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:

trial | lawyer | reference to the trachtenberg system | gifted child | child custody | 

---

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 [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 April 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un don excepcional

Filming Locations:

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$446,380, 7 April 2017, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$24,801,212, 24 August 2017

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,193,907, 10 October 2017

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

If given a closer look, Mary's stack of DVDs are composed of family movie titles from Twentieth Century Fox, which released this film through their Fox Searchlight Pictures label. Some of titles included are: Ice Age (2002), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), Garfield (2004) and Little Manhattan (2005).

---

Goofs

When Mary looks at Grandmother's photo album, there is a photo of a college gateway. Grandmother responds to Mary's question "where is that?", stating "Cambridge". In fact it is the gateway to Christ Church, Oxford University, with Mercury, the statue in central fountain, clearly visible in the background.

---

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

Shame, Shame, Shame
Written by Sylvia Robinson
Performed by Cher and Tina Turner
Courtesy of Paul Brownstein Productions

User Reviews

Should Be Better Known

Another reviewer here asks a very pertinent question as to why this film is not better known. If you watched this and didn't enjoy it then I reckon you must be dead. First off, the acting is superb. I'm not one for American child actors. They are often bizarrely moppet-like and unappealing, but this child is absolutely marvelous. She steals every scene she's in, and, like her uncle, Frank, I just sat back and wondered at her charm. Chris Evans does a fantastic job with this role. He plays it understated, which works incredibly well. There are some genuinely funny moments--I particularly liked the one-eyed cat, Fred, and his rescue from the (euthanasia) shelter. He's just sitting there with two other cats waiting to be put down. No one dies on Frank's watch. Great acting, interesting plot, genuine emotion, questions about the meaning of life and the debt we owe to our talents, all wrapped up in a great-looking movie. Just watch. You'll love it.