Our ‘Marvelous and the Black Hole’ review was first published as part of our Sundance Film Festival 2021 coverage.

Where to watch: ‘Marvelous and the Black Hole’ opens this Friday, April 22nd, at the Laemmle Royal in West LA.

In filmmaker Kate Tsang’s feel-good buddy comedy Marvelous and the Black Hole, an angsty high schooler befriends a zany children’s magician and what follows is a predictable, yet charming coming of age story. It comes close to almost overdosing on its sweetness but knows when to pull back in just the right moments. There’s a pureness that gives the film a sort of sparkle and even though I’m aware that the magic on screen is mostly edited “movie magic,” it’s spellbinding nonetheless.

Sammy (Miya Cech) is a troubled teen who lacks ambition, willpower, and interest in anything that has to do with school. What she has in spades, however, is disdain for her recently-widowed father’s new girlfriend. Taking out her frustrations on herself–quite literally getting poke & stick tattoos in her bedroom–Sammy’s rut concerns her father. To keep her out of trouble, he enrolls Sammy in a summer community college class designated to help people find their passion. After a serendipitous encounter on the campus, she runs into Margot (Rhea Perlman), and little do either of them know, that they are about to enter into a life-changing friendship.

Margot’s maternal instincts combined with her whimsical way of living pull Sammy out of her angsty, woe-is-me shell. At first, Sammy is reluctant to listen to any authority figure and dismisses Margot’s help as annoying but soon, she discovers that Margot’s magic can be used as therapy. Sleight of hand card tricks and Margot’s white rabbit Sebastian all aid Sammy in her self-discovery journey. 

In her debut feature film, Tsang has created an offbeat story with heart. For as textbook as the premise sounds, however, Marvelous and the Black Hole is not afraid to get dark. Grief is a narrative thread that runs through the film; how we deal with it and how we can give others hope in their darkest moments keeps the film from falling into a numbing after-school special. Its edginess is further propelled by a dark fantasy score from composer Tim Kiefer.

Lighthearted and imaginative, Marvelous and the Black Hole shows how a little magic can transform dark times into a colorful adventure.