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Not-so-massive example crosswicking. There weren't many wicks to get trope examples from. I also commented-out a ZCE
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Not-so-massive example crosswicking. There weren't many wicks to get trope examples from. I also commented-out a ZCE
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: It is implied that the incredible mental and psychic abilities George suddenly gains after seeing a strange light in the sky is caused by [[spoiler:a tumor spreading across his brain and activating unused parts of it. Also, killing him.]]
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* BabiesEverAfter: Nate; see below.
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* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: George dies, but lives on in the memories of the friendly scientist, the town, and all his friends.]]
to:
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: George [[spoiler:George dies, but lives on in the memories of the friendly scientist, the town, and all his friends.]]
* ComicalTranslation: There's an inverted Prank Translation. Nate has a crush on a Portuguese housekeeper but does not speak Portuguese, so he asks George, who does, to teach him some phrases related to asking her to clean his house. The ones George teaches him are polite, but very romantic phrases having nothing to do with housekeeping.
* CursedWithAwesome: George gains extraordinary mental powers as well as telekinesis [[spoiler:all caused by a brain cancer that activates normally dormant regions of the brain]]. His first big problem is finding out ''why'' he got this power -- since it scares the locals, it makes his personal life harder than it used to be (he's from a small town). Once he finds out, he takes it much better -- [[spoiler:yes, he takes a brain cancer that kills him in less than two years, and the inconveniences that go with treating such a cancer, much more peacefully than ostracism]].
* DerailedForDetails: Somebody asks George how old a person would be now if they were born on the 5th of March 1987 (or was it the 7th of July 1976? No, it was the 28th of October 1928...) Anyway, he asks a bunch of questions, the last one being "Where was he born?" The exasperated questioner asks what that has to do with it. "Well, if he were born in New York City he'd be..." and gives the age right down to the minute. He never does explain, though, how a person's gender affects their age.
* EveryoneKnowsMorse: Nate Pope is a HAM operator, so he should know Morse code for that reason, but George not only knows Morse code (for no reason) and can decipher a very fast message that Whitaker picks up on his HAM radio. George has a [[spoiler:brain tumor]] which rewires his brain, allowing him to learn things easily. He could have picked up Morse code off-camera.
* CursedWithAwesome: George gains extraordinary mental powers as well as telekinesis [[spoiler:all caused by a brain cancer that activates normally dormant regions of the brain]]. His first big problem is finding out ''why'' he got this power -- since it scares the locals, it makes his personal life harder than it used to be (he's from a small town). Once he finds out, he takes it much better -- [[spoiler:yes, he takes a brain cancer that kills him in less than two years, and the inconveniences that go with treating such a cancer, much more peacefully than ostracism]].
* DerailedForDetails: Somebody asks George how old a person would be now if they were born on the 5th of March 1987 (or was it the 7th of July 1976? No, it was the 28th of October 1928...) Anyway, he asks a bunch of questions, the last one being "Where was he born?" The exasperated questioner asks what that has to do with it. "Well, if he were born in New York City he'd be..." and gives the age right down to the minute. He never does explain, though, how a person's gender affects their age.
* EveryoneKnowsMorse: Nate Pope is a HAM operator, so he should know Morse code for that reason, but George not only knows Morse code (for no reason) and can decipher a very fast message that Whitaker picks up on his HAM radio. George has a [[spoiler:brain tumor]] which rewires his brain, allowing him to learn things easily. He could have picked up Morse code off-camera.
* IntimateHaircut: Happens with George and Lace. Subverted, as they don't do anything until much later in the movie.
* LanguageOfLove: Played with. George persuades his best friend to hire a Portuguese woman (a very pretty young widow) as a housekeeper. George records some Portuguese phrases for his friend to learn, claiming that they're phrases like "When can you start?" - in reality, they're romantic comments about her beauty. The woman does, in fact, speak English perfectly well, and George knows it but his friend doesn't find out until they actually meet; George is just trying to hook them up. [[spoiler:It works.]]
* LanguageOfLove: Played with. George persuades his best friend to hire a Portuguese woman (a very pretty young widow) as a housekeeper. George records some Portuguese phrases for his friend to learn, claiming that they're phrases like "When can you start?" - in reality, they're romantic comments about her beauty. The woman does, in fact, speak English perfectly well, and George knows it but his friend doesn't find out until they actually meet; George is just trying to hook them up. [[spoiler:It works.]]
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* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: {{Lampshaded}} by Nate when the Berkeley scientist asks about [[spoiler: quakes]]: "Oh, that!".
