After what feels like decades of exposition, the film “Gifted” unfortunately delivers nothing new in the way of emotionally-driven plots or characters.

This predictable story follows the custody battle of seven-year-old Mary Adler (Mckenna Grace) as her uncle and grandmother argue over the best way to raise her. Frank Adler (Chris Evans) has been raisingMary in a small Florida town since the suicide of his sister, and after years of homeschooling her, Frank decides to send his genius niece to public school so that she can develop proper social skills and make friends her own age. She immediately stands out through her intellect and unintentionally catches the attention of her high-society grandmother, who wants to take Mary from Frank so that she can reach her full potential.

Grace immediately steals the show with her wide range of emotion and uncanny acting ability. Evans’ performance is endearing, but only that — his emotions emerge just enough to make his commitment believable.

The rest of the cast’s performances simply played to stereotypes. Octavia Spencer, who plays a friendly neighbor, and Jenny Slate, Mary’s elementary teacher, both deliver roles that only serve to motivate other characters. Even the talented Lindsay Duncan delivers a performance as a one-dimensional antagonist.

Director Marc Webb knows how to capture a live story, as shown in “The Amazing Spiderman” and its sequel, but that spark exclusively occurs between Evans and Grace. The cinematography is aesthetically similar to this year’s Oscar-winning Best Picture “Moonlight,” which also follows a child in Florida who challenges the status quo. The set design is nicely detailed but not distracting. The editing is smooth and clear. The linear chronology delivers the simplicity of the story, while making it feel like a true slice-of-life story.

“Gifted” includes just enough exposition, a standard development of conflict, the necessary amount of gravitas, substantial revelations, a predictable resolution and a decently satisfying gesture to the future. However, some moments feel forced and unnecessary — they are unmotivated and thus fall flat.

Ultimately, “Gifted” was good. The protagonists’ solid performances keep the story engaging with its funny moments and lines. There are even a handful of  touching moments, but the film and story give only the expected. The film is ordinary in every way and most viewers know exactly what to expect — a sappy family drama about a bright little girl, her British grandmother and her handsome uncle.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, April 10 print edition. 

Email Tristen Calderon at [email protected].