Talk:Mary Adler/@comment-71.120.253.2-20190120074610


 * Acting Your Intellectual Age: Mary has problems relating to other kids of her age because of her unchildish interests.
 * Anti-Villain: Painting Evelyn as a villain comes with the genre for a film like this, but she remains vaguely likeable throughout because of her sharp wit, the fact that she does love Mary in her own way, and the nagging suspicion that she is right about Mary needing a totally different kind of academic environment from the one Frank is providing her. However considering her relentless drive for her daughter lead to her having an emotional break down after she completed her life's work. Which then lead to her suicide. Then Frank's mission to prevent her from deciding Mary's Academia future becomes more sympathetic. Given Evelyn's My God, What Have I Done? moment.
 * Both Sides Have a Point: As to whether or not Mary should be pursuing a higher education. Frank is utterly terrified that Mary will be in the same situation her mother Diane was in: forced to work all the time, not allowed to play outside or go on dates, or able to be a kid. Evelyn in the meantime believes that Mary deserves more than a public school education, especially since Mary wants to solve harder problems and is having trouble at school with the work being too easy. It's revealed that Evelyn hadn't learned from her mistakes with Diane and hurt Mary by getting her cat Fred taken away.
 * Cain and Abel: Averted; Frank loved Diane, and he regrets that he didn't talk to her the night she killed herself because he wanted to go out on a date and "get laid". While a lawyer suggests that Frank was The Unfavorite and that taking Mary away was revenge on their mother for not loving Frank more, he continually maintains that he wants to honor his sister's wishes.
 * Child Prodigy: Mary is seven years old and fully able to work out advanced calculus problems, even noticing where the problems are deliberately written incorrectly.
 * Children Are Innocent: Zig-Zagged. Mary clearly understands enough about "the facts of life" to figure out why Bonnie was walking around in Frank's home wearing nothing but a bedsheet - to the point that she smugly comments, "Awkward", when she and Frank meet for the first time after the incident. But she's also very trusting of the adults whom she loves, such as Frank and Roberta. That's why she places total faith in Frank's promise that he's not going to leave her which makes his decision to send her to a foster family all the more shattering for her.
 * Cool Uncle: Frank encourages Mary's academic interests while still encouraging her to act like a kid, and loves to take her to the beach or out for a ride on boats he's finished fixing. From an adult perspective, it doesn't hurt that he's played by Chris Evans.
 * Courtroom Drama: Much of the middle act of the film focuses on the custody battle between Frank and Evelyn. The cross-examination sequences are a good opportunity for the film to let the two explain their different views on what's in Mary's best interests.
 * Debate and Switch: Averted. The movie thoroughly examines the differences between Frank and Evelyn's approaches to parenting and to Mary's education. Frank struggles with his worry of Mary becoming unhappy, the way Diane was. Mary herself mentions that while Evelyn is smart and has a piano, she knows that Frank liked her before she knew she was "smart" and that's why she wants to stay with him. Ultimately it's Frank's willingness to fight for Mary's happiness that wins out against Evelyn's driving ambition. He gave her up because he thought she deserved better than him, and he goes back for her on realizing her foster family gave up her beloved one-eyed cat.
 * Disproportionate Retribution: When she was seventeen, Diane ran off with a neighborhood boy whom she liked, to a resort town. When they came back, Evelyn had the boy arrested on charges of kidnapping and filed a suit, so that he could never call Diane again. Diane took it hard, since she attempted suicide a year later. Frank also mentions that Evelyn hated that Diane got pregnant, which explains why Evelyn only reappeared on hearing that Mary was a prodigy.
 * Dramatic Sit-Down: Evelyn after the Wham Line.
 * Driving Question: Who has Mary's best interests at heart? Is it her Cool Uncle Frank, who wants her to be a normal kid, or her grandmother Evelyn, who wants Mary to pursue her educational potential?
 * Earn Your Happy Ending: Pretty much all of the main characters. Mary is enrolled in the Academy but also gets to enjoy a normal childhood in her primary school. It's implied that Frank is beginning to come out of his self-imposed exile from the academia, as Mary finds a philosophical treatise by Descartes in his car. Evelyn goes around fulfilling her lifelong dream of achieving fame in mathematics, not just for herself but also for her daughter posthumously. There are some indications that Frank and Bonnie might consider a relationship.
 * Education Mama: Evelyn was this to Diane, and once she discovers Mary has inherited her mother's smarts she tries to become this to Mary too. For Evelyn this is also a case of Vicariously Ambitious - as her own career in mathematics was cut short by moving to America and having a family, she hopes to gain academic fame through her descendants.
 * E = MC Hammer: Mary is using multiple black boards to solve the big equation at her test.
 * Establishing Character Moment: Mary reveals her mathematical talent to the audience by solving tough calculations with ease on her first day of first grade.
 * Foreshadowing
 * Frank tells Mary she has to go to regular school so she can learn what "ad nauseum" means. We then learn that Frank used to be a philosophy professor until his sister died.