** In order, George impresses people by: [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting with solar energy, experimenting with a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
** In order, George impresses people by: [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting with solar energy, experimenting with a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
to:
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: {{Lampshaded}} by Nate when the Berkeley scientist asks about [[spoiler: quakes]]: [[spoiler:quakes]]: "Oh, that!".
**that!" In order, George impresses people by: [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting with solar energy, experimenting with a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
**
* OscarBait: ''Phenomenon'' is a dramatic fantasy film directed by Creator/JonTurtletaub and starring Creator/JohnTravolta, about an ordinary man who, for reasons that remain mysterious until near the end of the film, acquires unusual intelligence and telekinetic powers. The film garnered some controversy from critics who saw it as alleged propaganda for the Church of Scientology (of which John Travolta is a longtime follower), but Travolta's performance was widely praised and considered by some to be Oscar-worthy. Ultimately, he ended up not being nominated for an Oscar for the film.
* RageAgainstTheReflection: George is angry at who he has become and yells at a mirror. When angrily gesturing at his reflection, he inadvertently smashes it with his telekinesis.
* ReachingTowardsTheAudience: The movie's poster has George reaching his hand out as if to aim his telekinetic ability.
* ReachingTowardsTheAudience: The movie's poster has George reaching his hand out as if to aim his telekinetic ability.
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* TheSleepless: One of the first {{foreshadowing}}s that [[spoiler: there's something wrong with his brain.]]
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* ScrewLearningIHavePhlebotinum: George Malley has increased learning & memorization capacity, but cannot answer questions about things he hasn't read about.
* SleepLearning: George gives his friend Nate an audiotape of Portuguese phrases like "What are your skills?" and "When can you start?" so he can hire Ella, a Portuguese woman as a maid. [[MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels George secretly slips in phrases like "You have beautiful eyes"]], in order to play matchmaker between the two. By the end of the movie, Nate and Ella are expecting their first child.
* TheSleepless: One of the first {{foreshadowing}}s that[[spoiler: there's [[spoiler:there's something wrong with his brain.]]
* SleepLearning: George gives his friend Nate an audiotape of Portuguese phrases like "What are your skills?" and "When can you start?" so he can hire Ella, a Portuguese woman as a maid. [[MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels George secretly slips in phrases like "You have beautiful eyes"]], in order to play matchmaker between the two. By the end of the movie, Nate and Ella are expecting their first child.
* TheSleepless: One of the first {{foreshadowing}}s that
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* SmartPeoplePlayChess: One of the first clues of George's newfound intelligence is that he starts winning chess games against Doc Brunder.
** Though the first clue was mostly because Doc was just teaching him chess the night before, when a day later, he expertly beat him in said game without really paying attention.
** Though the first clue was mostly because Doc was just teaching him chess the night before, when a day later, he expertly beat him in said game without really paying attention.
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* SmartPeoplePlayChess: SmartPeoplePlayChess:
** One of the first clues of George's newfound intelligence is that he starts winning chess games against DocBrunder.
**Brunder. Though the first clue was mostly because Doc was just teaching him chess the night before, when a day later, he expertly beat him in said game without really paying attention.
** One of the first clues of George's newfound intelligence is that he starts winning chess games against Doc
**
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* SuperIntelligence: The main point of the movie.
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* SuddenIntelligence: George is an amiable not-too-bright handyman who achieves phenomenal intelligence after being hit by a glowing ball from space.
* SuperIntelligence: The main point of the movie. George becomes super smart, which at first is a matter of celebration until the ''dark'' reason for the sudden intellect is later discovered
* SuperIntelligence: The main point of the movie. George becomes super smart, which at first is a matter of celebration until the ''dark'' reason for the sudden intellect is later discovered
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* TheyWouldCutYouUp: The government is almost totally upfront about wanting to do this to George. Because George's mind is [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain working at near 100% efficiency]], it takes him no time at all to realize that what they're not saying is [[spoiler:that the exploratory surgery they want to do would kill him, and that they think they'd get less data doing the same surgery after his death]].
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* BirthDeathJuxtaposition: Nate's wife is visibly pregnant as they arrive at the posthumous celebration for George.
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* InexplicableLanguageFluency: Downplayed. After a UFO encounter, George gains a form of superintelligence where he can learn complicated tasks and subjects quickly, to the point where he's able to fluently speak Portuguese after reading an English-to-Portuguese dictionary for twenty minutes.
