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Invention and innovation may very well be the height of human achievement. In order to invent something, you need the creativity to conjure up the idea in your mind; however, you also need the engineering acumen required to bring that idea to reality. So, it’s no wonder that inventors are often some of the most highly regarded people in history. For instance, Thomas Edison, inventor of direct current electricity, and Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, are two figures that pretty much everyone in the U.S. learns about in school.
Inventors are also often fascinating people with some very interesting ideas and outlooks on the world. So, it’s no wonder that there have been some incredible Hollywood movies made about the life and works of inventors. And, the list of movies about inventors is about to get a little bit longer as the new 2023 film Oppenheimer is set to release on July 21, 2023. This film will be about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist most often credited with developing the atomic bomb, and has a star-studded cast featuring actors like Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Quaid, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Rami Malek, and more.
Based on the cast and how fascinating of a historical figure J. Robert Oppenheimer was, I expect that Oppenheimer may be one of the best movies about an inventor ever made. But, for this article, we’re going to look at the top 6 movies about inventors that have already been made. And, if you watch these films, it may just give you an idea for the world’s next great invention.
1. The Current War
If you ask most people who first harnessed electricity, they’ll tell you that it was Thomas Edison. Or, perhaps, some know-it-all will chime in and say, “Well, actually, it was Nikola Tesla. Edison just stole all the credit.” But, the truth is that the history of electricity is much more complicated than either of those answers. Before electricity was implemented in everyday use, there was a massive competition between Edison and a man named George Westinghouse over which kind of current would be used in public electrical grids. This era of fierce competition became known as the “war of the currents” (which is where the name The Current War comes from).
This film stars the incomparable Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison and Michael Shannon (one of my personal favorite actors of all time) as George Westinghouse. Despite receiving lackluster reviews, the 2017 film The Current War is definitely worth a watch due to its historical accuracy and some amazing performances from Cumberbatch, Shannon, and the rest of the cast.
2. Flash of Genius
If I told you that the 2008 film Flash of Genius was all about windshield wipers, you’d probably assume this was the most boring movie ever made. However, this film is actually supremely entertaining, heartwarming, sad, and sometimes even intense. Flash of Genius stars Greg Kinnear as Robert Kearns, a serial inventor, and tinkerer who invented a new type of wiper blade for cars that he modeled on the human eyelid. He then presented his new invention to the engineers at Ford Motor Company, who had been working on something similar with little success.
The Ford Motor Company essentially then stole Kearns’s idea without his consent or without any credit, which led to a patent lawsuit. Outmatched by Ford’s legal team, Kearns begins his descent into despair and madness. Flash of Genius is closely based on a true story that’s a complete emotional rollercoaster. While the film’s subject matter may sound boring, the characters and unexpected turns keep this film interesting throughout its entire 119-minute duration.
3. Envy
Now moving into the realm of fictional inventors, the 2004 black comedy buddy film Envy is one of the funniest movies about inventors ever made. This film stars Ben Stiller and Jack Black as Tim Dingman and Nick Vanderpark, two best friends who spend almost every minute of every day together. Nick is constantly coming up with get-rich-quick schemes that fail miserably until he strikes genius with a device that instantly vaporizes dog poop (called Vapoorize).
As Nick’s wealth and fame begin to grow, Tim grows more and more envious of Nick. Eventually, Tim gets involved with a strange drifter named J-Man (played by Christopher Walken), and the two of them start concocting a plan to get some money out of Nick. However, unexpectedly, Nick unexpectedly offers Tim a 50/50 partnership in Vapoorize. But it’s too late. The devious J-Man won’t leave until he gets his payday. This entire film is completely outrageous and will have you keeling over with laughter.
4. Tesla
One of the most famous inventors of all time, Nikola Tesla is a fascinating historical figure who many people are only aware of because of his relation to the Elon Musk-headed electric vehicle company. However, Tesla’s life and relationship with his counterpart Thomas Edison are captivating pieces of history. And honestly, how that relationship developed and how it led to the creation of the modern electrical grid is something that everyone should know.
This film also documents Tesla’s relationship with another important historical figure: Anne Morgan, the daughter of banking magnate J.P. Morgan. And ultimately, it is Tesla’s relationship with J.P. Morgan through Anne that allows him to secure funding and finance his inventions. Nikola Tesla is portrayed by Ethan Hawke, who delivers an excellent performance in this film. And, while Tesla received only decent reviews, almost every critic lauded Hawke’s ability to portray the movie’s titular character with honesty and accuracy.
5. The Social Network
While one might argue that the creation of Facebook wasn’t really an invention (rather just an update to the idea of MySpace), it was certainly one of the most influential developments of the 21st century thus far. And, for that reason, I believe that The Social Network belongs on this list. Not to mention, this movie is extremely entertaining and features some outstanding performances from actors like Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rashida Jones, and Brenda Song.
This film follows the journey of Mark Zuckerberg, one of the most powerful people in the world today, as he evolves from a Harvard University sophomore to the founder of the largest social media website in the world. The story details Zuckerberg’s conflict with the Winklevoss twins (both portrayed by Armie Hammer), who many claim originally came up with the concept for Facebook only to have it stolen away by Zuckerberg. It also details Zuckerberg’s relationship with Napster co-founder Sean Parker (portrayed by Justin Timberlake).
6. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
To end this list with an absolute classic, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is definitely one of the most famous films about an inventor ever made. If you were born in the 1990s, there’s a pretty solid chance that you watched this movie on VHS many times. The film stars Rick Moranis as Wayne Szalinski, a quirky inventor and father who designs a ray gun that’s capable of shrinking and growing objects.
In a fateful turn of events, Wayne’s kids hit a baseball through the window to his laboratory, turning on the ray gun. One by one, all of Wayne’s kids are shrunken to smaller than the size of an ant. The rest of the film follows the kids as they try to return to the laboratory and get back to their original size. This hilarious film is a classic for a reason, and everyone should watch Honey, I Shrunk the Kids at least once in their lifetime.
