Genie

This is a Peacock Original movie, the Executive Producer is Melissa McCarthy. Fittingly she also is the star of the movie, playing the Genie named Flora. With that as background we should all be surprised if it turned out to be an excellent movie. It is also a remake of "Bernard and the Genie" from 1992, which has Alan Cumming as the Genie. He is in this movie as the uncaring boss.

Having just watched it I can say authoritatively "Genie is a very ordinary movie." But the real question, "Is it entertaining", and my wife and I were mostly entertained. It is the kind of movie that, if you never see it, you are fine.

It starts with Paapa Essiedu as Bernard, a family man with the inability to properly balance work life and family life. Like missing his young daughter's birthday party because his boss asks him to stay late. At home alone, after mom and daughter go visit grandma, he picks up an old, bejeweled box and rubs it. That is how he meets Flora.

Most of the movie covers somewhat unimaginative instances where Bernard uses Flora's magic to grant wishes. But in the end he decides that wealth and fancy wishes were less important than mending relationships. Many won't like the end when he fails to wish for riches untold but that is in essence the message of the movie. Who you are and how you treat others is more important than wealth.

If you watched this movie expecting anything other than a delightful, LIGHT, family comedy, that's on you. It's a great holiday movie and everyone in it is believable enough...FOR A MOVIE ABOUT A GENIE. Get a grip on these comments, revert back to your pre-internet days before you criticized every.single.thing. This is a great movie. Turn off your anger and enjoy something for once. McCarthy is great. The main character is sweet, you will laugh, you will cry (if your heart is not two sizes too small), and you will think about how your wishes all revolve around money, while those in this movie do not...

Melissa works for her paycheck while the rest of the cast is beyond terrible.

Whoooo signed off on the actors of Bernard and Julie?! Why?!

This proves that the best actor doesn't always get the job. Flat. Flat. Beyond flat.

I'm all for supporting less than "star" names but these two dragged every scene down. What a shame.

Production value is good. Cinematography is solid. Music fits.

I can only fault casting as well as the director.

The heartfelt ending made it worth the watch- that'll I'll also thank Melissa for.

Give new, unknown actors jobs- please- based on talent.

We want that. We support that.

Genie is a Peacock movie and our first Christmas movie of 2023 counting down to the end of the year. The film tells the fairy tale story of Bernard (Nardo) Follows who is played by Paapa Essiedu. Nardo losses his job and his family because of his workaholic demanding boss played by Alan Cumming. Alan's character was very similar to Scrooge from Charles Dickens novel. Nardo down on his luck opens an old box and out pops a genie who is played by Melissa McCarthy, she also helped produce this movie. Unlike most genies this one had multiple wishes and she helps Nardo find his ways. I felt I was watching a Hallmark made for tv movie but with corny laughable jokes. This was a good family oriented movie but I wouldn't watch it again.

I thought this film was terrific. It was funny and fun, plus the soundtrack was excellent. I thought the film was well cast, too. It's not Hallmarkish at all. Melissa McCarthy has been in a couple of stinkers, but this is not one of them. Don't expect a deep or profound message. This is just about a guy (excellent actor, Paapa Essiedu) who realizes that he has put his family on the back burner and he tries his best to remedy that. I'm not sure where all the hate for this movie is coming from. It was written by Richard Curtis (Love Actually and Notting Hill) so seriously, how could it be bad? Ignore the hate and watch for yourself.