Story Line: Valedictorian and mathematical genius Hal (Justin Long) has locked himself in his parents' bathroom and refuses to come out—much to the chagrin of his mother.
Bottom Line: Black comedies are tough to pull off, and Raising Genius doesn't quite hit the mark, frequently veering into creepy territory that isn't at all funny. The story mostly centers on the relationship between overbearing mother Nancy (Wendie Malick) and her son, Hal, who loathes her outright and makes no secret of it. He can't even look at her without almost breaking into hives, which is why he has locked himself in the bathroom in the first place. The subplot of Hal's obsession with his cheerleader neighbor, Lacy (The Wonder Years' Danica McKellar), through his bathroom window only adds to the creepiness factor. The biggest, healthiest laughs come from a handful of game supporting performers, including cult favorite Stephen Root and veterans Tippi Hedren and Shirley Jones.
Color, NR (mature themes, sexual situations, language), 80 min., DVD $29.99