Movies Like Real Genius (1985)

Real Genius is a 1985 comedy, romance, science fiction film from Martha Coolidge with a MovieMagicScore of 6.7/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with 100% Love and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Comedy Romance Science Fiction

100% Love

2011

Balu and Mahalakshmi are both very competitive in college, which leads to ego clashes. When they meet again after a few years, they try to outdo each other until they realize that they are in love.

6.1

MagicScore

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

2001

Jimmy Neutron is a boy genius and way ahead of his friends, but when it comes to being cool, he's a little behind. All until one day when his parents, and parents all over Earth are kidnapped by aliens, it's up to him to lead all the children of the world to rescue their parents.

6.1

MagicScore

Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

1991

A chronicle of the production problems — including bad weather, actors' health, war near the filming locations, and more — which plagued the filming of Apocalypse Now, increasing costs and nearly destroying the life and career of Francis Ford Coppola.

7.9

MagicScore

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

2010

A thoughtful portrait of a renowned artist, this documentary shines the spotlight on New York City painter Jean-Michel Basquiat. Featuring extensive interviews conducted by Basquiat's friend, filmmaker Tamra Davis, the production reveals how he dealt with being a black artist in a predominantly white field. The film also explores Basquiat's rise in the art world, which led to a close relationship with Andy Warhol, and looks at how the young painter coped with acclaim, scrutiny and fame.

7.3

MagicScore

Carrie Pilby

2017

Awkward, isolated and disapproving of most of the people around her, a precocious 19-year-old genius is challenged to put her convictions to the test by venturing out on to the NYC dating scene.

6.8

MagicScore

Malcolm

1986

Malcolm is a chronically shy mechanical genius, who has just been fired for building his own tram. He gets Frank, who has just been released from jail, to move in to help pay the bills. With Frank's help, Malcolm turns to a life of crime.

6.5

MagicScore

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

1982

Based on the real-life adventures chronicled by Cameron Crowe, Fast Times follows a group of high school students growing up in Southern California. Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner are looking for love, and are helped along by their older classmates, Linda Barrett and Mike Damone. Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer faces-off with the resolute teacher, Mr. Hand. Hilarity and heartbreak ensue.

6.8

MagicScore

Just One of the Guys

1985

When Terry Griffith loses her high school's writing competition, she's convinced that it's because she's a girl. So Terry decides to change high schools and pose as a boy to prove her point. Her brother, Buddy, helps her pass as a guy so well that she is soon making friends with the boys at school, including the attractive Rick, who becomes her new best friend. But her gender-swapping makes things difficult when she falls in love with him.

6.4

MagicScore

What a Girl Wants

2003

An American girl, Daphne, heads to Europe in search of the father she's never met. But instead of finding a British version of her bohemian mother, she learns the love of her mom's life is an uptight politician. The only problem now is that her long-lost dad is engaged to a fiercely territorial social climber with a daughter who makes Daphne's life miserable.

6.3

MagicScore

#10

I Like Movies

2023

Socially inept 17-year-old cinephile Lawrence Kweller gets a job at a video store, where he forms a complicated friendship with his older female manager.

7.0

MagicScore

#11

Blockers

2018

When three parents discover that each of their daughters have a pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal.

6.3

MagicScore

#12

New York Minute

2004

Top student Jane Ryan heads to Manhattan for a college-scholarship competition. Her rebellious twin Roxy Ryan goes along to crash a video shoot. But anything can happen - and does - in a romp involving a pursuing truant officer, a smuggler, hunkalicious guys and the girls' realization that when the chips are down, a sister can be the best friend of all.

6.2

MagicScore

#13

Mean Girls

2024

New student Cady Heron is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called ‘The Plastics,’ ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George and her minions Gretchen and Karen. However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels, she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis and Damian, she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.

5.9

MagicScore

#14

Frenemies

2012

Three pairs of friends relationships go from good to bad and back again. Several couple fall out over girls, boys and work. Can all these couples settle their differences and be friends again?

5.8

MagicScore

#15

Unbroken

2014

A chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II.

7.4

MagicScore

#16

Bloody April Fools

2013

Nine young friends get lost on their way to spending April Fools Day together. Instead of letting the entire trip go to waste, they decide to go party at an old abandoned inn called 12 Hills. Rumor has it that the place has curse that comes to life every April 1st. Despite the warnings from the locals, the friends decide to go ahead with their April Fools Day plan. It's all partying, sex and alcohol until victims of sick, deadly jokes start to appear.

6.2

MagicScore

#17

Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip

1999

After Dexter is confronted with robots who wish to "destroy the one who saved the future," he uses his time machine to see how he saved it. They declare that they are here to destroy the one who saved the future, and make ready to attack Dexter. Dexter easily destroys them with the use of various tools and gadgets from his lab. However, news that he is "The One Who Saved the Future" intrigues him, and he decides to travel through time to discover how cool he is. In the first time period he visits, Dexter finds a tall, skinny, weak version of himself working in office-designing cubicles, with Mandark as his rich, successful boss. The child Dexter unwittingly reveals the existence of blueprints regarding the "Neurotomic Protocore", and Mandark steals it after the two Dexters move forward in time.

7.5

MagicScore

#18

The Misadventures of Merlin Jones

1964

Merlin Jones, a precocious and intelligent high-school boy, experiments with hypnosis and creates a mind-reading machine. However, his experiments land him in deep trouble with the law.

6.5

MagicScore

#19

Another Earth

2011

Tragedy connects a young woman and a shattered music professor as an exact replica of Earth is discovered.

6.7

MagicScore

#20

Roger Dodger

2002

A smooth-talking ad executive attributes his remarkable success with women to his ability to manipulate their emotions from the moment he first meets them. When his teenage nephew drops in for a visit, he soon learns that his approach isn't as foolproof as he thought when he attempts to teach the boy how to pick up women.

6.1

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Real Genius?

The top films similar to Real Genius by MovieMagicScore are 100% Love (6.1), Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (6.1), Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (7.9). Each shares comedy/romance/science fiction themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Real Genius worth watching?

Real Genius holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.7/10 from 470 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Real Genius?

Real Genius (1985) is a comedy, romance, science fiction film directed by Martha Coolidge, starring Val Kilmer, Gabriel Jarret, Michelle Meyrink.

Where can I find more recommendations like Real Genius?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more comedy recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like 100% Love Movies like Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius Movies like Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse Movies like Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child Movies like Carrie Pilby Movies like Malcolm

About movies like Real Genius

This ranked list pairs Real Genius (1985), a comedy and romance and science fiction film from Martha Coolidge, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Val Kilmer take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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