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* InexplicableLanguageFluency: Downplayed. After a UFO encounter, George gains a form of superintelligence where he can learn complicated tasks and subjects quickly, to the point where he's able to fluently speak Portuguese after reading an English-to-Portuguese dictionary for twenty minutes. This was foreshadowed in an earlier scene where after usually fumbling to speak Spanish, he's suddenly able to speak it perfectly, to the point that his Hispanic coworker half-seriously declares that it's better than his.
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* InexplicableLanguageFluency: Downplayed. After a UFO encounter, George gains a form of superintelligence where he can learn complicated tasks and subjects quickly, to the point where he's able to fluently speak Portuguese after reading an English-to-Portuguese dictionary for twenty minutes.
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* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: George's best friend Nate asks him to teach him some Portuguese so he can hire a (beautiful) Brazilian lady as his maid. George 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 lady are expecting a baby. Aww.
to:
* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: George's best friend Nate asks him to teach him some Portuguese so he can hire a (beautiful) Brazilian lady as his maid. George 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 lady are expecting a baby. Aww.
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* ReasonYouSuckSpeech: Doc delivers an awesome one to patrons at a bar who were badmouthing George.
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* ReasonYouSuckSpeech: TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Doc delivers an awesome one to patrons at a bar who were badmouthing George.
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Its opening is not too different from a SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 a [[TheSmartGuy genius-level intellect]] and [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]].
to:
Its opening is not too different from a SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 a [[TheSmartGuy [[SuperIntelligence genius-level intellect]] and [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]].
telekinesis]].
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* AwardBaitSong: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nndb5z7ZAn4 Change The World]]'' by Music/EricClapton and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDtZl04-wpc Dance With Life (The Brilliant Light)]]'' by Bryan Ferry.
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''Phenomenon'' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon Turteltaub and stars Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Creator/ForestWhitaker, and Robert Duvall.
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''Phenomenon'' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon Turteltaub and stars Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Creator/ForestWhitaker, and Robert Duvall.
Creator/RobertDuvall.
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* HeroicBSOD: George briefly touches upon this when [[spoiler:most of the town starts to shun him.]] Learning about [[spoiler:his terminal brain tumor]] on the other hand barely phases him.
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* HeroicBSOD: George briefly touches upon this when [[spoiler:most of the town starts to shun him.]] Learning about [[spoiler:his terminal brain tumor]] on the other hand barely phases fazes him.
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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 Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Creator/ForestWhitaker, and Robert Duvall.
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/78b9874f07a2275c22a45bf6a6b6f564.jpg]]
''Phenomenon'' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by JonTurteltaub. The main Turteltaub and stars were Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Creator/ForestWhitaker, and Robert Duvall.
''Phenomenon'' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon
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* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lampshaded by Nate when the Berkeley scientist asks about [[spoiler: quakes]]: "Oh, that!".
** In order, George impresses people by : [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting with solar energy, experimenting with a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
** In order, George impresses people by : [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting with solar energy, experimenting with a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
to:
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lampshaded {{Lampshaded}} by Nate when the Berkeley scientist asks about [[spoiler: quakes]]: "Oh, that!".
** In order, George impresses peopleby : by: [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting with solar energy, experimenting with a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
** In order, George impresses people
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* TheSleepless: One of the first {{Foreshadowing}} that [[spoiler: there's something wrong with his brain.]]
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* TheSleepless: One of the first {{Foreshadowing}} {{foreshadowing}}s that [[spoiler: there's something wrong with his brain.]]
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* TheTopicOfCancer: One night, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancerous tumor in his brain which, by complete coincidence, happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and he's also dying.]]
to:
* TheTopicOfCancer: One night, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancerous tumor in his brain which, by complete coincidence, happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon about by the cancer. Oh, and he's also dying.]]
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* BabiesEverAfter: Nate; see below.
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* BookEnds: The film begins and ends with a birthday party for George. [[spoiler:Though the second one is posthumous as people celebrate his memory]]
* ForScience: The neurologist who George encounters towards the end wants to study George [[spoiler:by taking a peek inside his brain while he's still alive]] to learn what makes him tick and how his newfound mental prowess and powers work. George refuses, [[spoiler:and despite having initially declared that the choice was George's to make, the doctor has him declared mentally unfit and makes the decision for him.]]
* ForScience: The neurologist who George encounters towards the end wants to study George [[spoiler:by taking a peek inside his brain while he's still alive]] to learn what makes him tick and how his newfound mental prowess and powers work. George refuses, [[spoiler:and despite having initially declared that the choice was George's to make, the doctor has him declared mentally unfit and makes the decision for him.]]
