Genie

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2:12

Genie

PG

2023

1h 32m

Holiday

Comedy

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

31%

Tomatometer

29 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

After millennia of being summoned to grant wishes of gold doubloons and hot babes for greedy men, Flora is accidentally called to service by Bernard Bottle (Emmy nominee Paapa Essiedu; I May Destroy You), whose life is unraveling around him. Bernard's been so busy working that he has lost sight of his marriage to his wife Julie (Tony nominee Denée Benton; The Gilded Age) and the childhood of his young daughter, Eve (Jordyn Mcintosh; Emancipation). When Bernard misses Eve's birthday 12 days before Christmas because of work, Julie decides it's time for a trial separation. And then Bernard's tyrannical boss (Tony winner Alan Cumming; The Good Wife) fires him. Alone in his New York City apartment, a despondent Bernard dusts off a jewelry box he finds in their home and unintentionally releases the one entity who just might be able to help him get his family back. Maybe. Possibly. It's a longshot, frankly. But in the process, Flora and Bernard will discover that love, and an unexpected friendship, can unleash a special holiday magic all its own.

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Critics Consensus

Melissa McCarthy is as hard-working as ever, but her efforts aren't enough to raise Genie past the realm of blandly predictable holiday fare.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

12/04/2023

2/5

Bland, predictable and seemingly chucked together with minimal effort at the last minute from the most basic ingredients.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

12/01/2023

1/5

A film-maker whose movies pivot around acts of altruism has reached into the archives, gussied up a dead dog and flung it into the faces of viewers with something approaching contempt. So no, alas, not a Christmas classic.

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Robbie Collin

Daily Telegraph (UK)

12/01/2023

3/5

Genie is a sugar-only zone. But then, it is Christmas. Or near enough.

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Steven Warner

In Review Online

12/25/2023

...there isn’t all that much to Genie, save for a lot of McCarthy mugging and some tired platitudes about how actions speak louder than wishes (or some such nonsense).

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Matt Neal

ABC Radio (Australia)

12/21/2023

2/5

It's not bad enough to make you wish for your time back, but you won't be adding it to your list of favourite Christmas movies any time soon.

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Louisa Moore

Screen Zealots

12/12/2023

Those looking for some Christmas charm that’s not too challenging could do a whole lot worse than this.

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IIGIBB0II

Jan 15

paapa essiedu, out here been a actor and stuff.... God this #!*£ is awful why make it? Nobody wants this dribble. Certainly can't watch it with family misses hated it, we saved the kids from having to watch it, I miss good movies :(

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Craig B

@CraigLondon Dec 31

Watched it with the kids and we all loved it, great film.

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Lindsey S

@lbjellybean33 Dec 25

Unoriginal and lack luster, I got through 24 minutes and turned it off. I mistakenly thought a star cast meant this would be good, but good actors can't carry a badly written story. It feels cheap

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Janet D

@DrJanet Dec 6

Boring and not funny. I gave up halfway through.

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Kait .

Nov 25

It’s a cute idea for a movie although it was kinda predictable

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Justin G

Sep 7

I have never written a film reviews, but I had to share my two cents about Genie. Honestly, I was skeptical going in — I hadn’t even heard of this movie until it popped up as a suggestion on Peacock. But once I saw Melissa McCarthy’s name attached, I figured I’d give it a shot. She hasn’t let me down yet. The movie itself is definitely on the cheesy side, but in the best possible way. It’s one of those wholesome, lighthearted stories that doesn’t try to be more than it is: a feel-good, family-oriented comedy with a sprinkle of magic. McCarthy brings her usual mix of chaotic energy and warmth, and even when the jokes are a little silly, she makes them land with charm. What surprised me most is how much I actually needed a movie like this. It’s clean, it’s funny, and it has that cozy holiday-season vibe — the kind of film you can watch with your family or just throw on when you need an easy, uplifting escape from everyday stress. So no, it’s not groundbreaking cinema. But if you’re in the mood for something fun, heartwarming, and a little silly, Genie is worth the watch. Sometimes, that’s exactly the kind of magic we need.

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Sam Boyd

Director

Melissa McCarthy

Flora

Paapa Essiedu

Bernard Bottle

Denée Benton

Julie Bottle

Marc Maron

Lenny

Jordyn McIntosh

Eve Bottle

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Genie: Trailer 1

2:12

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Synopsis

After millennia of being summoned to grant wishes of gold doubloons and hot babes for greedy men, Flora is accidentally called to service by Bernard Bottle (Emmy nominee Paapa Essiedu; I May Destroy You), whose life is unraveling around him. Bernard's been so busy working that he has lost sight of his marriage to his wife Julie (Tony nominee Denée Benton; The Gilded Age) and the childhood of his young daughter, Eve (Jordyn Mcintosh; Emancipation). When Bernard misses Eve's birthday 12 days before Christmas because of work, Julie decides it's time for a trial separation. And then Bernard's tyrannical boss (Tony winner Alan Cumming; The Good Wife) fires him. Alone in his New York City apartment, a despondent Bernard dusts off a jewelry box he finds in their home and unintentionally releases the one entity who just might be able to help him get his family back. Maybe. Possibly. It's a longshot, frankly. But in the process, Flora and Bernard will discover that love, and an unexpected friendship, can unleash a special holiday magic all its own.

Director: Sam Boyd
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Riva Marker, Richard Curtis
Screenwriter: Richard Curtis
Distributor: Peacock
Production Co: Working Title, Universal Pictures
Rating: PG (Suggestive References|Some Language)
Genre: Holiday, Comedy, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 22, 2023
Runtime: 1h 32m

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