The Gift

The Gift

Starring Jason Bateman, Joel Edgerton, Rebecca Hall, Tim Griffin
Directed by Joel Edgerton

The Story:
Moving back to his hometown to begin a new, lucrative job, Simon (Jason Bateman) and his wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall) purchase a modern home with tons of windows, and they begin their new life together by hoping to have a baby.

One day Simon runs into Gordon (Joel Edgerton), whom he doesn't remember, but Gordon reminds him that they were friends in high school.  Somewhat off-putting, Gordon has a weird hold on Robyn, who invites him to dinner.  He continues to act weird, to Simon's anger, and Robyn's sympathy.

Soon Gordon begins leaving gifts at their door, and arriving unexpectedly - typically when Robyn is home alone.  The infuriates Simon more, and he gives Gordon an ultimatum - to never see him or his wife again.  Soon after, it appears that Gordon begins stalking the couple, which soon spirals into a poisonous toxin that threatens Simon and Robyn's seemingly idealistic marriage, as well as their very lives.

The Synopsis:
If you read anything on the Internet regarding cinema these days, you'll get a lot of people who say they're tired of superhero movies, sequels, prequels, and films based off books.  They want - they CRAVE - something new, unique, original.

So I wonder...what will be the #1 movie this week?  One that is entirely unique, original, earned a (at the time of review) 90% rating on rottentomatoes.com and garnered praise from critics and viewers alike?  Or another superhero origin movie that's been critically panned universally and sits at a meager 10% on rottentomatoes? 

People can say they want originality all they want, but once the money meets the road, they'll settle for what they're comfortable with, and won't take a chance on something they know nothing about.

Which is a shame.  Because "The Gift," a film directed, written, produced and starring an often underestimated Joel Edgerton, is an edge-of-your seat thriller, a psychological yarn that slowly unravels from start to finish, keeping you guessing all the way to the shocking conclusion.  There's no big explosions, no human torches, no vampires or zombies.  Instead, it's a uniquely intimate look at the very troubled lives of three individuals, and how the past sometimes doesn't always stay buried.

Jason Bateman takes a step away from his often comedic performances to deliver a solid dramatic appearance as Simon, a man who at one moment is a daunting, loving husband - and the next a mysterious, even mean, bully.  He plays two sides of the same coin so brilliantly I often found myself forgetting this is the "Arrested Development" Jason Bateman, and it helped me to get totally immersed in the story.

Rebecca Hall does well at playing the doleful wife/girlfriend ("The Town" and "Transcendence" are two that readily come to mind), and in "The Gift," she does so again - but now she's not just going along with Simon blindly, but she's determined to find out what he could be hiding from her.

The main star of the film is Joel Edgerton, who clearly put his whole heart and soul into this project - serving as its writer, producer, and (first time) director.  His performance as Gordon is cringe-worthy for all the right reasons.  He's extremely off-putting, lacking general social skills, and showcases psychotic tendencies - but why?  What is the reason he's going after Simon and Robyn so forcefully - yet so subtly?  What did Simon to do him to cause him to be this way?

As the story develops, you begin to see a new side to each of these three main characters, and often causes you to change sides as to who you're rooting for from one moment to the next.  How far would to go to seek revenge?  What is really important in life?  Is a liar always a liar?  These questions and more are asked with fierce determination throughout, and causes the viewer to ask these questions themselves.  That is a hallmark of a great movie, and because of that, "The Gift" delivers.

The Summary:
"The Gift" is a rare gift for true moviegoers - a clever, unique, and unnerving small masterpiece that pulls you in from beginning and refuses to release you until the end.

The Score: A