Gifted movie review: Tale of 6-year old math prodigy is formulaic but charming
“She’s not normal, but if Einstein can ride a bike so can she.”
– Frank Adler talking about the fact that Mary is a gifted child.
I love this movie. I loved the bond between Chris Evans and
Mckenna Grace. Something to watch out. The direction is great and the story is
very much moving. It is an extremely beautiful and heart touching movie, the
sort which makes you smile through tears. The acting is exceptional, and you
can't help but fall in love with the characters. I liked how they explored the
complexity of the characters, and didn't just make it black and white with
clear 'heroes' and 'villains'. Nobody's perfect.
Love is not fearing they would get taken away from you, it
is fearing that you may not be good enough for them.
Gifted is an example of fluent storytelling of a simple
story with basic courtroom drama and emotions. The scene of maths are
beautifully portrayed, not exaggerating the girl's abilities but showcasing her
as a subtle genius.
Mary is a gifted child whose intellect is way beyond her
biological age. She solves complex math problems and provides expert views on
politics. However, her late mother's brother, Frank, is determined to give her
a normal life like any other kid. However, there is as much as he can hide from
the world, especially her school. A
fight for child custody is a familiar story line that comes alive in the
emotionally-charged relationship between McKenna Grace playing Mary, the gifted
child, and Chris Evans in the role of Frank, her Uncle/guardian. The
"foe" is Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), Mary's grandmother who believes
nurturing Mary's mind is a great gift to humanity.
Like in most child custody cases, the power is in the court
system and how well it's played by the interested parties. The adults move
forward with a righteous zeal of what they think is best for Mary.
Eventually, it turns into a courtroom battle of Mary's
custody between Frank and his mother, Evelyn, who wants to have her in top
schools for gifted in the country and solve some of the all-time great problems
in mathematics. In the midst of all this, there is a secret kept safe around
Mary's mother's death. And Mary’s mother was a gifted mathematician who-
AAAAAAHHHH I AM NOT TELLING ANYTHING, WATCH THE DAMN MOVIEEE
The director, Marc Webb, elevated an average story into an
excellent cinema. His projection of the artistic side (right brain) of an
otherwise math genius (left brain) was great and something to take away from
the movie. The humor kept the movie light and fun to watch. I loved the way the
relationship of Frank and Mary was projected.
What makes this film such a standout is the wholly authentic
rapport between Mary and Frank. Because you know that love will win out, you
don't have to invest all your attention in wondering how. Rather, you can sit
back and take the infinitely satisfying emotional ride in the intricate shades
of love called "the human experience". Some of the scenes where Frank
teaches Mary about life and love-in particular, the hospital scene-makes you
wish he'd been your own father. That scene was beautifully conceptualized and
executed.
Watch it. The standout performances by Chris Evans and
McKenna Grace make it worth your while.
Go ahead and watch it!
- Sarah Sheikh
BSc FND
Your review gave me the thoght to watch the film keep writing
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