I've been really wanting to see this for years, and finally caught it on cable. It was decent, but a little too disappointing to give it a positive review. I love the premise of it, and that's why I thought it would be special.
However, there are redeemable qualities to it. First, it is a touching movie at times. There are about three to four moments that really touch you and that has value. Then, there is the little girl who is adorable in it; you really want the best for her. There were a few funny moments and the girl who played the teacher was pretty good in her limited role. Finally, there are some inferred realities of what it means to be gifted and how gifted people can be maladjusted due to society's norms.
On the downside, there were too many courtroom scenes, the lead actor was not likable or enjoyable in my opinion (it felt more like a showboating role for him as he comes across in love with himself and there is nothing special at all about his delivering of the material although he does well and is competent in one regard, which is coming across as an assistant philosophy professor who changed careers), and the film didn't delve far in deep enough with the realities of being gifted.
Understand that not all gifted people are math prodigies. There are at least 13 different subjects one can be gifted in, including music, neurolinguistics, writing, visual-spatial, athletics/coordination, memory recall, specific sciences, and the list goes on. It was cool that she was good at math, but it seems like it's the conventional one to pick, too, that conveniently fits into a Hollywood script.
Being gifted is not a joke. Parents, society, peers, and the jealousy, superficiality, and average-level thinking and social norms surrounding a gifted person as they go through all levels of school can truly derail gifted people from ever fulfilling any potential.
Ironically, due to the school system's status quo pursuance of mediocre-level achievements, many gifted people don't even know that they're truly gifted until they find out later in life, and never forget that the brain doesn't stop developing and growing until around 24 years old....so it's probably best to approach the topic with an open-mind and try less to judge people than to allow them to pursue their areas or subjects of interest on their own autonomy and motivation.
6.5/10
However, there are redeemable qualities to it. First, it is a touching movie at times. There are about three to four moments that really touch you and that has value. Then, there is the little girl who is adorable in it; you really want the best for her. There were a few funny moments and the girl who played the teacher was pretty good in her limited role. Finally, there are some inferred realities of what it means to be gifted and how gifted people can be maladjusted due to society's norms.
On the downside, there were too many courtroom scenes, the lead actor was not likable or enjoyable in my opinion (it felt more like a showboating role for him as he comes across in love with himself and there is nothing special at all about his delivering of the material although he does well and is competent in one regard, which is coming across as an assistant philosophy professor who changed careers), and the film didn't delve far in deep enough with the realities of being gifted.
Understand that not all gifted people are math prodigies. There are at least 13 different subjects one can be gifted in, including music, neurolinguistics, writing, visual-spatial, athletics/coordination, memory recall, specific sciences, and the list goes on. It was cool that she was good at math, but it seems like it's the conventional one to pick, too, that conveniently fits into a Hollywood script.
Being gifted is not a joke. Parents, society, peers, and the jealousy, superficiality, and average-level thinking and social norms surrounding a gifted person as they go through all levels of school can truly derail gifted people from ever fulfilling any potential.
Ironically, due to the school system's status quo pursuance of mediocre-level achievements, many gifted people don't even know that they're truly gifted until they find out later in life, and never forget that the brain doesn't stop developing and growing until around 24 years old....so it's probably best to approach the topic with an open-mind and try less to judge people than to allow them to pursue their areas or subjects of interest on their own autonomy and motivation.
6.5/10