Film

Gifted

Name: Gifted
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: 2017
Cast: Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Jenny Slate, Octavia Spencer

Family drama

A tender film about a single uncle raising his mathematically gifted niece in small-town Florida, caught between letting her be a kid and unleashing her potential. It's warm without being saccharine, funny without being cynical, and deeply concerned with what we owe the people we love. For anyone who's felt the weight of other people's expectations.

TMDb rating

4.0

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like warm, grounded family stories where a sharp-witted kid and a gruff, decent guardian spar over what is best for her, with humour that comes from character rather than gags.

Skip it if you want sentiment kept at arm's length, since the film leans into its tender moments and its family-drama plotting without much grit.

What it asks of you: A brisk hundred minutes that rarely lingers, with its warmth and banter arriving quickly and little patience for slow-burn dread.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Captain Fantastic2016

Viggo Mortensen anchors a film about an unconventional father protecting his children from a world he distrusts. Like Gifted, it's about parenting philosophy made personal, with real tenderness beneath the conflict.

But It's messier and angrier than Gifted, and the father's choices aren't always defensible. Some find it self-indulgent.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople2016

A gruff old man and a difficult kid on the run in the New Zealand bush. It has Gifted's blend of humour and heart, and the same faith that love can bridge any gap—even when both parties are stubborn.

But The tone shifts between comedy and genuine danger. If you want consistency, this will feel tonal.

Lion2016

A man searches for his birth mother after being separated as a child. It shares Gifted's exploration of family bonds beyond biology, and the same quiet intensity about what we owe each other.

But It's much heavier and more overtly tragic. There's less humour to soften the emotional weight.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Gifted

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Minari2021

Like Gifted, it's about an unconventional family unit held together by love that's sometimes expressed as friction. Both trust that small, ordinary moments of care matter more than dramatic gestures.

A Korean-American family pursues a farm dream in Arkansas. The grandmother is the unexpected heart—she arrives as a disruptive force but becomes the moral centre. It's about generational conflict, immigrant resilience, and love expressed through stubbornness.

But It's quiet and slow-paced, with long stretches of domestic routine. The plot is minimal, so you're living in moments rather than following a story.

About a Boy2002

A cynical man and a lonely boy find each other. It has the same warmth and comedy as Gifted, and the same belief that people can change each other just by showing up.

But It's lighter and more romantic. If you want something as emotionally substantive, you'll find this slighter.

The Florida Project2017

Set in cheap motels near Disney World, it follows a single mother and her daughter. Like Gifted, it finds dignity and joy in precarious circumstances, with a child who sees the world more clearly than adults.

But It's much grimmer about poverty. There's no safety net here, and the ending is devastating.

Krisha2016

A father tries to rebuild his life after prison and reconnect with his estranged son. It's raw and unglamorous, but has Gifted's stubborn belief in second chances and love as a practical choice.

But It's shot in a deliberately rough documentary style. If you want polish and conventional storytelling, this will feel uncomfortable.

Moonlight2016

Three chapters following a Black man from boyhood to adulthood, shaped by mentors who loved him. It shares Gifted's understanding that how we're raised determines who we become, and that love is often the only weapon against the world.

But It's formally experimental and requires patience. The narrative is fragmented and the dialogue is sparse.

Lady Bird2017

A mother and daughter clash over identity, ambition, and belonging. Like Gifted, it understands that love and conflict aren't opposites, and that the people who shape us often frustrate us most.

But It's adolescent and sometimes petulant. If you need a protagonist you admire, you'll struggle here.

Loving2016

An interracial couple fights for their right to marry. It's quiet and understated, but has Gifted's faith in the power of ordinary love to challenge systems and prejudices.

But The pacing is glacial and the drama is internal. Nothing explosive happens, which some find boring.