Genie - AD Introduction

Genie, written by Richard Curtis and directed by Sam Boyd, is a Sky Original fairy tale comedy film, set-in present-day New York City in the run up to Christmas.

The story centres around Bernard, played by Paapa Essiedu, and his relationship with his young family .

He’s a Black Englishman in his 30s. He’s an amiable, hard-working man who dresses quite smartly, even when not in work, with lots of slim fitting outfits in greens, blues and browns. He works at the upmarket Flaxman’s Auction house in the Manhattan area of the Big Apple.

Bernard misses his daughter Eve’s 8th birthday due to being stuck late at work having to placate his demanding, eccentric multi-millionaire boss Mr Flaxman. Flaxman is a tall, slim, sharply dressed white man in his late 50s with very short grey hair and a strict manner.

Frustrated at Bernard for never putting their daughter first, his partner Julie takes Eve out of the city, for a break, without Bernard.  Julie is a slim Black woman in her 30s with short hair and high cheek bones. She is always impeccably dressed, often in Autumnal pastel hues.

Eve is a fun-loving young girl who quickly forms bonds with everyone she meets. 

They live in a plush Manhattan apartment with lofty ceilings and modern, soft furnishings, within an upmarket block.

Left alone in the city, Bernard accidentally summons a Genie!  

Genie Flora, played by Melissa McCarthy, is a petite and curvaceous white woman with an infectious smile. She has a rosy complexion with long, pleated, curly red hair.

Emerging from an antique jewellery box, Flora is dressed in a beige, suede waistcoat with gold tassels and intricate middle-eastern influenced detailing.  Underneath she wears a turquoise outfit with baggy hareem pants and matching pointy slippers.  Taking influence from various New Yorkers, she soon creates a more modern look for herself to blend in. She settles on a casual style with neat shoulder length hair.

The pair swiftly spark up an unlikely friendship, as she grants Bernard wishes with a simple wiggle of her finger, and he teaches her aspects of modern life including New York Pizza, Hot Cocoa and Tom Cruise.

However, it’s not all plain sailing and Bernard learns that wishes can have unexpected consequences! The twists and turns of the movie take the pair on a journey to a department store, a Santa’s Grotto and even a police station holding cell…. Along the way, Bernard strives, with Flora’s help, to reconnect with his family.

Supporting cast members include Lenny, a grey- haired older white gentleman, who works as the concierge for Bernard’s upmarket apartment block. Although always impeccably dressed in his uniform and with a neat moustache, the ponytail sticking out hints at a slightly rebellious side..   

Julie’s childhood friend Johnny is a 40 something slender white man who appears slightly bookish, with neat grey hair and fashionable clear, yellow-rimmed glasses. He takes pride in his appearance, wearing layers of padded jackets, over a smart checked shirt. Bernard appears somewhat uncomfortable around him.

Finally, Detective Perez is an Hispanic detective in his 60s who has definitely been around the block. Short in stature, he has short curly grey hair and often lets his frustrations get the better of him. 

Genie, a Sky Original, with Audio Description by Robbie Gaston, arriving on Sky Cinema from the 1^st of December