Directed by J.C. Lee, Bad Genius is the story of a brilliant student who decided to go down a risky path to provide for her family and bridge the gap that existed between her and the elites. Lynn was an extremely intelligent and responsible girl, and she knew what consequences her actions could entail. But somehow, she overlooked all the risks and embarked on a journey that had the potential to ruin her future. So, let’s find out what happened in the Bad Genius film and if Lynn was able to successfully execute her plan.
Spoiler Alert
Why did Lynn’s scholarship get canceled?
Lynn got admitted to the Exton Pacific school, and she knew that it was a huge thing for her and her family. Studying at such a premier school meant that she could actually make her dreams come true. She knew that if she performed to the best of her abilities, then there was no stopping her. Lynn was well aware of the fact that she was different from the other rich kids, and she couldn’t take things for granted like them. It was Lynn’s pragmatism that impressed her principal enough that she decided to give her a full scholarship. Lynn didn’t shy away from admitting the fact that her family didn’t have the kind of resources to pay her fees. Principal Walsh had her own vested interest in giving Lynn a full scholarship. She knew that by admitting students like Lynn, the reputation of the school would greatly benefit her, as firstly, Lynn was of Asian descent, and secondly, her sharp mind guaranteed good results.
The day Lynn met her classmates, Grace, her life changed forever. At that moment in Bad Genius, Lynn had no clue what she had signed up for and what kind of conflicts she would face in her life due to that association. Grace was an extremely friendly person, and her warmth made Lynn feel a little less lonely. Grace introduced Lynn to her friend, Pat Stone, a boy whose sensibilities stood in stark contrast to somebody like Lynn. I believe that deep down, Lynn craved acceptance. She knew that she and Grace came from two different worlds and that their lives, aspirations, and dreams could never align. But at that moment, Lynn felt nice in her company. Probably it provided her with something much needed for her from her mundane life. Lynn was aware of her circumstances, but she, too, believed that she needed a little downtime every now and then to keep herself going.
What deal did Lynn make with Pat?
Lynn was all geared up to appear for the examinations. Her preparations were on point, and she wanted to make sure that she took the first step toward her dream college in the best possible manner. During the exams, Lynn noticed that Grace was struggling, and probably she didn’t know anything. Lynn wrote all the correct options on an eraser and passed it on to Grace. That set Lynn past the point of no return. Slowly, more and more people started taking Lynn’s help during the exam. Lynn was an excellent pianist, and in order to make her peers cheat efficiently, she decided to make use of her music knowledge. She made codes that responded to a particular option on the answer sheet. So basically, the students had to just see her hand movements in order to ascertain the right answer. The downside of this efficient method was that a lot of students started getting similar marks, and that’s when the administration got suspended. Also, one of the students, who, like Lynn, came from an underprivileged background, reported whatever he saw to the administration. As a result, Lynn got exposed, and her scholarship was canceled. Lynn’s father was devastated, and for the longest time, he just couldn’t understand whatever he was told. Lynn’s father told her about the sacrifices her mother had made in order to give her a better life, and he questioned her about how she could be so reckless. Lynn felt guilty for letting her father down, but during that process, she realized a thing or two about herself. Lynn had been taking money from the students for her services, and so she realized how to use her knowledge, her creativity, and the loopholes of the system to her advantage.
Did Lynn get caught for cheating?
Pat Stone’s parents called Grace and Lynn for dinner at their place. They knew what Lynn had done and the kind of impact it had had on Pat’s score. That’s when Mr. and Mrs. Stone offered a deal to Lynn; they told her to help their son get admission to Columbia University. Mr. Stone knew that it was not just Lynn’s tutoring that had helped his son and that he was resorting to other means of academic dishonesty. Mr. Stone didn’t care about it as long as Pat got good grades. He had no trust whatsoever in his son’s abilities; he desperately wanted him to go to Columbia. Lynn saw an opportunity—a chance to climb the ladder of success. She was well aware of the class discrimination that existed in the world, and she was adamant to bridge that gap and turn the odds in her favor for once. Lynn knew she wouldn’t be able to pull off the feat on her own. Cheating on the SATs was no joke, and she was well aware of the kind of risks she would have to take. That’s when Pat did something to provide Lynn with an ally who was as capable as she was, if not more. Bankole Adedamola, aka Bank, was an illegal immigrant living in the States, and he was able to hide the fact from the school authorities.
Together with Lynn, he was also recommended for the scholarship by the school administration. Just a day before his interview, Bank was assaulted by a bunch of anonymous people, and due to his injury, he was unable to appear for the interview. Bank and even Lynn didn’t know that Pat orchestrated everything. Lynn felt bad for Bank, and when she realized that he had lost the scholarship money, she offered him to be a part of her plan. Though he knew the risks, Bank agreed, as he couldn’t think of any other option at that moment. It was decided that Bank and Lynn would attend the SAT at a center in Philadelphia using fake identities. Philadelphia was chosen as the place because it was 3 hours ahead of Seattle. Lynn knew that Pat and others needed some time to mug up all the answers. But not everybody was like Lynn and Bank, and they knew that remembering all the right options in the right chronology was going to be an impossible task. So Lynn decided that she would use the barcodes on a pencil to her advantage. She taught Pat and Grace about how each bar could be a representation of an option. Everything was set, but then, at the end of Bad Genius, Bank got to know that it was Pat who had hired the goons who attacked him that night. Bank decided to increase his fee, and Pat and others didn’t have any option but to give him whatever he wanted. Though the examiners almost caught Lynn and Bank, the mission was a success.
What deal did Lynn make with Mr. Stone?
The news of unfair methods being used in one of the centers in Philadelphia made national news. There were protests all over Philadelphia, and the education board had to eventually take the step of canceling the examination for a few entries. Lynn knew that those centers also had students like her who probably couldn’t afford to buy the form and go through the entire process once again. She decided that she needed to do something about the situation, and that’s when she got to know that Bank was undocumented, i.e., he was living in the USA illegally. Bank did not want to be a part of the plan as he was scared of him and his family being deported. That’s when Lynn decided to strike a deal with Pat’s father. She went and told him that she had all the evidence to prove that Pat was the mastermind of the entire plan. Lynn told Mr. Stone to use his contacts in the legal fraternity to first get Bank documented. She also told him to set up a fund in order to help all the students who had to appear for the examinations once again. Mr. Stone was a bit surprised to find out that Lynn didn’t ask anything for herself.
In Bad Genius’ ending, Mr. Stone accepted Lynn’s terms and conditions in order to save his son, and also offered Lynn to work with him in the future. It all ended well for Lynn, and she probably took lessons from whatever had happened and would refrain from indulging in such activities in the future.
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