User reviews

The gift isn't much of a gift at all. The gift to me was when I discovered Joel Edgerton is not only Gordo, the creepy stalker in the film, but also the writer/director of the piece. Wow! He certainly does a great job. Most directors might gravitate toward a role in their film that is endearing to the audience, Gordo couldn't be any further from that sort of character. Things that go bump in the night can usually be explained away. If you were in Simon and Robyn's case, you might find out your explanations are incorrect months or years later. So what were those creepy bumps for Simon and Robyn? Edgerton's script shows they are part of a larger, much darker, horrific beyond an R rated gift. You'll be surprised at the twist.

Robyn and Simon have just moved in to a posh 60's retro home and are settling in as a married couple. They receive numerous visits from Gordo who says he knew Simon in High School. We get the feeling their relationship was more ominous in nature than it appears to Robyn, who Gordo starts to form a platonic relationship with. Through a course of events, the film becomes a typical stalker thriller but eventually sets itself apart as a very clever, well written, and telling "human nature" account of who everybody "really" is (not just Gordo).

I really liked "The Gift" because I enjoy psychology. As the tale unravels we actually see perspectives we aren't meant to see. The obvious hero is far from it and the villain, while never a hero, becomes someone we can empathize with, though never fully. I thought the cast was amazing and the story really stays with you because of their performances. Jason Bateman does a great job in this thriller whereas he usually plays comedy parts. He can do a variety of roles. It's a perfect thriller but I thought it did take too long developing the story. I think it's over 2/3 of the way through before the typical stalker thriller stuff ends and you get into the genius of the film. For that reason it lost a star with me. Watch this creepy fun movie, I recommend it.

Here's a surprise: The Gift is a mature thriller that's more complex and classy than the trailers suggest. I don't know what caused the marketing department to make the film look like such a second-rate, cheap, predictable thriller that somehow had gotten ahold of talented actors, but now we know the truth. As Joel Edgerton's directorial debut, it's impressive, considering the sense of craft going on behind the camera. The cinematography is gorgeous and the pacing is that of a slow burn, but it's never dull. The premise is also deceptively simple, turning more intricate and involving as the film progresses.

Edgerton, who also wrote the screenplay, refuses to adhere to genre conventions, constantly subverting audience's expectations on how the story plays out. Red herrings, plot twists, shifting perspectives, and moral ambiguity ensue, but they never feel cheap. Like the best thrillers, The Gift evolves naturally and realistically. Edgerton and Rebecca Hall are great, but it is Jason Bateman who impresses. As a natural comedian actor, he plays one of his rare, serious roles to terrific effect. But I digress. You should go into this film with a clean slate, but know that it is a rare, intelligent thriller that doesn't cheat or spoonfeed its audience. And in that regard, Joel Edgerton has given us a gift, indeed.

A psychological thriller that builds gradually, with an impressive ending! Exceeds my expectations, I tend to think of Jason Bateman as a comedy actor, but all characters we're enjoyed, as the plot thickens!

Yeah, this was a lot of fun. I mean, the story reminds me of many others (most noticeably, Gone Girl and Side Effects) in that it's able to turn its story in more ways than one. As a very straight- forward thriller (the first half of the film) it works marvelously. Edgerton really has such a confident control of the pacing and the tone he wants the film to have, and when it switched direction, he's still able to keep the audience in their toes. What's most impressive is that this really is such a B-plot in many ways, but Edgerton goes further and really develops a thoughtful morality tale. Just when the film seems like it's going to go down the rabbit hole and not come back, he reveals another aspect of the story that puts it al in perspective. There are a few implausibilities (like someone else said, not sure if I can buy that she would be unaware of how he was for such a long time) but there are enough answers to such questions that are satisfactory and don't damage the film as a whole.

The three leads are also so fantastic. Edgerton is perfect, and Bateman also really surprising. Who knew the lead from Arrested Development (although in retrospect his character never really stayed in caricature mode really) had this in him? He has some really dramatic scenes that blew me away. Rebecca Hall is such a great screen presence so her I'm not surprised about at all. She's just great.

I think what's also really impressive about the film is that nothing comes out of nowhere. Every turn you sort of have an inkling, and you see all of the clues planted early. This may seem like a problem for many ("i totally saw that coming") but for storytelling, it's what works best in retrospect. The film at its core is really about the way our past can have consequences not just for us but for others, and the way it can also shape other people in ways you wouldn't expect. Simple, but effective.

