Marvelous and the Black Hole is a really cute movie that brings humor, but also tackles the very real subject of grief in a whimsical way.
Marvelous and The Black Hole is one of the standouts for me from the Sundance Film Festival 2021. A lot of the films were dramas or horror so it was nice to get a change of pace with some humor and whimsical fun. While this is very much a coming of age story that is not always rainbows and lollipops, there is a magical aspect to it (no pun intended) that makes it rather enjoyable.
After the loss of her mother, Sammy deals with her grief by lashing out and vandalizing her school. Her father decides to send her to summer school with the threat that if she fails her class, she will be sent to a delinquency school. After storming out of the class she meets and eccentric and quirky magician named Margot.
Even though their first meeting is not what Sammy wanted, she reaches out to Margot and asks to learn magic from her in order to work on her summer school project. As the movie goes on their friendship grows and they begin to really care about each other as humans. Sure, it is a bit predictable, but I chalk that up to the fact that it feels like a movie that is supposed to appeal to kids, just as much as it is supposed to appeal to adults.
The overall vibe of this movie is fun and quirky, but it brings so much more to the table than that. There is great character development and as time goes on you will likely start to really care about them all — and truly understand what they are going through. This is especially true for Sammy and Margot, but also for the rest of Sammy’s family.
Overall Thoughts
Marvelous and the Black Hole is such a lovely film about dealing with loss and grief in your own way, and moving on with your life. Miya Cech gives an incredible performance (keep an eye on her) and has great chemistry with her co-star, Rhea Perlman. There are lots of moments to make you laugh our loud, but also ones that will touch your heart and could make you shed some tears.
There is so much about this movie that makes it unique, including the fun black and white excepts that weave their way into it. I could easily see it movie being featured on The Disney Channel. Even though it deals with some heavy subjects, Marvelous and the Black Hole feels like more of a tween/teen movie than an adult movie. This one is magical, and you don’t want to miss it!
About 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.