REVIEW: ‘Gifted’ works in spite of all the math
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I don’t know about you, but I really suck at math. Seriously. If my college algebra instructor didn’t provide a list of formulas for the final exam, I’d probably still be trying to graduate from college. So, yeah. Math and I are not buddies.
I bring this up because “Gifted” has multiple scenes of people churning their way through math equations that might as well be alien hieroglyphics from the saucer crash at Roswell as far as I’m concerned. But in spite of all the math, “Gifted” winds up being a winner, full of heart, humor and great acting.
“Gifted” introduces us to Mary (McKenna Grace), a first grader with an astonishing ability to compute insane math problems. Mary lives with her uncle Frank (Chris Evans), a boat repairman with a troubled past. When Mary’s school alerts her grandma, Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), to the kid’s talents, a tug-of-war erupts, with Evelyn wanting to exploit Mary’s gift and Frank wanting her to be able to have a childhood.
If you’re already tired of big-budget blockbuster flicks, “Gifted” is a perfect antidote. It’s a small story about the problems between people. And yet, the stakes for this movie feel just as high as the stakes in a Marvel or “Fast and Furious” flick, because here the stakes are plausible and relatable. The film is packed with genuine feeling and the humor comes out of who the characters are, and not a bunch of lame quips or sight gags.
And the acting is pretty close to triumphant. Evans has gone from being typecast a wise-cracking cut-up to the personification of all that is good in the Marvel movie universe. But here, he’s playing a decent person trying to make up for his mistakes and do the best he can. He shows a beautiful vulnerability in his scenes with Grace, and you have no doubt how he feels about this kid. And while it doesn’t over emote, when he does crack and let it out, you feel it in your bones.
Grace is excellent, too. She makes Mary adorable, snotty, funny and wise beyond her years all at the same time. This is not just a good performance for a kid. It’s a good performance. Period.
Other cast members who turn in solid work include Octavia Spencer and Jenny Slate. Duncan is a bit one-note ice queen in her role as Frank’s mother, but it works for the story.
Drawing it all together is director Mark Webb, who hasn’t hit one out of the park like this since he did “(500) Days of Summer”. He uses an unobtrusive camera style that doesn’t distract from what his actors are doing. He also keeps the focus on Frank and Mary, as their relationship is the heart of the story. Here’s hoping he’s finally back to telling intimate stories about interesting characters.
“Gifted” does have flaws, it’s biggest being that it’s predictable. You’ll know how things are gonna turn out before you sit down to watch it. But this story is so full of heart and humor, that even though you know where it’s going, it’s still a lovely little ride. In spite of all the math.