Taglines: With Einstein as Cupid what could possibly go wrong?
I.Q. movie storyline. Edward Walters, an auto mechanic, falls for the intelligent and beautiful Catherine Boyd. It is love at first sight. There is however a problem, she’s engaged to jerk James Moreland. Fortunately, Catherine’s uncle likes Ed, and with his friends they scheme to make Catherine fall for Ed. The comedy in this movie stems from the fact that Catherine’s uncle is none other than Albert Einstein, who’s portrayed as a fun loving genius, as are his mischievous.
I.Q. is a 1994 American romantic comedy film directed by Fred Schepisi and starring Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins, Walter Matthau, Charles Durning, Lou Jacobi, Gene Saks, Joseph Maher, Stephen Fry, Tony Shalhoub, Keene Curtis and Frank Whaley. The original music score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith. The film centers on a mechanic and a Princeton doctoral candidate who fall in love, thanks to the candidate’s uncle, Albert Einstein.
About the Story
Is everything random “or is there a Grand Design?” muses Albert Einstein at the opening of the film. And we are left with the ultimate conclusion that where true love is concerned at least, the answer is a resounding “Yes” to a Grand Design.
An easy-going garage mechanic, Ed Walters (Tim Robbins), meets Catherine Boyd (Meg Ryan), a successful Princeton University mathematics doctoral candidate, as she comes into the garage, accompanied by her resistant and critical English fiancé, acerbic experimental psychology professor James Moreland (Stephen Fry). There is an immediate “electric” connection which Ed recognizes, but she is not yet aware.
Ed sees his future, briefly, and Catherine is a major part of it; they are married, and have children together. “How long will all of this take?” asks Catherine, referring to the car repair, and Ed, thinking about their future life together, replies, “That’s up to you”. His life purpose has suddenly been decided by a force of nature greater than himself.
Finding a watch she left at the garage, Ed travels to her address and finds himself face to face with Albert Einstein (Walter Matthau), who is Catherine’s uncle. Albert—portrayed as a fun-loving genius—and his mischievous friends, fellow scientists Nathan Liebknecht (Joseph Maher), Kurt Gödel (Lou Jacobi), and Boris Podolsky (Gene Saks), quickly accept Ed as a friend and see Ed as someone who would be better suited for Catherine. The four of them bring their communal vehicle to Ed’s garage to have it modified as a convertible, and chat with Ed about how to attract Catherine’s interest.
An amused suggestion by Ed to “borrow their brains” inspires them to try to help Ed look and sound like a scientist (i.e., a “wunderkind” in physics) temporarily, in order to garner Catherine’s attention for Ed, while at the same time trying to convince Catherine that life is not all about the mind, but is also about the heart. James’s heart is virtually non-existent (as seen in his casual cruelty in his treatment of test subjects and limited awareness of humanity), while Ed’s heart is adventurous and virtually limitless.
Einstein sees bringing Ed and Catherine together as his most enduring legacy to his niece, because she was of the mistaken opinion that her only contribution to the world was to be through her children, and that she therefore must marry a total intellectual because then she will produce genius children, like himself. Einstein realizes that Ed loves Catherine for herself, and will help her blossom into her full potential as a person full of life and spirit; a fellow world traveler with mutual interests as varied as the Boyd’s Comet and the Seven Sacred Pools on Maui, which James belittled.
I.Q. (1994)
Directed by: Fred Schepisi
Starring: Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins, Walter Matthau, Charles Durning, Lou Jacobi, Gene Saks, Joseph Maher, Stephen Fry, Tony Shalhoub, Keene Curtis, Frank Whaley
Screenplay by: Andy Breckman
Production Design by: Stuart Wurtzel
Cinematography by: Ian Baker
Film Editing by: Jill Bilcock
Costume Design by: Ruth Myers
Set Decoration by: Gretchen Rau
Art Direction by: W. Steven Graham
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild language.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 1994
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