Chris Evans is set to appear in a drama flick titled Gifted, which stars his ex-girlfriend Jenny Slate and child actress, McKenna Grace. The film is scheduled to hit the big screens this week but fans have already seen movie trailers letting them see a different side to the Captain America actor.
Gifted is a movie that highlights the relationship of Frank Adler (Evans) and his niece Mary (Grace), who is observed to be a gifted child. Frank needs to deal with the challenges of having to raise his dead sister’s daughter as he fights for her custody and, at the same time, promises to give her a normal life.
Slate plays a teacher who saw how special and highly intelligent McKenna’s character is that she suggested to Frank she should be sent to a school for the gifted. Frank would rather have Mary lead a normal life but things get emotional as Frank’s mom turns up and offers to adopt the girl to “maximize her potential.”
Here are three reasons people shouldn’t miss this Chris Evans, McKenna Grace movie.
An uplifting and thought-provoking film
The film is, no doubt, an inspiring flick meant to warm the hearts of the viewers. Evans plays a character who is put in a difficult position having to choose between keeping his promise to his deceased sister by providing the intellectually gifted niece a normal life and giving her the opportunity to develop her talents.
Evans’ Frank will make the audience think what they’d do if they were in his shoes and had to bear the responsibility of making the right choice for the benefit of his niece.
The superb cast
Gifted brings McKenna Grace’s character as the protagonist and based on reviews, the 10-year-old did an excellent job with her acting. As reported by Variety, it’s easy for child actors to come off as annoying especially when playing the exceptionally gifted child, but McKenna somehow nailed it. The adorable actress is even likened to Drew Barrymore during her role in E.T.
Viewers will also get to see Chris Evans in a new light, far from his superhero persona in Marvel movies. It’s not the first time Chris got to do an indie film. He has appeared in Before We Go, which was also his directorial debut. In Gifted , he plays the loving dad who will fight, even his mother, to get custody of the child.
Octavia Spencer also stars in a supporting role as Mary’s mother figure and Evans’ no non-sense landlady. Lindsay Duncan plays the grandmother who believes Mary should be recognized for her brilliance. Slate plays the teacher who noticed how bored Mary is with the easy-level mathematics. She then gets involved with the child’s guardian and falls in love with him.
The drama feels
The upcoming Marc Webb film is an expected tearjerker flick that will have viewers keep boxes of tissues beside them. As revealed in a review by the Hollywood Reporter, one of the climactic scenes in the movie was McKenna’s Mary getting hysterical when her father figure/uncle had to leave her behind in the care of foster parents.
Meanwhile, Chris Evans and McKenna Grace recently visited Los Angeles Children’s Hospital to surprise the young patients. The Gifted co-stars helped close the hospital’s Make March Matter campaign, People reported. They visited patients’ room and showed their upcoming film in advance. McKenna also gave the patients handmade bracelets.
In a recent interview with Boston, McKenna Grace said she isn’t like her character Mary, who is a mathematics wizard. However, she is still grateful because she believes she is “gifted” with a loving family and her lifestyle. She even gushed about her co-star.
”This experience is so wonderful and it makes me so thankful for my life. I’m gifted that I have my family here to support me and that I’m here right now with Chris.”
Gifted will premiere in select theaters on April 7 but will be available as a general release on April 21.
[Featured Image by Chris Pizzello/AP Images]
