WIFF 2021: MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE

Thirteen-year-old Sammy is struggling to cope with the death of her mother. After she is caught vandalizing one of her school’s restrooms, her father, fed up with her wild behavior, enrolls her in a summer course—if she fails, she’ll be sent to a boot camp for delinquent youth. After storming out of her first class, Sammy meets Margot, a surly magician. Margot forces Sammy to be her assistant for a performance, and although Sammy seems uninterested, she seeks Margot out after the show and asks to become Margot’s pupil. Margot agrees, and as their unlikely friendship grows, we learn that she and Sammy understand each other more than they expected.

With sensitivity and care, director Kate Tsang delivers a touching coming-of-age story punctuated by moments of whimsy and magic. Newcomer Miya Cech’s heartfelt performance fully immerses us in Sammy’s sadness, grief, and anger and inspires us to root for her emergence, while Rhea Perlman gives a charming, wry turn as the girl’s unlikely mentor.