Starring Chris Evans and the young and talented Mckenna Grace, Gifted was a critical and commercial success that solidified Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer and The Amazing Spider-Man) as a great director.
Fans of the movie will probably not be surprised to learn that Gifted is not the only movie about child or teenage prodigies. And yet, there are not many works that manage to have the kind of detailed relationship that Mary and Frank have in the movie.
10 Little Man Tate (1991)
Jodie Foster’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful directorial debut, Little Man Tate also starred Foster in the lead role, alongside Dianne Wiest and Adam Hann-Byrd.
The story follows a seven-year-old child prodigy named Fred Tate, who is raised by his single mother, Dede Tate, as she struggles to give him the opportunities his talents require.
9 Matilda (1996)
An adaptation of Roald Dahl’s famous book, Matilda was directed by none other than Danny DeVito, who also starred in the movie and narrated it. Though it was a failure at the box office, it was praised by critics for staying true to the source material.
The story follows a young girl named Matilda who is a genius and develops psychokinetic abilities. She then uses her powers to deal with her family troubles and her oppressive school principal.
8 La Bamba (1987)
Though not as widely known today, La Bamba was very successful at the box office and with critics, which earned it a nomination for the Best Drama Golden Globe Award.
Based on real events, it depicts the life and career of the young Chicano rock ‘n roll musician prodigy Ritchie Valens, his relationship with his girlfriend and his family, and his untimely and tragic death.
7 A Brilliant Young Mind (2014)
A small but heartwarming movie, A Brilliant Young Mind (also known as X+Y) stars Asa Butterfield and Sally Hawkins, among others. The movie isn’t entirely accurate to the true story, but it is still an enjoyable watch.
Inspired by the documentary, Beautiful Young Minds, it tells the story of an English mathematics prodigy named Nathan, who struggles to understand the people around him.
6 Akeelah And The Bee (2006)
A critical and commercial success, Akeelah and the Bee is another inspiring story to watch when one is dealing with challenges. Keke Palmer stars in the lead role of Akeelah Anderson, alongside Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett.
The story follows an 11-year-old girl named Akeelah, who aspired to take part in the Scripps National Spelling Bee and win it.
5 Finding Forrester (2000)
Though not based on a real story, Finding Forrester does take inspiration from real-life – particularly in that Sean Connery’s character was inspired by the writer, J.D. Salinger. The movie was a critical and commercial success at the time of its release.
The story follows a Black teenager named Jamal Wallace, who is invited to attend a prestigious private high school. Though he struggles with his identity, Jamal befriends a reclusive writer named William Forrester, who helps him hone his writing skills.
4 Searching For Bobby Fischer (1993)
Also known as Innocent Moves, Searching For Bobby Fischer was a success with critics and audiences, but performed poorly at the box office. Nevertheless, it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
Based on the life of the chess prodigy, Joshua Waitzkin, and adapted from the book of the same name, it follows young Joshua as he refuses to harden his character to become the chess champion he could be.
3 Vitus (2006)
Though Vitus is not the most well-known Swiss movie, it was nevertheless quite well-received by critics, while audiences liked it as well. What’s interesting about the film, though, is that the main character Vitus is actually played by a real-life piano prodigy named Teo Gheorghiu.
In the movie, Vitus is a 12-year-old piano prodigy who isn’t very fond of his parents’ big dreams for him. With the help of his grandfather, he decides to escape and follow his own dreams instead.
2 Queen Of Katwe (2016)
A box office bomb yet a critical success, Queen of Katwe stars David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o, and Madina Nalwanga, all of whom delivered great performances.
Based on the book by Tim Crothers, it is set in Katwe, which is a slum in Kampala, Uganda. The main protagonist, Phiona Mutesi, who lives there, learns to play chess and quickly becomes a Woman Candidate Master after she has multiple victories at the Chess Olympiad.
1 Good Will Hunting (1997)
Perhaps the most well-known movie about a prodigy, Good Will Hunting was the film that brought Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to fame both as screenwriters (they won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Affleck became the youngest winner in the category) and as actors.
Set in South Boston, it follows a 20-year-old janitor named Will Hunting, who is secretly a genius but refuses to use his gift. After assaulting a police officer, he is forced to attend therapy, where he is persuaded to take a different direction with his life and relationships.
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