Why as a seasoned movie addict and theatre visitor am I always amazed at the way the " Blockbusters" get all the press and gossip and fantastic movies like this slip through the net. Like last years immense " The Babadook ", this directional debut by Joel Egerton is a really good thriller and has had nowhere near the media coverage it deserves. It makes me so angry that the Marvel franchise gets rammed down our throats on TV and in fast food cafes and masterpieces slip through the net. Excellently directed and very well acted,this clever little well - wrapped gift is all we need to let us know that the proper movie making process is still alive and kicking. Very few special effects and perfect use of sound( or lack of it in some cases) with 1 or 2 shocks to keep us going,it carries a clear message of our past waiting to wreck our future. I think it cleverly slows pace half way through then wakes up in the last third.Grab it while you can guys cos this will just go after a week or 2.

Joel Edgerton's directorial debut is a solid thriller about the sins of the past. It's sleek, smart, and well-acted. The climax is well thought out and justifies the slow buildup. It's the perfect resolution to the story and makes you wonder how your past might one day come back to affect your future.

Australian actor Joel Edgerton wrote, produced and directed this drama with thriller elements,. Rebecca Hall and Jason Bateman star as a married couple newly moved to Los Angeles. They run into a old high school classmate of Bateman's (Edgerton) who seems desperate to restart a friendship that Bateman can't remember them having. Hall begins to suspect that something isn't right with Edgerton and that her husband isn't telling the whole truth about their past.

This has all of the trappings of one of those late-80's "yuppie nightmare" thrillers that glutted the market for about eight years, with the upscale settings and work environments of the characters getting upset by a malignant outside force, a situation that draws the worst out of the victims. Bateman is clever casting, as he's one of the best actors in his age range at portraying borderline nice-at-heart-or-really-a-jerk characters, which here keeps the audience guessing. Edgerton is normally a very physical actor, but here he's reserved and quiet. Hall is very good as the woman at the center of this odd dynamic, and she has her own past issues to deal with. I think audiences going into this expecting a rollercoaster-ride thriller will be disappointed, and while I don't want to spoil where things go, I think it's advisable to let viewers know that this is more of a moralistic drama than a jump-scare chiller.

A great eerie drama/suspense glorious canvas debut for Joel Edgerton! Saw in the theater originally and now own on iTunes happily anytime I watch it I love The Gift. Beautifully acted, immersive story, I feel empathetic for many of the characters and appreciate the dialogue! To me The Gift is a well done art piece that everyone should see and appreciate.

Obviously some formulas (or sayings) are familiar to some, but there is always some twist you can give them to make them feel a bit fresh. In this case add some really good actors into the mix and let them do their thing. Even if you kind of know where this is going (unless this is the first thriller of its kind you're about to watch and/or haven't seen the trailer yet), this can still be engaging, entertaining and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Having said all that, because it's not the freshest of ideas and not the most original concept, this may disqualify it from the start for some. Don't force yourself to watch it, if you don't think you'll like it anyway. Otherwise give it a chance and stay for the ride til the end :o)

It's good to see Jason Bateman not be the perfect gentleman in a film for once

Billed as a mystery and a thriller, Joel Edgerton's The Gift is indeed both of those and more. The sub genre might be "home invasion" of a figurative and a real kind, reminiscent of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Equally so it's a home horror film, for some of the traditional tropes of that genre are in place (e.g., missing dog, running faucet) waiting around the corner of any room so to speak.

Super security salesman Simon (Jason Bateman) is happily married to interior designer Robyn (Rebecca Hall). Their new LA home is wall to wall windows, all the better for bad forces to look in and to ironically comment on the lack of transparency inside the home as well as a security expert's vulnerability. Then Simon's old high school friend, weirdo Gordo (Joel Edgerton), visits with gifts and memories of a troubled past.

Their home is indeed invaded, not just by nerdy, strange Gordo, who has a bad habit of showing up at odd times and gaining access at even odder ones, but by the past, which is creeping up on the couple despite Simon's will to leave it all behind and Gordo's to "let bygones be bygones." The film bears its tensions well, distributing its exposition of the past in the present slowly.

The Gift doesn't just give the present a chance to come to terms with the past; it also comments on privacy, security, and bullying while serving up a fine stew of ironies and suspense. As for bullying, not the first time in a thriller, it plays out from high school days to adult days in a surprisingly subtle way, forcing us over the long haul of the film's 108 minutes to see it lurking like a clichéd ghost or murderer.

Marriage is also a subject in this taut film, namely how much do we really know about our partners or anyone close to us? This film could make anyone a skeptic about the goodness of your fellow travelers. Speaking of which, Gordo is the outsider, whom writer Flannery O'Connor liked to write about because "he changes things." Gordo is an agent of change, an avenging angel of the past and a messenger for the future.

Smart thriller for late summer.

