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MOVIE: Gifted
DIRECTOR: Marc Webb
STARRING: Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace
RATING: 3/5
CITY PRESS REVIEW:
Frank Adler (Chris Evans) must raise his niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) after her mother passes away.
But Mary is not your average seven-year-old. She’s a child prodigy with mathematical skills way beyond her years. Despite this, Frank and his neighbour Roberta (Octavia Spencer) – who helps to raise the girl – want to give Mary a normal childhood. They send her to a public school so that she can learn to socialise with kids her own age.
That is, until Mary’s grandmother Evelyn comes back into their lives. Evelyn is intent on sending the girl to Massachusetts to be specially tutored in mathematics.
What ensues is an ugly custody battle with a moral dilemma at its centre: Should a gifted child be pushed to achieve to the utmost of their intellectual capabilities, or should they be given the chance of having a childhood?
Grace is a brilliant young actress, and Gifted is touching and vaguely interesting, but this is a three-starrer if there ever was one. It’s not offensive in any way, but not a film you’re going to remember in a year’s time.
If you want to see something at the cinema this week, opt for The Mummy or Wonder Woman – you’ll get more bang for your buck.
ALSO READ: Channel24 reviews Gifted
