User Reviews

Written by that prolific writer of usually hit film and TV productions Richard Curtis, this must be his idea of a Christmas stocking filler?

That is, it is light and airy and not to be taken too seriously, either plot wise or as a movie production. Its adequate, amusing, touching, and even laugh out loud funny in parts. Melissa McCarthy is its saving grace, delivering her lines with wit and charm, and emotion as only she can. The 3 actors comprising the family do not really gel together, the mum and daughter were not very well cast IMO. I think RC made the father lead watch a bunch of Stephen Merchant performances, and told him "act like that".

But it all held together well enough to enjoy as a pre Xmas movie taster, before you unwrap the real presents, such as Elf, National lampoon, A wonderful Life...or whichever are your go to Seasonal favourites.

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.

This movie has an impressive cast of actors. If nothing else, it was fun to see who would pop up in which roles. The story is fairly predictable and offers very little surprises, but isn't that kind of the point? This is a good in-the-background, silly holiday movie. It won't keep your attention, but it certainly makes for a fun atmospheric movie to have on. I loved seeing the actress from The Golden Age in modern clothes! She's gorgeous either way. I'm not familiar with the main actor, but he has a good amount of charm and warmth that I'll look up where else I can watch him. The movie did the classic "how in the world do they afford that New York apartment???" but it's not a documentary so I think we can roll with it. Again, don't go in with super high expectations and I think you can find parts of this movie that are enjoyable. Happy Holiday!!!

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.

In the days leading up to Christmas, auction house worker Bernard Bottle (Paapa Essiedu) sees his life fall apart as he misses his daughter Eve's (Jordyn McIntosh) birthday after working late which causes his wife Julie to have them take a break during the holiday. With Bernard also fired by his boss Oliver Flaxman (Alan Cumming) Bernard seems poised to have a depressing Christmas, but his chance encounter with an antique box unleashes Flora (Melissa McCarthy), a 2,000-year-old Celtic tribesman who's been cursed to be a genie. Now given the opportunity for unlimited wishes, Bernard sets out trying to win his family back while also showing Flora the wonders of the modern world.

Genie is a 2023 Christmas comedy written by prolific British writer Richard Curtis and is a remake of Curtis' own 1991 BBC TV film Bernard and the Genie that featured Alan Cumming and Lenny Henry in the original roles. The film debuts on Peacock in time for the Holiday season as Peacock continues to cultivate their content library and while I was skeptical, Curtis shows that he can do enough new with the premise to make it justify itself which is helped along by the solid chemistry of Melissa Mcarthy and Paapa Essiedu.

As the film is a remake of a 1991 TV move that barely clocked over an hour in length, Curtis reframes the material to have a more focused narrative with the story engine being Bernard winning his wife and child back following the inciting incident of being forced to work too late. This formula is nothing new as it's been part and parcel to many formula comedies from the 90s that built themselves around the "workaholic dad" trope, but as far as it's incorporation of the trope it feels like Curtis is taking a more nuanced approach to it than many of its forebearers. While Genie does revisit many of the setpieces of the 1991 TV film, Curtis does also include some new spins on the material including a very funny scene involving Bernard's family and the wishes they make. Paapa Essiedu and Melissa McCarthy have terrific chemistry as Bernard and Flora and this is probably some of McCarthy's finest comedic work I've seen from her in some time and she feels more like a character and less like an over the top archetype as has been a recurring issue with her characters. Admitting some things are maybe a little downgraded from the original such as Alan Cumming's rather thankless role as Flaxman who's meant to be an analogue to Rowan Atkinson's Pinkworth from the original, and while Flaxman is used to get the story moving he never creates a memorable creep on the same level Atkinson did in the original because that part is considerably scaled back.

I honestly really enjoyed Genie. It doesn't break too far from the mold of this kind of high concept comedy formula but with solid chemistry from its leads and some genuinely sharp writing from Richard Curtis, Genie provided a welcome bit of light hearted Christmas fare that got me in a festive mood.

