he tries to re-win Julie's heart. Script issues aside, Genie sets out to be light and funny holiday fare for the entire family, and in that, it succeeds with just enough wit and zest from McCarthy and heart from Essiedu to keep the viewer invested in Bernard and his family's journey until the end. For McCarthy's fans or those simply looking for a cozy holiday tale, Genie comes recommended.