"Gifted" opened in theaters last Friday, April 7. It has been described as a family-friendly movie because of its cast and the plot that deals with a gifted seven-year-old girl. Unfortunately, she gets caught up in a custody battle when her grandmother and her uncle have opposing views about her care.
"Gifted” is rated PG-13. That means the movie has been approved for a young audience as well as for adults. However, a younger audience might not understand some of the deeper themes that run throughout the movie. On the other hand, they might like watching the child prodigy in mathematics.
The movie
The movie might have some themes that are in a lot of movies, but this movie has some twists that are different from other films that make the movie unique in its on way and worth watching. Usually, when there is a custody battle it is between a husband and wife. In this movie, the custody battle is between a grandmother and her son who has guardianship of his niece at the request of his sister who died.
The location is in a small town in central Florida. Mary, played by Mckenna Grace, is the gifted child. She is recognized on her first day of school as a math genius. By the time Mary is in first grade, she had already mastered advanced calculus. Because she of her knowledge of math, Mary is offered a scholarship to go to a private school for gifted children.
Her uncle Frank, played by Chris Evans, turns it down because he wants his niece to experience a normal childhood.
Mary's mother was a math genius before committing suicide when Mary was only six months old. Mary's grandmother has not been in her life until she finds out that Mary is gifted. Then Frank's mother seeks custody of Mary in the Florida courts to make sure her granddaughter will exceed at math and get the recognition she deserves.
The cast
Evans and Grace really sell the film with their chemistry that appears so real. There is also chemistry between Evans and Jenny Slater who plays Mary's teacher. Alongside Evans, Grace and Slater are Octavia Spencer and Lindsay Duncan. Even though the film appears very real, it is not based on a true story.
There are gifted children in the world who are as gifted as the fictional character in the movie.
If you don't believe it, watch "Little Big Shots" hosted by Steve Harvey on NBC. Also, if you saw "Hidden Figures," you know that Katherine Johnson was a real person who was gifted in math.
Watch "Gifted" to find out who wins the custody case. Do you think it will be Frank the loving uncle, or Mary's grandmother?
