Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Grimerlana Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Justina The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

NoTripod Bernard and the Genie (1991)(BBC-TV) Available on VHS and Region 1 DVDRowan Atkinson is in this strange BBC-TV Christmas movie, but for only 5 or so scenes. But what scenes they are. Atkinson is truly in Blackadder territory as he plays the CEO of a large rare art sales firm. Every single word uttered, facial expression and body language movement by Atkinson is truly a throwback to the truly despicable Lord Edmund Blackadder from the Second Blackadder series "Blackadder II" (1986). Take a look at the DVD cover (not the VHS) here at IMDb, ebay or Amazon and see if you don't agree.Yes there are bits about Christmas and a magical genie in this truly strange cobbled together mess, so don't think you are going to be enthralled with a warm-hearted Christmas favourite, because you are most assuredly not.See this movie for the 5 minutes of Rowan Atkinson RUINING the Christmas of a loyal and true worker, his conniving plans ala Lord Edmund and his unfortunate comeuppance. OK. I rated this movie 10 STARS. That is for the Rowan Atkinson contributions, which I admit are essential to the plot, however sparse. Judge my review on on these terms only. Get ye to a video shoppe posthaste and have a short visit with the great Lord Edmund Blackadder.AtomicVideo

gsalexan Oh Come ON! No movie this stinky gets a rating this high without a concerted campaign to pump it up. Best Christmas movie ever? Please! Haven't the producers run out of relatives to write these reviews? Isn't anyone else a little suspicious about ratings of nothing but 9s & 10s-- not even "Star Wars" or "Gone with the Wind" is this consistent.In all fairness, Alan Cumming was palatable in this low-low-budget made-for-TV flick. But the script is so clunky we were rolling our eyes and asking ourselves what would possess anyone to recommend such mediocrity. Even Rowan Atkinson had a hard time making these lines funny. I'm sure he didn't get paid nearly enough.Young kids might actually sit through this, but anyone older than about 14 is likely to pass out from boredom waiting for a laugh. Go lift a pint at the pub and come back in an hour...or make that 70 minutes. No need to waste a single moment on this one.

fray_j It has everything you need in a Christmas film- laughs, tears, a good message, and every Christmas song known to man! Me and my sister still love it and watch it every year at Christmas. It doesn't seem to have been shown on British TV since we recorded back in the early nineties. They really need to show it again so they can introduce a whole new legion of fans to Bernard Bottle. The video is really rare, I paid £40 for it, and now I discover there is a DVD. Bum! But its still amazing. I have seen it so much that when I now hear 'Lonely This Christmas' I expect a bauble to smash after the words "and an unlit Christmas tree" ! "he's Mr success, he's higher than high, he's sweeter than the sweetest cherry pie"

Wolfman316 BERNARD AND THE GENIE was a really good Fantasy Comedy-Drama. Every scene with Lenny Henry was hilarious, especially when he is taken to the police station and he has his photos taken and makes silly faces in front of the camera and especially when he accidentally cuts his hand with his sword. Alan Cumming did a good performance as Bernard, and he makes you feel sorry for the character. Rowan Atkinson was good in his famous Blackadder role as Bernard's greedy and corrupt employer. The TV movie has it's moments. Parts of the film were very sad, especially when Bernard says a tearful goodbye to the Genie and Bernard and the Genie's hearts are broken, when Bernard's fiancée has a affair with his best mate and The Genie learns his kittens and his girlfriend have been dead for centuries. Still Bernard and the Genie made a star out of Alan Cumming who went to star in GoldenEye and X-Men 2, both films starred Famke Janssen. BERNARD AND THE GENIE is for all those who are fans of Lenny Henry and Rowan Atkinson. I hope one-day, Alan Cumming and Lenny Henry reunite and make a long-awaited follow-up "Bernard and the Genie 2", where Bernard reunites with the Genie. It would be nice know what has happened to Bernard, years after the Genie went back home to his own time.