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* BookEnds: The film begins and ends with a birthday party for George. [[spoiler:Though the second one is posthumous as people celebrate his memory]]
memory.]]
* ForScience: The neurologistwho George encounters meets towards the end wants to study George [[spoiler:by taking a peek inside his brain while he's still alive]] to learn what makes him tick and how his newfound mental prowess and powers work. George refuses, [[spoiler:and despite having initially declared that the choice was George's to make, the doctor has him declared mentally unfit and makes the decision for him.]]
* ForScience: The neurologist
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* InformedAbility: We don't really get to know the scientific details of George intelligence. It comes mostly from fast-reading.
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* InformedAbility: We don't really get to know the scientific details of George George's intelligence. It comes mostly from fast-reading.
* InstantExpert: George's hyper-intelligence allows him to do this, such as learning to speak Portuguese by reading a dictionary during the space of a car ride.
* InstantExpert: George's hyper-intelligence allows him to do this, such as learning to speak Portuguese by reading a dictionary during the space of a car ride.
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* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lampshaded by Nate when the Berkeley scientist asks about [[spoiler: quakes]] : "Oh, that!".
** In order, George impresses people by : [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting about solar energy, experimenting a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
** In order, George impresses people by : [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting about solar energy, experimenting a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
to:
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lampshaded by Nate when the Berkeley scientist asks about [[spoiler: quakes]] : quakes]]: "Oh, that!".
** In order, George impresses people by : [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimentingabout with solar energy, experimenting with a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
** In order, George impresses people by : [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting
* ThePatientHasLeftTheBuilding: [[spoiler:When the neurologist overrules George's refusal to let him examine his still-living brain, Nate and Lace help him escape from the hospital. By the time the officials catch up with him, George has died.]]
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* TheSmartGuy: George and to a lesser extent Doc Brunder, who becomes overshadowed (and overawed) due to his abilities.
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* TheSmartGuy: George and and, to a lesser extent extent, Doc Brunder, who becomes overshadowed (and overawed) due to his abilities.
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* TheTopicOfCancer: One night, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancerous tumor in his brain that by complete coincidence happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is also dying.]]
to:
* TheTopicOfCancer: One night, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancerous tumor in his brain that which, by complete coincidence coincidence, happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is he's also dying.]]
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* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: 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 lady are expecting a baby. Aww.
to:
* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: Nate, the George's best friend of John Travolta's character, Nate asks him to teach him some Portuguese so he can hire a (beautiful) Brazilian lady as his maid. Travolta George 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 lady are expecting a baby. Aww.
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* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lampshaded by Nate when the Berkeley scientist ask about [[spoiler: quakes]] : "Oh, that!".
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* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lampshaded by Nate when the Berkeley scientist ask asks about [[spoiler: quakes]] : "Oh, that!".
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* InformedAbility: We don't really get to know the scientific details of George intelligence. It comes mostly from fast-reading.
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: George remains friendly all the way, but he starts to scare people by being too smart, compared to them and himself before the "flash".
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: George remains friendly all the way, but he starts to scare people by being too smart, compared to them and himself before the "flash".
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* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lampshaded by Nate when the Berkeley scientist ask about [[spoiler: quakes]] : "Oh, that!".
** In order, George impresses people by : [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting about solar energy, experimenting a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
** In order, George impresses people by : [[spoiler: playing chess and winning once, [[ItMakesSenseInContext correcting his mistake with a rabbit]], learning Spanish, winning again at chess, reading 2-3 books a day about anything, experimenting about solar energy, experimenting a new natural fuel, breaking several army codes, predicting earthquakes, and learning Portuguese]].
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* TheSleepless: One of the first {{Foreshadowing}} that [[spoiler: there's something wrong with his brain.]]
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** Brought up again later when he beat him repeatedly, just to confirm that Smart People ''Really'' Play Chess. Doc notices how smart he has become.
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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 Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Forest Whitaker, and Robert Duvall.
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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 Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Forest Whitaker, Creator/ForestWhitaker, and Robert Duvall.
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Do not spoiler tag trope names on work pages or the names of works on trope pages; please see Handling Spoilers for more information.
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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 Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Forest Whitaker, and Robert Duvall.
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* [[spoiler:BeneficialDisease]]: George develops super-intelligence and even psychokinesis [[spoiler:because of what is eventually discovered to be a terminal brain tumor.]]
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* [[spoiler:BeneficialDisease]]: BeneficialDisease: George develops super-intelligence and even psychokinesis [[spoiler:because of what is eventually discovered to be a terminal brain tumor.]]
