10 Brilliant Movies About Geniuses That'll Make You Feel Like One Dull Bulb

10. The Social Network (2010)

While not following the exact events of Facebook’s creation, The Social Network gives a great idea of how it came to be. There once was a student whose girlfriend dumped him, and in spite of her, he created a website where guys could rate girls based on their looks. The site became popular, and things started spiraling up…

You can watch The Social Network on Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime Video.

9. The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)

Most of us can’t truly comprehend the ethereal world of mathematics, but some people know infinity — almost literally. This movie follows the life and relationships of a brilliant Indian mathematician whose friendship and collaboration with his teacher resulted in a series of breakthroughs but who suffered an unjustly grim fate.

You can watch The Man Who Knew Infinity on Apple TV and Prime Video.

8. The Martian (2015)

The Martian is not a biopic in any way, shape, or form — and it doesn’t follow the typical genius you might picture. Having been left alone on Mars after his colleagues presumed him dead, an engineer must survive for four years until the next mission arrives. His resources are very limited, but his brilliant mind helps him pull through.

You can watch The Martian on Netflix, Apple TV, Disney Plus, and Prime Video.

7. The Theory of Everything (2014)

Throughout history, there have been countless great minds that shaped our world — and one of the most brilliant ones only recently departed from the Earth. The Theory of Everything follows his life since he was a cheerful student, through his unique illness that left his body control slowly deteriorating, and to his great discoveries.

You can watch The Theory of Everything on Max, Netflix, and Prime Video.

6. Rain Man (1988)

Benefitting from someone else’s genius is a rather common strategy, but rarely does it combine with using a family member as an asset. An egocentric yuppie learns that his father left everything to his estranged autistic brother who’s a brilliant mathematician — and he plans to use the “rain man’s” unique abilities to get rich.

You can watch Rain Man on Apple TV and Prime Video.

5. Sherlock Holmes (2009)

No list of movies, TV shows, or books about genius people is complete without at least one Sherlock Holmes version, right? In this iteration of the classic story, the legendary detective and his partner engage in a battle of wits against a powerful man who claims to control supernatural forces — and threatens the entirety of England.

You can watch Sherlock Holmes on Max, Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime Video.

4. Limitless (2011)

We tend to think of geniuses as of natural occurrences, but what if there was a way to achieve brilliance artificially? A struggling writer takes a drug that unlocks 100% of his brain’s calculating speed, but with great power, comes great danger. When he becomes a financial mastermind, scary people take an uncanny interest in him.

You can watch Limitless on Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video.

3. The Imitation Game (2014)

For some, war is devastation and horror; for others, it’s a great mystery that must be solved. During World War II, a brilliant British mathematician and his colleagues embark on a journey to crack the Nazi’s near-perfect Enigma code and get access to their internal communications. The code is mind-blowing, and time is of essence…

You can watch The Imitation Game on Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime Video.

2. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

In movies, geniuses are either shy and antisocial — or arrogant and dismissive. A Beautiful Mind’s protagonist belongs to the latter category. A brilliant mathematician, he changed an entire field of science early in his career and thought himself better than others, but a terrible event turned his life upside down and humbled him.

You can watch A Beautiful Mind on Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime Video.

1. Good Will Hunting (1997)

Sometimes, all we need is a little guidance… And sometimes, more than just a little. A troubled wunderkind from Boston is forced to accept a professor’s offer of help to escape prison. What begins as a forced relationship soon develops into a fruitful friendship and professional collaboration that changes both of their lives.

You can watch Good Will Hunting on Netflix and Prime Video.