Gifted (2017)

Directed by: Marc Webb | 101 minutes | drama | Actors: Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Octavia Spencer, Jenny Slate, Michael Kendall Kaplan, John M. Jackson, Glenn Plummer, John Finn, Elizabeth Marvel, Candace B. Harris, Jon Sklaroff, Jona Xiao, Julie Ann Emery, Keir O’Donnell, Crystal Freyermuth, Maia Moss-Fife, Brody Rose, Joe Chrest

Were we really waiting for this? A film about a gifted child and about the custody of that child. A film about a mathematical theorem that no one knows how to solve. Haven’t we seen that movie a thousand times before? Sure, but those predecessors were less strong than this intelligent tearjerker.

In ‘Gifted’ we meet 7-year-old Mary, who lives in a trailer park in sunny Florida with her Uncle Frank and the unsightly cat Fred. Mary is a gifted girl with a friendly but rebellious character, her uncle is a former teacher who now repairs boats. The story begins when Mary goes to a ‘normal’ school and is quickly bored there. That boredom is broken when suddenly Frank’s mother shows up at the door and demands custody of her granddaughter. To make Mary a mathematical pleasure.

‘Gifted’ proves that an original story is not necessary for a successful drama. Where we start with a little bit of drama, we end up with a few splattered handkerchiefs. Where ‘Gifted’ just doesn’t cross the border into melodrama.

The plot moves along the beaten track, but the interpretation takes the film to a high level. The script always skilfully balances between drama and comedy. There’s a lot to laugh about in ‘Gifted’, especially because of Mary’s dry remarks, a girl who, despite her cleverness, always remains a girl. Her character also has enough individual traits for a nice round character. And most importantly, the very young Mckenna Grace acts at the peak of her ability in both the comedic and touching scenes.

The dynamics between Uncle Frank and Grandmother Evelyn are also taken from life. Although the battle for custody is bitter, they remain son and mother, always with a recognizable familiarity in interaction and conversation. Here, too, the actors (Chris Evans and Lindsay Duncan) are convincing from start to finish.

Not only because of the location (a small harbor town) but also because of the focus on guardianship, ‘Gifted’ sometimes seems like the meek sister of ‘Manchester by the Sea’. Without raw drama, full of fun dialogues and with a humane view of humanity. So wonderful movie. We still don’t understand that mathematical theorem.