 * Evelyn takes offense when Frank's lawyer suggests that by depriving Diane of having a normal life she emotionally abused her daughter and would do the same to Mary. Frank finds out that Evelyn broke the custody plea deal by helping out Mary's tutors and making the foster family give up her cat, thus doing exactly what Frank didn't want her to do. She cries uncontrollably after Frank gives her Diane's work on the Navier-Stokes equation and reveals that Diane wanted it published after Evelyn's death, before her mother could partake in the glory. For all her bravado, Evelyn likely knew that she had enabled her daughter's suicide, and cost her happiness.
 * Grey and Grey Morality: It's easy to side with Frank because of his insistence that Mary have a wholesome and "normal" childhood. But it is probably not in Mary's best interests that he is denying her the opportunity to study at the Oakes Academy because of his bad memories about his mother. Evelyn's single-minded focus on education has proven deeply damaging to Diane and possibly also to Frank. But there is some merit in her reply in cross-examination that her upbringing of Diane shouldn't be judged by the same standards as other mothers, because a genius needs a more streamlined focus in life to be able to achieve their true potential and contribute to society through their discoveries. However another factor is Mary's happiness itself is weighed against Evelyn's ambition. While Evelyn does want the best for Mary, her main drive is living her dreams through Mary as Frank points out. Sacrificing Mary's happiness to make up for her own lost opportunities won't help in the long run, if Diane's suicide was any indication.
 * Heroic BSoD: It's not obvious, but Frank was probably going through one for the entire movie as a result of his guilt over his sister's death and desire to rebel against everything that his mother stood for. Symptoms: renouncing his academic roots, giving up his presumably well-paid job as an associate-professor in philosophy at Boston University, making his living as a freelance boat repairer, obstinately refusing to put Mary in the kind of academic environment in which she would intellectually thrive. However later on with the revelation that his sister committed suicide after completing her life’s work. Likely due to the high pressure upbringing that Evelyn plans for Mary.Then his reasoning becomes less about rebellion and more about his fear of history repeating.
 * Hidden Depths: Frank can pass for a person with a blue-collar job more or less successfully, but halfway during cross-examination it is revealed that he used to be an associate-professor in philosophy in Boston University seven years ago. Given that he is in his mid-thirties, that is an impressive achievement.
 * Hollywood Dateless: It's not explained why Frank has remained a single father for so long. That said, we do find out that he has a rule that Mary has to stay over at Roberta's on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, which suggests that he may not be quite the Celibate Hero.
 * Hypocritical Humour: Roberta scoffs at Frank for not even being able to hire a white lawyer, although she is African American herself. Though this is probably less hypocritical than a world-weary assumption that a white lawyer would be taken more seriously in court. Given the easy rapport that Frank's local attorney seems to have with the judge, her concerns may be overblown.
 * Innocent Prodigy: Emotionally Mary is still seven, and her reactions to situations like finding out her father had been tracked down for the custody case but still didn't want to see her, or when Frank leaves her with the foster family remind the audience she is still very much a child.
 * Intelligence Equals Isolation: Mary shuns her classmates because they are boring. But she loves being around Roberta. Negated by the end, when we see Mary suddenly enjoying interacting with her mates on a playground.
 * Ironic Echo: In an early scene Mary is too busy writing to say good morning to her teacher in the classic sing-song voice with the rest of the class, so has to say it by herself. Later, the morning after Bonnie and Frank got drunk and slept together, Bonnie walks around the house in just a sheet and is spotted by Mary:Mary: Good morning Miss Stevenson.
 * Just in Time: Frank's rescue of Fred moments before he is about to be administered a lethal injection.
 * Kick the Dog: On Evelyn's part. Frank finally goes back for Mary when he finds out that her foster family sent Fred to a kill shelter, where he was about to be euthanized. Then he gets angry on realizing that Evelyn violated the spirit of the custody agreement, rescues two other cats, and drives to confront her foster family and Evelyn.
 * Mama Bear: Roberta stands in Evelyn's way when Frank chases after a grieving Mary, giving an icy Death Glare.
 * Maybe Ever After: Frank and Bonnie aren't in a relationship at the end but there seems to be a genuine connection.
 * Meaningful Echo: When Mary asks Frank why he's leaving her with the foster family, Frank starts saying, "We've discussed this ad nauseam" but stops abruptly, remembering the time he used this phrase in happier days. Instead, he simply says, "We have discussed this."
 * Mommy Issues: Clearly a problem for Frank. He believes that he is justified in keeping Mary away from the academic environment that will intellectually stimulate her and rejecting his own academic background despite his inherent intelligence. This is more of a reaction against everything that Evelyn stands for than an objective assessment of what's in his and Mary's best interests. However he does have a point that Evelyn drive is costing Mary's happiness and a normal childhood she desires. Also while he originally rebelled against Mary pursuit of Academia due to his mother ruining Diane's life and happiness, he is correct her ambition clouds her judgement regarding whats best for Mary.
