For the most part everyone who enjoys movie looks for a original story with interesting and unique characters. Unfortunately most of every type of story has been done or some aspect is borrowed from one movie or the other.The point is to create something that may exist in something else and give it a style of it’s own that sets it apart from movies that have similar stories.
The Gift does just that and is more that your average suspense thriller movie because the director employs a technique of slowly establishing characters in detail and gradually getting to the overall plot. This film would not have been as strong and wouldn’t have stood out if it wasn’t for its outstanding cast and stylish visual direction. It’s far from being a masterpiece but it has a quality that is rarely seen anymore and it’s the best it can possibly be without providing cheap thrills
PLOT
The story centers around one of the main characters that takes place in a small town in Georgia. Anne is the main character who is the local psychic reader that sees events through her dreams without having the ability to control it regularly. Her gift is the real article causing it to be somewhat of a burden and benefit at the same time. When all of the characters are presented and established things take a turn for the worst as a crime is committed and someone is killed without and clues of what happened. There’s a point when the police have no choice and reluctantly ask Anne for some assistance in finding the suspect using her gift. The problem than takes off from there and revolves around this dilemma.
CHARACTERS
To show the complex characters involved in the story wouldn’t have been possible without a superb cast, the gift possess this and much more. This is the strongest area and it’s unexpected to find such a numerous gathering of quality talent in such as small feature in comparison to others. This really has an almost perfect cast which is a rarity anymore.
Cate Blanchett is the complete heart and soul of this film and we the problems that her character faces through her, you can’t ask for a better performance from anyone else. You see two different sides of being very caring and supportive as a psychic reader and then more strong and practical with her children and her own life, a con stain struggle that almost to overwhelming for her to handle. Giovanni Ribsi role was definitely more complex and hardest to perform as a simple minded mechanic who has major personally issues that have emotional scared him. It was an outstanding highlight to the film and bring to life a character almost to well, one of the best performance he has given.
Hilary Swank plays an abused wife that is one of Anne’s client who performance was limited to the maxed out talent but was good for the role. Is it just me or does someone needs to toss Swank a sandwich, she just looks so thin it’s almost scary, I know you want to look the part but how extreme to you need to go. Keenu Reeves appears as the wife beater husband of Swank’s character and harasses Anne for helping his wife. Startled would be the least I could sum up the display of menacing presence of the husband that we would never expect out of Reeves. Reeves has been critized in the past for his limited acting range but here he comes out guns blazing with one of his best roles.
DIRECTION
The style and overall feel is what sets this apart from others that are just average. Raimi’s creates an unique style to many of his movies, particularly in this one. The great thing is that the movie progresses with establishing and developing characters and atmosphere not but Raimi’s adding something artificial or manipulate audiences emotions unnaturally. He uses different kind of imagery that enhances the atmosphere but he provides it at the proper time and avoids using it uneccessarly
PROBLEMS
I’m really not going to complain much here because all the key element work well and make it a solid movie. This doesn’t contain anything that breakthrough or anything that will change your life after seeing it but the performance of the outstanding cast keep you involved and absorbed in what’s going to happen. The concern is that the cast is definitely the make or break issue for the movie, without these actors it really wouldn’t have been possible to be as good as it was.
It is somewhat predictable at times and the character have been fleshed out before but what movie doesn’t have that. I went into this without expecting much from the feature but it does something that rarely happens anymore, catching me off guard and surprising me by keeping me double guessing and making it a solid movie as a whole. When a film does that it’s done it’s job in entertaining me and make it a great experience the exceeded my expectations.
CONCLUSIONS
While not being totally lacking in problems it definitely has it’s moments and characters keep you involved no matter how predictable the plot may be at times. You get the audiences attention but bring a different look or style to something already accomplished . Raimi’s knows what it takes to make a thriller scary and it’s a rarity to see these kinds of movies on screen anymore. The Gift is the best it can possibly be and it goes above and beyond with it’s detail character development and great stylish direction that makes for a solid and entertaining experience