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* [[spoiler:MySkullRunnethOver: The same medical condition granting George his intellectual powers is killing him.]]
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* [[spoiler:MySkullRunnethOver: The MySkullRunnethOver: [[spoiler:The same medical condition granting George his intellectual powers is killing him.]]
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* [[spoiler:OutWithABang: George.]]
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* [[spoiler:TheTopicOfCancer]]: One night, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancerous tumor in his brain that by complete coincidence happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is also dying.]]
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* [[spoiler:TheTopicOfCancer]]: TheTopicOfCancer: One night, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancerous tumor in his brain that by complete coincidence happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is also dying.]]
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* ReasonYouSuckSpeech: Doc delivers an awesome one to patrons at a bar who were badmouthing George.
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The Messiah has been disambiguated between Messianic Archetype and All Loving Hero. Bad examples and ZCE are being removed; if you disagree, please readd with sufficient context.
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* TheMessiah: George is clearly trying to use all his ideas to make the world a better place, and the closest he comes to InsufferableGenius is when he's being detained, questioned, and tested.
to:
* TheMessiah: MessianicArchetype: George is clearly trying to use all his ideas to make the world a better place, and the closest he comes to InsufferableGenius is when he's being detained, questioned, and tested.
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There\'s a lot here that should be in spoilers, and the synopsis at the top summarized almost the entire movie including *major* plot twists
Changed line(s) 3,9 (click to see context) from:
Its opening is not too different from a SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 a [[TheSmartGuy genius-level intellect]] and [[MindOverMatter 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 [[LoveInterests 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.
George seeks to share his knowledge, but is bombarded with questions he can't answer, then sees a second flash of light which quickly knocks him out. By the time George wakes up, Doc Brunder has run some additional tests. He has found what is actually going on. Those flashes of light were, it seems, hallucinations caused by an extraordinary brain tumor. While its killing George slowly from the inside, it simultaneously increases the activity of his brain. More than any other human being.
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the service of the Federal government. They want to perform involuntary medical experiments on George's brain. Now, the genius has to fight for a very basic right: dying with dignity, not as a guinea pig. He succeeds spectacularly. He leaves extensive notes of his scientific work (in the hope someone could continue it), bonds with Lace's two kids (played by David Gallagher and Ashley Buccille), makes love to Lace herself and then dies in her arms. A year later, his friends honor the dead man on the day of his birthday.
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 [[LoveInterests 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.
George seeks to share his knowledge, but is bombarded with questions he can't answer, then sees a second flash of light which quickly knocks him out. By the time George wakes up, Doc Brunder has run some additional tests. He has found what is actually going on. Those flashes of light were, it seems, hallucinations caused by an extraordinary brain tumor. While its killing George slowly from the inside, it simultaneously increases the activity of his brain. More than any other human being.
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the service of the Federal government. They want to perform involuntary medical experiments on George's brain. Now, the genius has to fight for a very basic right: dying with dignity, not as a guinea pig. He succeeds spectacularly. He leaves extensive notes of his scientific work (in the hope someone could continue it), bonds with Lace's two kids (played by David Gallagher and Ashley Buccille), makes love to Lace herself and then dies in her arms. A year later, his friends honor the dead man on the day of his birthday.
to:
Its opening is not too different from a SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 a [[TheSmartGuy genius-level intellect]] and [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]]. The former power allows him to both absorb vast amounts of information and formulate revolutionary ideas.\n\n
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 toterror. There are exactly three people who stand by him: Lace Pennamin (Sedgwick), Nate Pope (Whitaker), fear, and Doc Brunder (Duvall). Lace is his [[LoveInterests love interest]], Nate his best bud, Doc is draws 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.
George seeks to share his knowledge, but is bombarded with questions he can't answer, then sees a second flash of light which quickly knocks him out. By the time George wakes up, Doc Brunder has run some additional tests. He has found what is actually going on. Those flashes of light were, it seems, hallucinations caused by an extraordinary brain tumor. While its killing George slowly from the inside, it simultaneously increases the activity of his brain. More than any other human being.
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the serviceattention of the Federal government. They want to perform involuntary medical experiments on George's brain. Now, the genius has to fight for a very basic right: dying with dignity, not as a guinea pig. He succeeds spectacularly. He leaves extensive notes of his scientific work (in the hope someone could continue it), bonds with Lace's two kids (played by David Gallagher and Ashley Buccille), makes love to Lace herself and then dies in her arms. A year later, his friends honor the dead man on the day of his birthday.FBI.
