"The Gift" Review

Joel Edgerton (Warrior, The Great Gatsby) writes, directs and co-stars in The Gift, a timely thriller about ego, ambiguity, and the consequences of bullying; how a seemingly inconsequential lapse in judgement or character can affect someone else for the rest of their lives. It's just a good, old-fashioned, slow-burn chiller that acts as the perfect shot in the arm this late in the summer moviegoing season.

Meatier themes aside, the film focuses on Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) whose idyllic marriage and personal lives start to unravel when Gordo (Edgerton), an acquaintance from Simon's past, leaves several mysterious gifts at their doorstep and threatens to reveal a 25-year old secret.

The marketing made this film look extremely one-note and predictable, as if it were another in a line of mediocre home invasion movies destined for trash day. That couldn't be further from the truth. The Gift is supremely harrowing and unpredictable, which is a testament to Edgerton's skills as a writer and his astute direction.

This film is gorgeously shot by Eduard Grau (Buried, The Awakening) and tightly edited by Luke Doolan (Animal Kingdom). Nothing feels gratuitous or stylized in what could've been a severely unrealistic endeavor. The audience is presented with only the pieces necessary to understand the conflict at hand. It's yet another testament to Edgerton's direction that those pieces also reveal the film's deeper themes without feeling too didactic.

Those "pieces" include the mise-en-scène, the cinematography, the editing, and the performances. At times, Edgerton pays homage to Carpenter with his economic utilization of space within the frame. This contributes to the film's sense of slow-burn suspense. As for the performances, the three leads are terrific. Edgerton pulls off the creepy persona rather well, and in his facial tics, he effectively conveys a suppressed sense of emotional trauma. It's a chillingly understated turn from the actor, and it works so well for Gordo. Hall is also strong as Robyn. As much as the movie is about the conflict between Simon and Gordo, it's also about how the lies and intrigue affect those around them. Unfortunately Robyn adheres to too many tropes of the "distraught housewife" archetype. Much of her concern throughout the film revolves around having a baby with Simon, and when she starts peeling off the layers of her husband's relationship with Gordo, she turns to pills to help her cope. Hall is game enough for the job, however, in which she perfectly captures an evolving level of dread and suspicion reminiscent of Tippi Hedren in any number of Hitchcock thrillers.

The most electrifying performance, surprisingly, is Jason Bateman as Simon. Bateman is most well-known for his snarky comedic roles in movies such as Horrible Bosses and Identity Thief, as well as the hit TV sitcom Arrested Development. He's always been a funny guy and has never really disappeared into a role before. We usually always see just "Jason Bateman," and everyone's happy. His turn as Simon blows the lid off of this movie. Bateman leaves no trace of his funny streak and commits completely to this dramatic turn. Simon is still a bit of a snarky, douchey character, but he has an edge that Bateman doesn't usually get to work with. His performance alone is one of the year's biggest surprises. I love Arrested Development as much as the next person, but this is hands-down the finest performance of Bateman's career.

It would be a shame for The Gift to fall by the wayside as yet another underrated thriller that gets talked about but never seen. Everyone needs to set aside the time and money to support this movie. It deserves far more credit and far more buzz than I fear it's going to get from the general public. For its taut construction, heady themes, and harrowing conclusion, I think I'm going to remember this Gift for a long, long time.

PROS:
-Great performances
-Technically well-constructed
-Confident direction from Edgerton
-Timely & timeless themes explored with restraint
-Subversive homages to Hitchcock, Carpenter
-One very well-executed jump scare...

CONS:
-...The rest (1-2 others) feel cheap
-Stereotypical female characters

A-