"Gifted" Movie Review

Gifted is one of those rare films that captivates you, breaks you, and still makes you come back for more. The film centers around Mary, a gifted young girl with a love of mathematics. She's basically a 7 year old Will Hunting. She finds normal schools boring and prefers to stay at home and be home-schooled by her uncle Frank. Frank insists that she go so that she can be around kids her age and make friends and develop a social life. Mary reluctantly goes and that's when her teacher discovers that Mary is an unique little girl who needs to progress her skillful mind.

What I loved most about this film was the fact that it made you care. A lot of times, films about geniuses show you what these people are capable of or what they accomplished, but it's rare that you find one that truly shows you how the person feels or thinks. I also liked the fact that the film helped the audience understand the methods that may be used by some. For instance, the film suggests that young Mary mastered The Trachtenberg Method, which was a method of quick mental calculation invented by Russian Jew Jakow Trachtenberg in order to keep his mind busy while being held in a Nazi concentration camp. For a 7 year old to master this method in itself is quite an accomplishment, but it's clear to those around her that there's more to her than that.

The acting was extraordinary. Chris Evans could be funny, dramatic, and downright upsetting and further proves that he's more than just an action actor. Chris proved with this film that he is able to try and master other genres which is a relief. Seems to me that he'll be just fine once he permanently hangs up the Captain America shield. Octavia Spencer seems to have just one character and that's Octavia Spencer. She's always the lovable but stern woman who you do not want to anger or else you'll regret it. It's always a pleasure to watch her work. The most incredible of all the actors in the film though was Mckenna Grace, who portrayed Mary. She must be an intelligent and talented girl to take on such a taxing role, not just because of the child prodigy part of the plot but also because of the emotional parts. She could make you laugh and she could break your heart just by changing the look on her face. I look forward to seeing where she goes with her career.

In conclusion, Gifted is a film a highly recommend to anyone and everyone. It's perfect for adults and older kids and hopefully will inspire people to reach for greatness and hold those they love a little bit closer. I give the film a perfect 4 out of 4.