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
George seeks to share his knowledge, but is bombarded with questions he can't answer, then sees a second flash of light which quickly knocks him out. By the time George wakes up, Doc Brunder has run some additional tests. He has found what is actually going on. Those flashes of light were, it seems, hallucinations caused by an extraordinary brain tumor. While its killing George slowly from the inside, it simultaneously increases the activity of his brain. More than any other human being.
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the service
Changed line(s) 13 (click to see context) from:
* BeneficialDisease: George develops super-intelligence and even psychokinesis because of what is eventually discovered to be a terminal brain tumor.
to:
* BeneficialDisease: [[spoiler:BeneficialDisease]]: George develops super-intelligence and even psychokinesis because [[spoiler:because of what is eventually discovered to be a terminal brain tumor.]]
Changed line(s) 15 (click to see context) from:
* BookEnds: The film begins and ends with [[spoiler: a birthday party for George]].
to:
* BookEnds: The film begins and ends with [[spoiler: a birthday party for George]].George. [[spoiler:Though the second one is posthumous as people celebrate his memory]]
* ForScience: The neurologist who George encounters towards the end wants to study George [[spoiler:by taking a peek inside his brain while he's still alive]] to learn what makes him tick and how his newfound mental prowess and powers work. George refuses, [[spoiler:and despite having initially declared that the choice was George's to make, the doctor has him declared mentally unfit and makes the decision for him.]]
* HeroicBSOD: George briefly touches upon this when [[spoiler:most of the town starts to shun him.]] Learning about [[spoiler:his terminal brain tumor]] on the other hand barely phases him.
* TheMessiah: George is clearly trying to use all his ideas to make the world a better place, and the closest he comes to InsufferableGenius is when he's being detained, questioned, and tested.
* ForScience: The neurologist who George encounters towards the end wants to study George [[spoiler:by taking a peek inside his brain while he's still alive]] to learn what makes him tick and how his newfound mental prowess and powers work. George refuses, [[spoiler:and despite having initially declared that the choice was George's to make, the doctor has him declared mentally unfit and makes the decision for him.]]
* HeroicBSOD: George briefly touches upon this when [[spoiler:most of the town starts to shun him.]] Learning about [[spoiler:his terminal brain tumor]] on the other hand barely phases him.
* TheMessiah: George is clearly trying to use all his ideas to make the world a better place, and the closest he comes to InsufferableGenius is when he's being detained, questioned, and tested.
Changed line(s) 18,20 (click to see context) from:
* MySkullRunnethOver: The same medical condition granting George his intellectual powers is killing him.
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: George's tumor gives him "more area of active brain use than anybody ever tested".
* OutWithABang: George.
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: George's tumor gives him "more area of active brain use than anybody ever tested".
* OutWithABang: George.
to:
* MySkullRunnethOver: [[spoiler:MySkullRunnethOver: The same medical condition granting George his intellectual powers is killing him.
him.]]
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: George'stumor gives him power is eventually described as "more area of active brain use than anybody ever tested".
*OutWithABang: [[spoiler:OutWithABang: George.]]
* RousseauWasRight: The vast majority of people who oppose George are scared, or [[PunchClockVillains only following orders.]] The former seem to come around by the end, and at least one of the latter subtly helps him [[spoiler:by redirecting the search for him after he's escaped.]]
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: George's
*
* RousseauWasRight: The vast majority of people who oppose George are scared, or [[PunchClockVillains only following orders.]] The former seem to come around by the end, and at least one of the latter subtly helps him [[spoiler:by redirecting the search for him after he's escaped.]]
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** Though the first clue was mostly because Doc was just teaching him chess the night before, when a day later, he expertly beat him in said game.
to:
** Though the first clue was mostly because Doc was just teaching him chess the night before, when a day later, he expertly beat him in said game.game without really paying attention.
Changed line(s) 26,27 (click to see context) from:
* TheTopicOfCancer: One day, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancerous tumor in his brain that by complete coincidence happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is also dying.]]
to:
* TheTopicOfCancer: [[spoiler:TheTopicOfCancer]]: One day, night, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancerous tumor in his brain that by complete coincidence happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is also dying.]]
* TouchedByVorlons: The dancing lights in the sky that descend on George before his powers emerge are certainly reminiscent of flying saucers. [[spoiler:Subverted, as they're explicitly hallucinations brought on by his brain tumor.]]
* TouchedByVorlons: The dancing lights in the sky that descend on George before his powers emerge are certainly reminiscent of flying saucers. [[spoiler:Subverted, as they're explicitly hallucinations brought on by his brain tumor.]]