"Genie" (2023) is an attempt at a fairy-tale comedy that, unfortunately, misses the mark on nearly every level. The plot, which revolves around a workaholic man seeking the aid of a magical genie to win back his family before Christmas, sounds charming in theory. However, in practice, it's as if the script was written by a committee of people who have never experienced joy or human emotions. The humor is so forced and predictable that you can almost hear the strained creaking of the joke machine as it churns out one tired gag after another. The genie, meant to be the highlight of the film, comes off more like a budget Halloween costume than a mystical being, further hampering any chance of magic or wonder.

The performances are as lackluster as the plot. The lead, who shall remain nameless to spare his future career prospects, delivers his lines with the enthusiasm of someone reading a microwave manual. His quest to win back his family is about as heartwarming as a corporate tax return. The supporting cast doesn't fare much better, with performances ranging from "I'm just here for the paycheck" to "I thought this was a rehearsal." The chemistry between the characters is non-existent, making their emotional journeys as believable as a two-dollar bill.

To add insult to injury, the film's attempt at a heartwarming Christmas message is as subtle as a sledgehammer. The 'family first' moral is hammered home with such clumsy, heavy-handedness that you half expect the characters to turn to the camera and give a public service announcement. The special effects, which could have been the film's saving grace, are reminiscent of a mid-2000s video game cutscene - and not in a charming, retro way. In conclusion, "Genie" is a film that, much like its magical protagonist, should have stayed in the bottle. If you're looking for a festive family comedy, you're better off watching literally anything else.

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.

Melissa McCarthy was a perfect choice for the genie and while there is little new about the story, it was done in a very enjoyable way to make everyone feel good. Enjoyable was her finding out how things had changed in the over 2000 years since she was put into the box by the evil sorcerer. Bernard works too hard for a terrible boss, and as he is about to go to his daughter's 8th birthday celebration, his boss grabs him to show a presentation to a client, so by the time that is over, the birthday is over, and this causes a split with his wife, as it was not the first time something like this happened. As he sits and ponders what will likely happen, he picks up this antique box he has, starts to polish the top, and along comes the genie. Melissa McCarthy was ideal to play the genie, and really makes the movie. It is simply a fun movie to view. I can see this becoming a movie replayed during the Holidays. And when it comes to wishes, just remember that everyone regrets wishing for a camel.

A middling take on the Aladdin story, this movie becomes almost bearable only because Melissa McCarthy is a natural, and is thus better than the material she has been given. Otherwise, the movie is just a frustrating mish mash of the genie genre, with the main male character written in as a wimp. There is no backstory to the lamp (in this case, a jewelry box) and the promise of unlimited wishes is wasted on pizza and a dollhouse. Maybe a better film would have been Meliisa in a double role, where she makes the wishes and is the genie at the same time. Or better yet, just one wish for some movie genie to give Melissa McCarthy a next project truly worthy of her talents.

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.

This was a fun movie. It isn't Oscar contending, but who cares? I watch movies to be entertained and sometimes that comes in the form of movies like Genie and not always in movies like Titanic. Melissa McCarthy is so cute and likeable in this. She is always fun to watch. I also liked Paapa Essiedu in this. He was equally as likeable and did his job well here. The wife wasn't worth all the effort he put into getting her back (she came off as petty, selfish and irrational) but it mattered to Bernard and that drove the movie.

Sometimes I just want a quick, easy watch that doesn't require too much from the viewer other than to be entertained and this movie did that very well. I think more people would do well to just enjoy these types of movies for what they are and not always try to be armchair movie critics by pulling out their thesauruses and work hard to try and impress us with their hoity critiques of fun little movies like this one because here's a spoiler alert for them... you don't.

A good Christmas comedy, with added fantasy.

'Genie' is, admittedly, not a massively Christmassy film, it's more so set at Xmas rather than directly about the festive holiday. It still offers positive vibes in that regard, though. The story is told and paced well, I thought it'd be more generic than it is - it's not anything necessarily unique, but watchable it is. It has hints of 'Aladdin', obvs, and 'Bruce Almighty'.

Melissa McCarthy is well chosen for the titular role, I found her to be entertaining throughout. This is the first time I've seen Paapa Essiedu act and I'd saw his performance in this is solid, he gives enough. Luis Guzmán is the best of the rest, even via a relatively small showing.

