Remember how I said it pains me to eat without watching something at the same time? (I hate the silence and I must be multitasking at all times.) Well after I finally finished my first “meal movie,” I started another one. But this unlike the last one…. this time I finished before it was even time for another meal.
So tell me… what is 57 multiplied by 135? Yeah imma need a calculator… but Mary Adler can tell you without using a calculator or a pen and paper within about five seconds. You see, Mary (portrayed by Mckenna Grace) is what you would call gifted. Her birth certificate, height, and wardrobe all point to her being in first grade. But her attitude and wit, not to mention the fact that she fully comprehends high level math, point to her being much older. She gets it from her mother and her grandmother, both gifted mathematicians, but we meet Mary on her first day of school. Until this point, her Uncle Frank (Chris Evans) has been raising and homeschooling her with a bit of help from their neighbor Roberta (Octavia Spencer). Roberta warns of the dangers of putting Mary in real school, and everyone should know at this point – listen to Octavia, I don’t care what movie she’s in. When Mary’s grandmother, Evelyn, finds out about her brilliant abilities, she enters into a custody battle against her own son. Smh. It’s clear that while Evelyn (such a fitting name for a cold-hearted character) wants Mary for her smarts, Frank wants Mary for the fact that she is a great kid and he wants to raise her in a normal environment free of tutors and stuffy college professors. Gifted was released in early 2017. So, despite having plenty of opportunities to watch it, nothing in particular was drawing me to it. I think the fact that the plot revolved around a child actor (not my favorite as you may recall) was the main turn off. Ever still, it’s unlike me to leave a Chris Evans film unwatched. I had fairly low expectations, but before I knew it, I was bawling right along with Chris and Octavia. The plot was original and rich with just the right amount of twists. Mckenna surprised me with her natural talent and gives child actors everywhere a better name. This was not nearly her first time in front of cameras and you could tell. That girl is a super convincing crier. I will note that some of the lines she was given to show her maturity just came off as rude and a tad immature. But it is what it is and they were just trying to show her sas. The uncle/niece chemistry was both shown and felt throughout the film. Plus the music was chosen well which is always a good thing. What wasn’t entirely convincing was the character of Bonnie …. (Jenny Slate). Without sharing too much, you may catch my drift when you watch. Overall, the movie was real - kids and parents go through some tough stuff every day and this movie brings some of that to light. Mckenna did an amazing job of playing a character who is a brilliant, smart mind, but is also just a little kid in the middle of a custody battle. It’s a heartwarming film that leaves you with those feel-good feeling. Major props. Comments are closed.
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