Movie & DVD Reviews

Now on DVD: "Gifted Hands" TV Movie is as Good as it Gets

Author: MovieGuide.org

DVD release date Sep 08, 2009
Release Date: February 5th, 2009
Starring: Cuba Gooding, Jr., Kimberly Elise, Aunjanue Ellis, Gus Hoffman, and Jaishon Fisher
Genre: Drama
Rating: TV-PG
Distributor: TNT/Turner Entertainment Group
Director: Thomas Carter
Executive Producer: Margaret Loesch, Dan Angel, Bruce Stein, and Thomas Carter
Producer: David Rosemont
Writer: David Rosemont

Summary:
GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY is the inspirational true story of a black child raised by a single mother who constantly encouraged him to use his God-given gifts. Ben rises from being a poor student, to the top of his class and then on to become a world-famous neurosurgeon in this great family movie.

Review:
GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY is one of the best made-for-television movies ever produced. It is the true story of a black child raised by a single mother who constantly encouraged him to use his God-given gifts. He grows from being a poor student to the top of his class and then to become a world-famous neurosurgeon. It would be hard not to be inspired by this movie.

As the story begins, Ben (played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is asked to attempt a surgery to separate German twins conjoined at the head. The movie then flashes back to show when Ben (as a child played by Jaishon Fisher) was such a poor student he failed to get a single answer right on a test. He is unmercifully ridiculed by his white classmates, one of whom he hits in the mouth. His mother (Kiberly Elise) is called to the principal’s office.

Ben’s mother responds by insisting to Ben and his brother that they are not stupid and that they have gifts given to them by God that they need to nurture. She also limits their television viewing and requires them to read. Ben’s grades gradually rise until he becomes the best student in his school. At an awards ceremony, his success is recognized, but a teacher berates his white classmates for letting a black child from a broken home do better than them.

Ben’s mother moves to a school district where Ben is among more black students. Ben begins to rebel. In a fit of anger, he tries to stab his best friend, but the blade to his knife breaks on the boy’s belt buckle. Ben comes home and cries out to God for help in overcoming his temper.

Ben hears the story of a missionary doctor and decides to pursue a career in medicine. Repeatedly, Ben has to overcome prejudice to be able to let the gifts God has given him blossom. The message of this movie is that by focusing on God’s will for your life you can become the very best you can be and will become God’s agent in ministering to others.

Rather than settling in to a life believing he was inferior, underprivileged and discriminated against, Ben looked to God for help and became an astounding example, not just for black children, but also for everyone. The people who made this movie are to be commended for so clearly showing that God has the cure for both self-doubt and prejudice.

In Brief:
GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY is one of the best made-for-television movies ever produced. It is the true story of a black child raised by a single mother who encouraged him to use his God-given gifts. He rises from being a poor student, to the top of his class. Upon hearing the story of a missionary doctor and decides to pursue a career in medicine. He becomes a world-renowned neurosurgeon. Repeatedly, Ben has to overcome prejudice to be able to let the gifts God has given him blossom.

The message of this movie is that by focusing on God’s will for your life you can become the very best you can be and will become God’s agent in ministering to others. Rather than settling in to a life believing he was inferior, underprivileged and discriminated against, Ben looked to God for help and became an astounding example, not just for black children, but also for everyone. The people who made this movie are to be commended for so clearly showing that God has the cure for self-doubt, anger and prejudice. GIFTED HANDS is a great, inspirational family movie.

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