Looking for a movie to take your mind off of real life? Gifted may fit the bill.

When his sister dies unexpectedly, Frank Adler (Chris Evans) is left to raise his six-month old niece, Mary (McKenna Grace). Turns out, the niece is a math prodigy. Within a day or two of Mary’s arrival at the local school, officials recognize her genius and recommend she be sent away to a private school. Frank refuses. Somehow, Mary’s wealthy estranged grandmother finds out and fights for custody. Drama ensues.

Is the plot predictable? Oh yes. So much so, that my movie-watching companion called just about every scene. Did I like the movie anyway? Yes.

I loved the dynamic between Frank and Mary. The young actress nailed many of the scenes. In fact, all of the characters delivered engaging, believable performances. I liked the well-written dialogue, which was often humorous. The cinematographer slipped in some beautiful ocean shots. And the music? We enjoyed it so much that we slowed down the credits to see who sang what. All in all, watching Gifted turned out to be a pleasant way to spend a Friday night.