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None
Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: Nate, the best friend of John Travolta's character, asks him to teach him some Portuguese so he can hire a (beautiful) Brazilian woman 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 her are expecting a baby. Aww.
to:
* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: Nate, the best friend of John Travolta's character, asks him to teach him some Portuguese so he can hire a (beautiful) Brazilian woman 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 her lady are expecting a baby. Aww.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 7,9 (click to see context) from:
When George strains himself a bit too much, he sees a second flash of light. Which quickly knocks him out. By the time George wakes up, Doc Brunder has run some additional tests. He has found what is actually going on. Those flashes of light were, it seems, hallucinations caused by an extraordinary brain tumor. While its killing George slowly from the inside, it simultaneously increases the activity of his brain. More than any other human being.
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the service of the Federal government. They want to perform involuntary medical experiments on George's brain. Now, the genius has to fight for a very basic right: dying with dignity, not as a guinea pig. He succeeds spectacularly. He leaves extensive notes of his scientific work (in hope someone could continue it), bonds with Lace's two kids (played by David Gallagher and Ashley Buccille), makes love to Lace herself and then dies in her arms. A year later, his friends honor the dead man on the day of his birthday.
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the service of the Federal government. They want to perform involuntary medical experiments on George's brain. Now, the genius has to fight for a very basic right: dying with dignity, not as a guinea pig. He succeeds spectacularly. He leaves extensive notes of his scientific work (in hope someone could continue it), bonds with Lace's two kids (played by David Gallagher and Ashley Buccille), makes love to Lace herself and then dies in her arms. A year later, his friends honor the dead man on the day of his birthday.
to:
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the service of the Federal government. They want to perform involuntary medical experiments on George's brain. Now, the genius has to fight for a very basic right: dying with dignity, not as a guinea pig. He succeeds spectacularly. He leaves extensive notes of his scientific work (in the hope someone could continue it), bonds with Lace's two kids (played by David Gallagher and Ashley Buccille), makes love to Lace herself and then dies in her arms. A year later, his friends honor the dead man on the day of his birthday.
Changed line(s) 13 (click to see context) from:
* BeneficialDisease: George develops hyperintelligence and even psychokinesis because of what is eventually discovered to be a terminal brain tumor.
to:
* BeneficialDisease: George develops hyperintelligence super-intelligence and even psychokinesis because of what is eventually discovered to be a terminal brain tumor.
Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: 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.
to:
* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: Nate, the best friend of John Travolta's character, asks him to teach him some Portuguese so he can hire a (beautiful) Brazilian lady woman 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 her are expecting a baby. Aww.
Changed line(s) 26,27 (click to see context) from:
* TheTopicOfCancer: One day, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancer in his brain that by complete coincidence happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]].]] [[spoiler:The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is also dying.]]
to:
* TheTopicOfCancer: One day, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancer cancerous tumor in his brain that by complete coincidence happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]].]] [[spoiler:The it]]. The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is also dying.]]
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Changed line(s) 1,4 (click to see context) from:
'''''Phenomenon''''' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon Turteltaub. The main stars were Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Creator/ForestWhitaker, and Creator/RobertDuvall.
Its opening is not too different from a SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 [[TheSmartGuy genius-level intellect]], and [[MindOverMatter 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 SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 [[TheSmartGuy genius-level intellect]], and [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]]. The former power allows him to both absorb vast amounts of information and formulate revolutionary ideas.
to:
'''''Phenomenon''''' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon Turteltaub. The main stars were Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Creator/ForestWhitaker, Forest Whitaker, and Creator/RobertDuvall.
Robert Duvall.
Its opening is not too different from a SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 a [[TheSmartGuy genius-levelintellect]], intellect]] and [[MindOverMatter 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 SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 a [[TheSmartGuy genius-level
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 1,2 (click to see context) from:
'''''Phenomenon''''' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon Turteltaub. The main stars were JohnTravolta, KyraSedgwick, Forest Whitaker, and Robert Duvall.
to:
'''''Phenomenon''''' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon Turteltaub. The main stars were JohnTravolta, KyraSedgwick, Forest Whitaker, Creator/JohnTravolta, Creator/KyraSedgwick, Creator/ForestWhitaker, and Robert Duvall.
Creator/RobertDuvall.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 26 (click to see context) from:
to:
* TheTopicOfCancer: One day, the main character sees a flash of unearthly light, hears a strange sound, and falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he's got super-intelligence and even psychic powers. [[spoiler:Turns out he's got a ''massive'' cancer in his brain that by complete coincidence happens to enhance certain functions by pushing against [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain rarely activated parts of it]].]] [[spoiler:The flash of light was an epileptic hallucination brought upon by the cancer. Oh, and the main character is also dying.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: George dies, but lives on in the memories of the friendly scientist, the town, and all his friends.]]
