Gifted | Film Review

Hey Guys x

Today's post comes in the form of another review. This one is 'Gifted' staring, amongst others, Chris Evans aka Captain America, which was definitely a reason for me to watch this.

But nevertheless, I saw this film a few weeks ago and have been itching to review it ever since!

So, this film is about a guy called Frank Adler who takes care of his niece Mary after her mother's (his sister's) death. However, after years of being home schooled, Frank sends Mary to public school for the first time, where he learns that she is an extremely gifted mathematician, as her mother was. Then Frank's estranged mother comes back on the scene bearing some unwanted news - she wants to take Mary off of Frank's hands and have her reach her full potential, dedicating her life to working on the math problem that her mother never got the time to complete. However, Frank believes that Mary's mother would have wanted her to have a full life, as a child. To make friends and have fun, rather than be locked in a room solving problem after problem. But who's right? Should Mary be made to live up to her full potential? Or should she have the life of a kid, before she isn't one anymore?

I loved this movie! Absolutely loved it. Loved it so much I cried during it because there was just such a build up of emotion at one point.

There was so much love in this movie. I mean, the love of family is pretty much one of the strongest loves that us humans can feel, and this was explored so well in this movie. Even the people who weren't technically related, like Frank and Mary's next-door-neighbour Roberta, had the kind of unconditional love that makes the world go around, in the least cheesy way.

It was beautifully written. It captured the different dynamics that can take place in a family, both the love and the hate, the gratefulness and frustration, the 'I'm so happy you're in my life but please get the hell out of my face' feeling so well.

The acting was amazing. I mean, I expected no less from Chris Evans (whose career I've been following for a while now) and Oscar nominated Octavia Spencer, but the girl who played Mary is called McKenna Grace, and she was phenomenal. When I watch child actors, there's a part of me that thinks, 'this is great, but they're just a kid' or whatever. Watching McKenna felt like watching an actress that's been in the business for years and years, someone who absolutely knows that they're doing. The fact that she's so young is astounding, and I really hope that this means that she'll just get better and better as time goes on.

There was a raw emotion in this film that really touched me. I mean, I started crying before I even knew why I was crying or what I was crying about. And those feelings have stayed with me. I still want to watch over Frank and Mary, I want to know what happened to everyone after the credits rolled, I want to know that they're ok. And when a film can do that... doesn't that make it kind of special?

Lou xx