25 Days of Romcoms pt. 3: I.Q.

If you haven't seen I.Q., it's an adorable and problematic movie with Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins (I wrote Timothy Hutton at first, but that's a different Meg Ryan romcom that I love), and Walter Matthau as Albert Einstein. Meg Ryan (Catherine) is Einstein's niece and a brilliant mathematician. Tim Robbins (Edward) is a mechanic and instantly falls deeply in love with Catherine the moment he sees her (because of course he does). Edward, along with Einstein and his German scientist friends, decide Catherine would be better off with him than her current fiance so they decide to make Ed a fake genius so Catherine would fall for him. It ends with how you'd expect a romcom to - with her getting mad, him being sorry, and them together. 

I don't love anything more about this movie than listening to four old scientists just talk. Every interaction is hilarious. It's worth it just for those little moments.

While I don't appreciate what they're doing to Catherine, watching the scientists try to mime what Ed needs to say is hilarious. I forgot how funny that "x=1+w cubed over pie" bit is. If you haven't seen the movie they're miming the formula to Ed and grab an ice cube for the cubed part and hover it over a piece of pie. I watched it twice it was so good.

Then there's the scene where Edward is taking a multiple choice exam in front of reporters and a couple dozen people. It's my favorite. Here it is for your viewing pleasure: 

One thing I do appreciate about the awful love story/trap is that Edward is genuinely attracted to Catherine's intellect. How often is it that we see a movie where the man falls in love with a woman in part because she's ridiculously intelligent? Especially one that is set in the 1950s?

One thing I don't appreciate about the awful love story/trap is the whole trap and lying part.

In the end though, one of my fondest Meg Ryan memories is her rolling around in the grass with Tim Robbins and yelling, "be right there, Ike!" So you know, the ends justify the means.