As far as creative-type biopics go, Genius is pretty harmless. John Logan’s screenplay (based on A. Scott Berg’s novelization) evokes the drawn-out, whimsical language of the late Thomas Wolfe’s vivacious energy, while Michael Grandage’s direction navigates a provocative, endearing time in American publication. Writers like Wolfe, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway were charming socialites with their eloquent verbiage, but behind every best seller was a desk-chained editor, killing scribbled darlings without remorse.

This is certainly a story of passion – and a mind consumed by praise – but more importantly, Grandage pays homage to the lesser-known heroes (and often-thought villains) of authored content. Praise be to the oh-so-overlooked editors, as bastardized and under-appreciated as they might be!

Behind every man stands a good woman, and behind every writer stands a good editor. Max Perkins (Colin Firth) is one such wrangler of talent, and his latest muse – Thomas Wolfe...