* BookEnds: The film begins and ends with [[spoiler: a birthday party for George]].
* BookEnds: The film begins and ends with [[spoiler: a birthday party for George]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
'''''Phenomenon''''' is a 1996 film, combining elements of drama, romance, and fantasy. It was directed by Jon Turteltaub. The main stars were JohnTravolta, KyraSedgwick, Forest Whitaker, and Robert Duvall.
Its opening is not too different from a SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 [[TheSmartGuy genius-level intellect]], and [[MindOverMatter 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 [[LoveInterests 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.
When George strains himself a bit too much, he sees a second flash of light. Which quickly knocks him out. By the time George wakes up, Doc Brunder has run some additional tests. He has found what is actually going on. Those flashes of light were, it seems, hallucinations caused by an extraordinary brain tumor. While its killing George slowly from the inside, it simultaneously increases the activity of his brain. More than any other human being.
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the service of the Federal government. They want to perform involuntary medical experiments on George's brain. Now, the genius has to fight for a very basic right: dying with dignity, not as a guinea pig. He succeeds spectacularly. He leaves extensive notes of his scientific work (in hope someone could continue it), bonds with Lace's two kids (played by David Gallagher and Ashley Buccille), makes love to Lace herself and then dies in her arms. A year later, his friends honor the dead man on the day of his birthday.
----
!!This film provides examples of:
* BeneficialDisease: George develops hyperintelligence and even psychokinesis because of what is eventually discovered to be a terminal brain tumor.
* MindOverMatter: George's telekinesis.
* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: 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.
* MySkullRunnethOver: The same medical condition granting George his intellectual powers is killing him.
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: George's tumor gives him "more area of active brain use than anybody ever tested".
* OutWithABang: George.
* TheSmartGuy: George and to a lesser extent Doc Brunder, who becomes overshadowed (and overawed) due to his abilities.
* SmartPeoplePlayChess: One of the first clues of George's newfound intelligence is that he starts winning chess games against Doc Brunder.
** Though the first clue was mostly because Doc was just teaching him chess the night before, when a day later, he expertly beat him in said game.
* SuperIntelligence: The main point of the movie.
* SuperSpeedReading: George is seen reading a book simply by flipping through pages. At one point he claims to read 4 or 5 books a day.
----
Its opening is not too different from a SuperHeroOrigin. George Malley (Travolta) is your [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy 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 [[TheSmartGuy genius-level intellect]], and [[MindOverMatter 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 [[LoveInterests 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.
When George strains himself a bit too much, he sees a second flash of light. Which quickly knocks him out. By the time George wakes up, Doc Brunder has run some additional tests. He has found what is actually going on. Those flashes of light were, it seems, hallucinations caused by an extraordinary brain tumor. While its killing George slowly from the inside, it simultaneously increases the activity of his brain. More than any other human being.
Then, enter our villains. They are the FBI and medical researchers in the service of the Federal government. They want to perform involuntary medical experiments on George's brain. Now, the genius has to fight for a very basic right: dying with dignity, not as a guinea pig. He succeeds spectacularly. He leaves extensive notes of his scientific work (in hope someone could continue it), bonds with Lace's two kids (played by David Gallagher and Ashley Buccille), makes love to Lace herself and then dies in her arms. A year later, his friends honor the dead man on the day of his birthday.
----
!!This film provides examples of:
* BeneficialDisease: George develops hyperintelligence and even psychokinesis because of what is eventually discovered to be a terminal brain tumor.
* MindOverMatter: George's telekinesis.
* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: 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.
* MySkullRunnethOver: The same medical condition granting George his intellectual powers is killing him.
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: George's tumor gives him "more area of active brain use than anybody ever tested".
* OutWithABang: George.
* TheSmartGuy: George and to a lesser extent Doc Brunder, who becomes overshadowed (and overawed) due to his abilities.
* SmartPeoplePlayChess: One of the first clues of George's newfound intelligence is that he starts winning chess games against Doc Brunder.
** Though the first clue was mostly because Doc was just teaching him chess the night before, when a day later, he expertly beat him in said game.
* SuperIntelligence: The main point of the movie.
* SuperSpeedReading: George is seen reading a book simply by flipping through pages. At one point he claims to read 4 or 5 books a day.
----
