Movie: "Gifted"
Director: Marc WebbRating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour, 41 minutes
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"Gifted" is directed by
Marc Webb, who is known for directing the "The Amazing Spiderman" and
its sequel, as well as "500 Days of Summer." It is written by Tom Flynn
and is his first screenplay in 15 years. It stars Chris Evans as Frank
Adler, a man who has been raising his seven-year-old niece Mary, played by
Mckenna Grace, since she was a baby. Upon sending her to public school, Mary's teacher Bonnie, played by Jenny Slate, quickly realizes that Mary is
gifted. When the school principal recommends Mary be transferred to a
preparatory school that will nurture her mind, Frank refuses. Upon learning of her
genius, Mary's estranged grandmother Evelyn, played by Lindsay Duncan, shows up
to Florida demanding custody of Mary so she can nurture her gift properly. In
other words, Evelyn wants to boss her around like she did with her mother Diane, who passed away when she was just a baby.
We have a feeling filmmakers really wanted to call this movie "There's Something About Mary," but knew that title was already taken. "Gifted" is one of those films where different
philosophies for raising a child collide. On one hand, you have the
kind-hearted Frank, who wants Mary to have a normal childhood with
friends, fun, and laughter, you know, kid things, regardless of her mathematical
prowess. On the other hand, you have the stern, regimented, and logical
Evelyn, who wants Mary to be trained by private tutors so she can
become one of the greatest mathematical minds of the 21st century. Both
of them make good points, and what's best for Mary likely falls
somewhere in the middle. Of the two people fighting for sole custody,
Frank is the far more likable character. There is also a bit of class
warfare as well as Frank chooses a blue collar job fixing boats, and
Evelyn is a wealthy intellectual who doesn't seem to be employed, but
certainly has money. It's essentially all about rich vs. poor and social
education vs. intellectual education. A good portion of the film involves a
courtroom battle where lawyers spin reality to favor their respective
client.
We have all seen movies like this in the past, but the real question is, can "Gifted" do anything special to set itself apart from the other loads of films just like it? Luckily, this movie is still mostly interesting and quite engaging. Chris
Evans puts on a solid performance as a man who has essentially had his life turned upside down to do everything he can for his niece. Mckenna
Grace is absolutely adorable and performs her role with the right balance between smart and smart-ass. The two of them feel like two peas in a pod and really do have tremendous chemistry. The rest of the cast is also excellent. Octavia Spencer puts on a worthy performance as Frank's next door neighbor Roberta, who has watched Mary grow since she was a wee little tot. Lindsay Duncan seems made for the role of controlling, intellectual, mostly absent grandmother. She plays her part with a methodical, cold calculation, and we're not saying that's a bad thing. There are a few emotional moments even, if they are a bit manipulative
and overly sappy, but sometimes that's just what we need. Overall, "Gifted" might not boast an entirely new premise, but it is still a very cute, charming film worth checking out if you like anybody involved in this project.
My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 6.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 66%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?
**To review this movie for yourself on one of the best websites on the internet, visit filmfed.com!*
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