 * Motive Rant: Evelyn gives one in court on the witness stand, ranting about how Frank is depriving Mary of a bright future.
 * My Beloved Smother: Evelyn controlled every aspect of Diane's life and forbade her from pursuing any activity apart from mathematics, including skiing, watching baseball and having boyfriends. Frank is terrified that she'll do the same to Mary if she has her way.
 * My God, What Have I Done?:
 * Bonnie apologizes to Frank on hearing that the principal's inquiries have led to the custody battle. She tells him she didn't tell anyone what she found out about his family, and he believes her.
 * Frank when he finds out that Mary's foster family sent her cat away to be euthanized; he rescues Fred, goes back for her, and apologizes to her for going with the plea deal.
 * Evelyn breaks down into tears when she reads that her daughter had solved the Navier-Stokes problem, and didn't want it to be published until after Evelyn's death. Diane hated Evelyn so much that she wouldn't give her mother that satisfaction.
 * Nephewism: Frank has raised Mary since she was a baby following the suicide of his sister, Diane.
 * No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Mary defending a classmate from getting bullied, as well as her teacher wanting to help Mary while the latter is bored in class, leads to Evelyn finding Mary and Frank, and wanting custody of her granddaughter.
 * Not So Above It All: Mary is usually serious and impatient at times, but when she catches her teacher Ms. Stevenson leaving her uncle's room with a Modesty Bedsheet, she smiles and can't resist a joke about it.
 * Parting Words Regret: Frank forever laments that he didn't want to talk to his sister one night that she showed up with her baby because he had a date. When he came back, she was dead on the bathroom floor. She had wanted her brother's advice after she had solved the Navier-Stokes problem, thus accomplishing what her mother wanted her to do.
 * The Promise:
 * Frank promises Mary that she would stay with him. Of course, the promise gets broken and she calls him out on it but things get better towards the end.
 * Frank had also promised his sister not to publish her life's work until Evelyn died. He breaks that promise to regain custody of Mary.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: Bonnie Stevenson. She's annoyed that her new student is disrespectful and seems to have No Social Skills, but she recognizes that Mary is acting out due to boredom and lacking experience with peers her age. So she tries to convince Frank that Mary deserves a higher education, without overstepping boundaries. The "reasonable" part goes out the window when she sleeps with Frank, and when Mary is sent to the Academy.
 * So What Do We Do Now?: The reason for Diane's suicide - she had solved the mathematical problem that had become the entire purpose of her life. Once it was done she had no idea what to do with the rest of her life.
 * Stealth Pun: When Frank rhetorically asks, "Do I look gifted to you?" with reference to his intellectual ability, Bonnie looks down at him with probably a different idea of "gifted" in mind.
 * Taking A Third Option:
 * Evelyn's lawyer proposes that, instead of Mary living with either of them, she live with a foster family that's close enough for Frank to visit regularly, Evelyn will receive visitation rights, and Mary will attend the gifted school. Frank's lawyer convinces him to take it, on the grounds that it's the only way to guarantee that Mary doesn't get sent to Boston. Subverted, when Evelyn then manipulates the foster family to give her effective control, and push Frank out.
 * Frank comes up with another one, when instead of letting the court decide, Frank reveals that Diane had solved the Navier-Stokes problem, and uses her proof to bribe her into letting Mary stay with him. Ultimately, Mary does take advanced math classes, but still lives with Frank and participates in extracurricular activities with kids her age.
 * Teacher/Parent Romance: Resulting in an embarrassing moment for Bonnie when Mary sees her after her one-night-stand with Frank.
 * Tearful Smile: Mary pulls the corners of Frank's mouth into a smile when he is in tears, resulting in this.Mary: You're smiling.
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Not explicitly stated, but implied; when Mary's biological father is brought into the custody case by Evelyn, Frank's lawyer neatly proves how poor he would be as a guardian for Mary by providing a laptop to demonstrate how easy it would have been for him to find his daughter if he actually wanted to find her, clearly demonstrating his disinterest.
 * Unresolved Sexual Tension: Subverted. For the first couple of scenes it seems like Frank and Bonnie's story arch is going down a familiar path of Will They or Won't They?...until they get drunk and sleep together with nearly disastrous consequences, and refrain from pursuing a sexual relationship for the rest of the film.
 * Vicariously Ambitious: Evelyn gave up her dreams of becoming a world-famous mathematician after marrying and having kids, so her ambition became to ensure her daughter succeeded in becoming what she couldn't, and failing that, her daughter's daughter.
 * Wham Line: Right after the Wham Shot on the manuscript title, Evelyn has another hard truth to face about her estranged relationship to Diane:Frank: Diane instructed me very clearly that I was only to publish it postmortem.

Evelyn: She died six years ago.

Frank: It wasn't her death she was talking about.
 * Wham Shot: When Frank reveals to Evelyn that Diane had solved the Navier–Stokes problem by showing her a script with the respective title.
 * Will They or Won't They?: Frank and Bonnie. But this is dispensed with within the first third of the movie.