Interesting that this is a remake of a 1991 television flick, which also had Richard Curtis behind the scenes and Alan Cumming onscreen; as Bernard in fact, so quite cool to see him return in this in a different role. I'll have to give that original a watch some day.

This movie isn't going to solve the world's problems but it was great for 90 minutes of holiday entertainment. Perfect fun for children and a couple life lessons are thrown in for good measure. Don't look for anything deep here including character development - it's all just fun.

Who doesn't love NYC at Christmas time, a fairy tale Genie who can help you with anything, a bad guy with ann incredible acting resume and a happy ending.

I don't know what the naysayers were looking for when they panned this movie , but I say take a chance on this one. Melissa McCarthy is her usual silly self and you can't go wrong with Alan Cummings.

Whoever cast this movie killed it for me.

The wife is just downright nasty. The guy works so she can sit on the couch and pout. I was annoyed after hearing her speak her first lines.

The daughter is terrible.

And he's just not watchable.

So with the three main family characters so miscast this film was onto a loser from the very start

I'm about thirty minutes in and about to switch it off.

Melissa McCarthy is doing okay but it's just cringy.

I was so looking forward to the release of this and it's a total stinker of a Christmas film.

I'm actually rooting for him to kick the wife and daughter into touch and go on a bender to Vegas for Christmas. Now that would have been a better film.

It's a PG-rated movie about a goofy genie and a dad who learns a life lesson, so the bar may be low for families looking for a bit of Hallmark-esque escapism this holiday season. Stars Melissa McCarthy as a female genie named Flora. She helps Bernard, a harried husband and fast lane father who feels trapped between his imposing boss and spending time with his family. Bernard comes home one night to find he's missed his daughter's birthday. Bernard's wife tells him that she and his daughter are going to her mother's house to see if he can sort out his priorities. However, can magic wishes replace his loving presence in the lives of his wife and child?

Streaming on Peacock, Universal Pictures' GENIE is a fun, family-centered Christmas comedy. It has a well-written story, appealing performances and nice cinematography. GENIE has a strong moral worldview with overt positive references to Jesus Christ, even though it places these elements side by side with the usual Santa Claus story. Also, the movie upholds a positive view of the family and the importance of fathers. This is rare and refreshing. GENIE has no foul language, but there are a few light off-color jokes and innuendoes. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises special caution for pre-teen children and young teenagers.

*lot of reviews are bad and negative for this movie but I thought it was cute and slightly funny. Melissa McCarthy showed up and showed out IMO.

Don't watch this trash, there are a lot of great movies and shows out there. This is not one of them. In the filmd It's A Wonderful Life, there is a line that goes "Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets it's wings." Well in this case, Everytime someone watches this terrible excuse for a movie an angel loses its wings. There are no redeemable parts, there is no comedy. Melissa McCarthy just plays the same tired character as she's does with everything she is in. She probably filmed her parts over a weekend, took the paycheck and off she went to film the next trashfest. Don't waste your time or hard earned money on this mess.

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...

Is this film going to win Oscars? No,but it does what it says on the tin. It's a feel good family Christmas movie. The acting is OK and although the script isn't always brilliant it is fine and has it's moments. Melissa Mcarthy is good in this and she does make the movie that bit above average. The story flows mostly and you do end up hoping things work out (whilst knowing they 99% likely will). So don't expect a perfect film and just enjoy it as is. It isn't the best holiday movie ever but if you're decorating your tree then this on in the background you'll enjoy this perhaps more than you think.

It seems nobody talked about this, but I've been having the question during the entire movie as soon as I saw the almighty genie: is it possible for a guy who has to work so hard to raise his family not asking for a fortune from the genie?

Yes, asking money can be cheesy and money won't always do good things. But it's definitely reasonable and pretty much every ordinary people's wish, isn't it? To not asking for it makes the main actor looks off, the writer look lazy, and the entire movie feels wrong at the very first beginning, even just as a silly holiday movie. To make it worse, all the wishes asked are not surprising or fun. The only moment that I laughed was for the wish "go to the hell". It's especially ironical that the numbers the genie left for the main character was considered to be lottery numbers. It is the only time the movie talks about money, and it feels nearly stupid. Unfortunately, Melissa's good performance is not enough to save this movie.