Phenomenon: Difference between revisions

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Phenomenon is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon Turteltaub. The main stars were [[John Travolta (Creator)]], [[Kyra Sedgwick]], Forest Whitaker, and Robert Duvall.

Its opening is not too different from a [[Super Hero Origin]]. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[Ridiculously Average Guy|average joe]], an auto mechanic in a small city. On the evening of his 37th birthday, everything changes. He notices a strange flash of light which somehow grants him [[The Smart Guy|genius-level intellect]], and [[Mind Over Matter|telekinesis]]. The former power allows him to both absorb vast amounts of information and formulate revolutionary ideas.

Its opening is not too different from a [[Super-Hero Origin]]. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[Ridiculously Average Guy|average joe]], an auto mechanic in a small city. On the evening of his 37th birthday, everything changes. He notices a strange flash of light which somehow grants him [[The Smart Guy|genius-level intellect]], and [[Mind Over Matter|telekinesis]]. The former power allows him to both absorb vast amounts of information and formulate revolutionary ideas.

Having an altruistic streak, George decides to devote his new skills to the improvement of his small town. Initially the locals are amused and intrigued. But their amusement soon turns to terror. There are exactly three people who stand by him: Lace Pennamin (Sedgwick), Nate Pope (Whitaker), and Doc Brunder (Duvall). Lace is his [[Love Interests|love interest]], Nate his best bud, Doc is the fatherly town physician (who delivered him) and tries to figure out what has changed in George's physiology. George also intercepts and decodes an encrypted transmission, replying to it, which results in a top secret US military training exercise being canceled. This brings in the FBI, who interrogate him and then offer George an intelligence job, which he refuses, saying he learned things in deciphering secret communications that he did not want to know.

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* [[My Hovercraft Is Full of Eels]]: Nate, the best friend of John Travolta's character, asks him to teach him some Portuguese so he can hire a (beautiful) Brazilian lady as his maid. Travolta uses a tape recorder to give English and Portuguese "translations" for sentences like, "Can you start on Monday?". But the Portuguese sentences actually mean "You have beautiful eyes", and so on. At the end of the movie Nate and the Brazilian lady are expecting a baby. Aww.

* [[My Skull Runneth Over]]: The same medical condition granting George his intellectual powers is killing him.

* [[~~Ninety Percent~~ of Your Brain]]: George's tumor gives him "more area of active brain use than anybody ever tested".

* [[90% of Your Brain]]: George's tumor gives him "more area of active brain use than anybody ever tested".

* [[Out With a Bang]]: George.

* [[Smart People Play Chess]]: One of the first clues of George's newfound intelligence is that he starts winning chess games against Doc Brunder.

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[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]

[[Category:Phenomenon]]

[[Category:Trope]]