Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Gifted Portrayed in TV and Movies

Great thread! Thanks for starting it.

Jodie Foster ....Little Man Tate...but watch it because I forget the actual plot.

I think Pay it Forward...the little guy in it isn't doing so well in school but he certainly is creative.

There is a gifted girl in ParaNorman. Very stereotypical but kinda cool when the other kids turn to her for help.

The underlying theme might be interesting for a gifted kid too.

Oooh - what about her other movie, Contact? Love that film I'm pretty sure it's all kid friendly, but maybe screen it first.

My all time favourite, although it wouldn't make your list because it's just so, so sad, is "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." What a fantastic portrayal Thomas Horn did of a 9 year old gifted boy with Asperger's (albeit a tormented one... trying to hold on to his father's memory).

Yeah... (sigh). Don't put that on your list for a 6 year old... it's too sad. If you haven't seen it yet, though, it's a must-see.

A Wrinkle in Time, there is a current version that is only a couple of years old that my daughter loves to watch.

Searching for Bobby Fisher

As a chess aficionado, one of my faves. Lovely portrayal of a young chess prodigy and the adult pressures and issues he faces as he develops his talent.

I just saw that recently (without DS in the room) and felt the same way you did about it. It made me cry. Perhaps it's one for DS later.

Thanks for this!

We just watched "Whisper of the Heart" (from Studio Ghibli) and it seems very relevant to raising a gifted child. The two main characters are both gifted, although in different ways, and both have different approaches to their giftedness.

While I think my kids didn't see the movie as deeply as I did, they still enjoyed it.

And while I'm here, I also highly recommend "Kiki's Delivery Service" (another Studio Ghibli movie). The main character is a young witch who is trying to find her place in the world.