Line #6 Film/LittleManTate


1	[[quoteright:305:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/little_man_tate.jpg]]
2
3	->''"It's not what he knows. It's what he understands."''
4	-->-- '''{{Tagline}}'''
5
6	A 1991 American drama film directed by and starring Creator/JodieFoster.
7
8	Dede Tate (Foster) is a single mother raising her [[ChildProdigy incredibly gifted son]] Fred (Adam Hann-Byrd). At just seven years old, Fred can paint, write poetry, play piano, and understand complex mathematics and physics. His extraordinary intelligence attracts the attention of Jane Grierson (Creator/DianneWiest), a former child prodigy and psychologist who runs a school for gifted children. Jane takes special interest in Fred's case, and tries to convince Dede to admit him to the Grierson Institute so he can develop his gifts in a structured environment.
9
10	Though hesitant about exposing Fred to the highly competitive world of academics, Dede eventually relents and enrolls him in Jane's school as well as several courses in college. Fred excels at the institute but [[IJustWantToHaveFriends can't seem to fit in with other gifted children or with college students twice his age]]. The separation from his mother starts to take a toll on Fred and [[NoSocialSkills Jane is at a loss for how to help him adjust]]. Dede and Jane must work together to find a way to balance Fred's [[InnocentProdigy unique intellectual needs]] [[IJustWantToBeNormal with his desire to have a normal childhood]].
11
12	-----
13	!!This film provides examples of:
14
15	* ChildProdigy:
16	** Fred is proficient at math, physics, and art at just seven years old. Other children at the Grierson Institute are gifted at (or near) genius-level as well.
17	** Jane was a prodigy as a child in both mathematics and as a violin player.
18	* ControlFreak: Jane's house is impeccably organized. She very clearly cannot handle disorder.
19	* DisappearedDad: Fred's father.
20	-->'''Fred''': Dede says I don't have dad. She says I'm the immaculate conception. That's a pretty big responsibility for a little kid.
21	* {{Foil}}: Dede and Jane.
22	* FriendlessBackground: Fred has no friends his age because he doesn't know how to relate to them.
23	* GoodWithNumbers:
24	** Damon Wells is famous for his incredible mathematic ability.
25	** Fred has an aptitude for numbers too.
26	* HandsOffParenting: Jane's parents were both doctors who traveled frequently and "needed to be alone".
27	* HowManyFingers: Jane asks the pinnacle question after Damon falls off a horse.
28	-->'''Jane''': Damon? How many fingers?
29	-->'''Damon''': Orange.
30	* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Fred desperately wants to make friends and [[IJustWantToBeNormal act like a normal kid]].
31	* InnocentProdigy: Fred is emotionally mature for his age but he's still only seven years old. His friendship with Eddie makes it all the more obvious.
32	* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation:
33	** Played with in Fred's case. Dede is worried that Fred's intelligence will alienate him from other kids.
34	** Played straight for Jane. She was a child prodigy and spent nearly all of her time studying. As an adult, her entire life has been devoted to teaching and mentoring child prodigies. [[MarriedToTheJob She has no family or any friends besides her assistant Garth]].
35	* InsufferableGenius: Jane wanders into insufferable territory every once in a while.
36	* JustAKid: Dede fears Fred might get in over his head in college because he's so young.
37	* JustTheIntroductionToTheOpposites: Fred's composure and maturity contrasts with his carefree, childlike mother Dede.
38	* KidsAreCruel: Part of why Dede worries about Fred's future.
39	* LethalChef: Jane prepares a disastrous meatloaf in an attempt to get in touch with her maternal side.
40	* MamaBear: Dede. She threatens to kill Jane if anything happens to Fred.
41	* MathematiciansAnswer:
42	-->'''Miss Nimvel''': How many numbers between 1 and 10 are divisible by 2?
43	-->'''Fred''': AllOfThem.
44	* MyParentsAreDead: Fred says his mother is dead during a television interview.
45	* NoSocialSkills: Jane has no concept of how to emotionally relate to others. When Fred has a nightmare, she doesn't know how to comfort him.
46	* NoodleImplements: The first guest student who appears on Livewire mentions an experiment involving lasers, sulfuric acid, and butterflies.
47	* OhNoNotAgain: Jane says something to this effect when Fred gets hurt a second time while on campus.
48	* OnePersonBirthdayParty: The main character hands out invitations to his party at school, only to see them blowing around on the ground when they rush in from recess. Cut to the party, where it's just him and his mom (and she doesn't count).
49	* TerribleArtist: Dede tries to compensate for having to sell Fred's piano by painting one on the wall. Fred points out that she didn't paint the right number of keys.
50	%%ZeroContextExamples
51	%%* TheSmartGuy: Fred.
52	%%* TheSnarkKnight: Damon Wells.
53	%%* TheSpock: Jane.
54	%%* TeenGenius: Damon Wells.
55	* TooCleverByHalf: Fred is pushed to the limit between his college classes and instruction at the institute. [[spoiler: The pressure causes him to have a melt-down on national television and run away from the studio.]]
56	* VomitDiscretionShot: Fred turns away and throws up after drinking a protein shake.
57	* WackyParentSeriousChild: Dede's carefree and childlike, whereas her son Fred is composed and mature.
58	%%* {{Workaholic}}: Jane.

Context Film / LittleManTate