Save your money for something good and enjoyable

As Good As It Gets

Absolutely the worst movie.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

There's some good acting - even some very good acting - but sadly the movie is too much of a stereotypical tearjerker to be really interesting or compelling. The grandmother character, for instance, is a villain to hiss at, rather than a living, breathing person. The grandmother was even provided with her own "kick the dog" moment, so that even the slowest viewers could understand that she was scheming and cold. As soon as I saw her, I thought "yippee - she is going to mistreat or neglect that adorable cat, or she is going to cause another person to do so" ; and indeed, before you could say "cliché" the cat was carted off to a kill shelter. Happily the cat was saved In The Nick Of Time. Cinema, the kingdom of the imagination ! You never know what is going to happen next !However, it is possible that I am being too critical in this review. There exist people, in real life, who have become caricatures of themselves. Just look around and you'll recognize them - the "tennis father" who forces his daughter to train 24/7, the "ballet mother" who urges her starving child to lose weight, the "beauty queen mother" who drags her unwilling offspring from pageant to pageant. There even exist parents who are so obsessed by the idea of their children becoming models or starlets, that they deliver the said children into the hands of pornographers, blackmailers or perverts. So perhaps the repulsive grandmother isn't all that unrealistic...But to return to "Gifted" : the movie contains at least one missed opportunity. The characters talk and talk and talk about mathematics, but no effort is made in order to explain the context or stakes. For instance, there is this one fabled mathematical problem, the resolution of which would revolutionize the world of mathematics and physics both. So what does this supreme puzzle entail ? Why is it looked upon as the Holy Grail of mathematics ? The movie does not bother to provide an explanation, which means that your guess is as good as mine. I was reminded of a French movie I once saw - I've forgotten the name - in which a Famous Movie Director walked around with some kind of camera, but in which you never caught him doing actual work. By the same token the French movie never showed a glimpse of the director's creations or achievements, which were supposed to be stupendously stupendous. Well, one can't have everything...

Hadn't heard anything about this movie but sounded interesting so took a chance - couldn't miss. Astutely written by Tom Flynn who has a natural flair for involving dialog that works on several levels: in 'Gifted' he creates what must be perhaps one of the best child prodigy stories of the last decade (or more). Reminiscent of (but different to) 'Little Man Tate' it looks at the importance of considering the 'child' trapped inside the genius. This is a classic study of relationships and how we should all learn to treasure them - young and old. Marvel comic director Marc Webb, comes back to grassroots and along with his star Chris Evans, they ensure a movie experience that's sure to engage. With a tremendous blend of humour and drama (some courtroom scenes have genuine sting) this quite poignant story unfolds in an easy-style that draws you to the point of eventually being enthralled. Flynn covers analytical questions about the origins of life, existence of God, sibling relationships, and gently challenges us to engage in thoughts above the commonality of every day small talk but, in ways to fit with who we are. The actor's drawls at times make it difficult to understand every word - this caused me to think I may have had amplifier trouble - until Scottish actress Lindsay Vere Duncan started speaking perfect English (some will have more trouble with this than others) Careful annunciation and lack of sound stages shows at times. Cinematography by Stuart Dryburg is alternately superb and mediocre - a couple of brief hand held shots look messy (but these could have been work added by a second unit?) In a somewhat demanding role, young Mckenna Grace wins with her committed performance and comic Jenny Slate, is divine as her public school teacher. Octavia Spencer (The Shack) turns in another of her special performances. Some popular songs are used as dressing for certain scenes - although the sound mix tends to be a little high - drowning out some dialogue here and there. Stories like this make movie watching a treat and it's always good to find them turning up in-between the comic book CGI blockbusters! -well worth the time- PG/M for some mild adult concepts.

You've seen it before and you'll see it again but it's glorious to see that the heart still skips a beat when decent people overcome the sadistic.

I saw the previews for this movie and couldn't wait to see it. It was well worth seeing. This a beautiful picture of love! Chris Evans shows off some excellent acting in each and every scene with his young costar! I cried like a baby and would defiantly watch it again.