Writer-director Joel Edgerton casts himself as Gordy, a strange and mysterious guy who suddenly becomes an unwelcome friend of a happy and ambitious, upwardly mobile couple, Simon, played perfectly by Jason Bateman, and Rebecca Hall as his devoted but high strung wife. Gordy shows up repeatedly at the couples home with gifts and boring but unsettling conversations. It turns out that Gordy and Simon knew each other at the same school as kids. Something bad happened which changed Gordy's life forever. Simon, however, moved on, and the last third of the film explains it all. A good Alfred Hitchcock type ending makes The Gift well worth watching.

"Oh joy, another privacy-invasion thriller". That was my first spontaneous thought when "The Gift" aired on television. I don't necessarily dislike the family-stalker concept, and it always remains somewhat unsettling and identifiable (because we all know someone we don't like but who doesn't get the subtle hints), but I've seen too many of these already and they are all quite predictable.

And that's exactly how "The Gift" starts out, too. Clichéd and derivative with sequences you have seen plenty of times before. You basically just keep watching for the performances. I've liked Jason Bateman since the very first minute of "Arrested Development", and he's probably the most suitable actor in contemporary Hollywood to depict a regular guy. Rebecca Hall's role, as the docile wife Robyn, is rather bland, but she's a good actress and makes the most of it. Writer/director Joel Edgerton also cast himself as the obtrusive and self-declared "friend of the family" who comes with undesired gifts and unwanted household help. Edgerton, as well, hits the exact right tone, since he's uncanny but not exaggeratedly psychotic.

But then something highly unusual and rarely before seen happens. The tables turn entirely. I'm not just talking about an unexpected plot twist, but a complete and fundamental change of how the viewer perceives the two lead characters. And, moreover, Edgerton's script gets away with it! Obviously, I can't (and do not want to) reveal too much about the plot's complete U-turn, but I personally found it dared, realistic, progressive and - oh yes - even a bit confronting. It's brutally honest, and it makes the film result in a sort of anti-climax, but nevertheless a very strong and thought-provoking one. The moral of the film? I guess it can most effectively be summarized with the great lyrics of the almighty Billy Joel's song "Honesty".

Honesty is such a lonely word Everyone is so untrue Honesty is hardly ever heard And mostly what I need from you

... because the characters will live on in your mind as you imagine the consequences of that ending. It's a great, dark, psychological thriller. Well written and well acted. It builds tension very slowly but steadily as it knocks down your theories as to just what is going on. I gave it an extra star for it's lack of plot-holes.

This is a pretty intriguing thriller where a young married couple's lives are interfered by an awkward high school acquaintance of the husband's, who leaves gifts to the doorstop multiple times. After he is shunned by the couple, he gradually taunts the husband and unleashes a secret about him that threatens their marriage.

The plot is pretty fast-paced from start to finish, as the film grabs your attention almost immediately - from the appearance of awkward Gordo (Joel Edgerton) to the mind games he plays with Simon (Jason Bateman), with Simon's wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall) caught in the middle of it all.

The acting, though, was a little off as I thought some of the emotions were campy and the American accents by the Australian actors were forced. The acting also didn't flow very well and the chemistry between the character leads were pretty artificial and the character development was weak.

Overall, though, it's not too bad of a thriller. It does get your mind think and does surprise you in several instances.

Grade B-

Simon Callum (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) are married with a new house. They've moved from Chicago back to his home town. He has a new high-powered job. One day, they run into Simon's high school classmate Gordo Moseley (Joel Edgerton). Gordo starts insinuating into their lives making Simon very uncomfortable and leading to a secret from the past.

This has great creepiness right from the start. In the beginning, it seems to be coming from Edgerton and the desolated nature of the film. Then it morphs and spreads beautifully. Edgerton has some great weird vibes. Jason Bateman has this douche side to his roles sometimes. Surprisingly, he brings physicality and is believable in his strength over Edgerton. This is a terrific twist on a story that could have easily been little more than a Lifetime movie.

I went into this movie with modest expectations. I was thoroughly entertained for most of the movie as this movie builds and maintains your suspense masterfully. It has just enough ambiguity and creepiness to keep you on the edge of your seat. Also, I thought all of the actors/actresses played their roles very well. That was what I liked about the movie.

Now let's get to why I rated it a 3 out of 10. While I thought this had sind serious potential, it just never really delivered. You kept waiting for it to really get good and you kept your hopes up until the credits started rolling and you realized that nothing actually really ever happened in this movie. You waited and waited and nothing. Without giving anything away, the big secret of the husband's past is not nearly as twisted as you hope it will be, which kind of just kills the movie when you realize there isn't more to it. I don't know why everyone is praising this movie. I left the theater a very disappointed customer. Hopefully I can set more realistic expectations for anyone who reads this review so that don't go into this movie expecting a "movie of the year" like I did after reading the reviews.