A cleverly heart-warming drama…
For this movie, Chris Evans has ditched his superhero shield and donned some sexy stubble as he takes on a whole new type of role. Starring as young Mary’s (Mckenna Grace) loving uncle Frank, we see Evans battle between trying to give her a normal seven-year-old kid’s life or encouraging her super-genius maths skills.
Gifted follows adorable little clever-clogs Mary Adler as she’s reluctantly enrolled in public school by her uncle Frank, a local boat repairman, in the hopes that she’ll make some friends her own age. But, when her teachers realise her huge potential, things start to get complicated for the mismatched family.
Mary’s grandmother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) turns up at their doorstep hoping to utilise her extraordinary brains, while next-door neighbour and close friend Roberta (Octavia Spencer) wants Frank to keep her rooted at home away from university professors.
It soon becomes clear that a compromise is not on the cards as a custody war over Mary and her brilliant mind begins.
Alongside this main plot, we are teased with other great character stories. We get a sneak peek into young Mary and old Roberta’s unlikely friendship as they sing and dance on their weekly Friday evenings spent together.
We also see Evans spark a romance with Mary’s new teacher Bonnie (Jenny Slate) which ensues some cheeky moments that are guaranteed to make you giggle. All of these combined make for a nicely rounded story that really touches the heart (sounds cliché but it’s true!)
Chris Evans, and the rest of the cast, put on a fantastic performance that really sucks you into their life as their simple day-to-day struggles develop into a family feud that reveals some hidden truths.
10-year-old actress Mckenna Grace is also perfect for the role as she brings just the right amount of attitude to match her intelligence, but not too much to make her a smart-arse because as uncle Frank says, “nobody likes a smart arse”. And of course, I must mention her somewhat dishevelled, yet loveable, one-eyed sidekick cat Fred who just adds to the realness (and cuteness) of this down-to-earth story.
But be warned, as well as witty remarks and funny moments throughout, this film does have some emotional scenes too that nearly get the waterworks going. I won’t spoil them for you but I will say that Chris Evans really becomes the ultimate father figure here, making everyone fall in love with his character just that little bit more. And whilst it doesn’t take a genius to predict some of the character’s next lines, the movie’s light-hearted tone is consistent and flows with the storyline in a great way.
Overall, this movie is a real heart-warming drama that’ll have you laughing and crying from start to finish. And, having known nothing about it prior to watching, it certainly left me walking out of the cinema with a smile.
Amy Lighton
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Genre: Drama & Comedy
Cast: Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Jenny Slate, Octavia Spencer
Running Time: 1hr 41mins
Written by: Tom Flynn
Directed by: Marc Webb
Watch Gifted and much more at Showcase Cinema De Lux, Peterborough. Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date show times. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas’.
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