Gifted (2017)

Frank, a single man raising his child prodigy niece Mary, is drawn into a custody battle with his mother.

Director:

Marc Webb

Writer:

Tom Flynn

Stars:

Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan

6 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chris Evans	...	Frank Adler
Mckenna Grace	...	Mary Adler (as McKenna Grace)
Lindsay Duncan	...	Evelyn Adler
Octavia Spencer	...	Roberta Taylor
Jenny Slate	...	Bonnie Stevenson
Michael Kendall Kaplan	...	Justin Gilmore
John M. Jackson	...	Judge Edward Nichols
Glenn Plummer	...	Greg Cullen
John Finn	...	Aubrey Highsmith
Elizabeth Marvel	...	Gloria Davis
Candace B. Harris	...	Carly Rosen
Jon Sklaroff	...	Seymore Shankland
Jona Xiao	...	Lijuan
Julie Ann Emery	...	Pat Golding
Keir O'Donnell	...	Bradley Pollard

Storyline

Frank Adler (Chris Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy - his spirited young niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) in a coastal town in Florida. Frank's plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when the seven-year-old's mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank's formidable mother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary. Octavia Spencer plays Roberta, Frank and Mary's landlady and best friend. Jenny Slate is Mary's teacher, Bonnie, a young woman whose concern for her student develops into a connection with her uncle as well.

---

Plot Keywords:

lawyer | trial | reference to the trachtenberg system | ginger cat | child prodigy | 

---

Taglines:

How do you create an ordinary life for an extraordinary girl

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some suggestive material

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 April 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gifted

Filming Locations:

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$446,380, 9 April 2017

Gross USA:

$24,801,212

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,069,254

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dayday Films, FilmNation Entertainment, Fox Searchlight Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Screenwriter Tom Flynn had his script "Gifted" featured on the 2014 Blacklist and his screenplay would later be performed at the "Black List Live!" Reading Series at the Montalban Theatre in Hollywood in March of 2015.

---

Goofs

At the beginning of the movie, Mary seems to have recently lost her two front teeth. Although the story clearly covers several months (court battles, changes of school...), the poor girl's new teeth never grow in, and at the end of the movie she is just as toothless as at the beginning.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Frank Adler: [through the door] Hey! Hey, come on. Let's move!
Mary Adler: No!
Frank Adler: Let me see.
Mary Adler: No.
Frank Adler: Come on, I made you special breakfast.
Mary Adler: You can't cook.
Frank Adler: Hey, Mary, open up.
[as she emerges]
Frank Adler: You look beautiful.
[...]

---

Connections

Features Ice Age (2002)

---

Soundtracks

The Wind
Written by Yusuf / Cat Stevens
Performed by Cat Stevens
Courtesy of Island Records Ltd. under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

'He's a good person. He wanted me before I was smart.'

Screenwriter Tom Flynn offers a well-considered and genuinely moving story about how we deal with gifted children – and adults. GIFTED is also about family connections and the impact on children whose parents are lost to them by separation whether in death by natural causes, by suicide, or by desertion. Marc Webb who has gathered an impeccable cast to enact this touching drama directs his sensitive story with aplomb.

Frank Adler (Chris Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy - his spirited young niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) in a coastal town in Florida. Frank's plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when the seven-year-old's mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank's formidable mother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary. Octavia Spencer plays Roberta, Frank and Mary's landlady and best friend. Jenny Slate is Mary's teacher, Bonnie, a young woman whose concern for her student develops into a connection with her uncle as well. The story explores the relationship between a caring uncle who salvaged his niece when the mother of the girl (a brilliant mathematician) commits suicide – yearning to offer the brilliant gifted niece a 'normal life' despite custody battles and grandmother opinions.

Chris Evans continues to prove that he is one of our more important serious actors of the day and eleven year old Mckenna Grace demonstrates why she is on of the most frequently seen young actresses in the young role parts. Octavia Spencer and Lindsay Duncan offer definitive performances in tough roles. This is a film with many levels of message and one that should be seen by a very wide audience.