The Gift (2015) - 8/10

 The Gift is a twisty little thing that caught me off guard. I really enjoyed the direction they took this movie in and bonus credit for Joel Edgerton being the writer, director, and one of the main leads. Let's get into the rubric.

1. Acting

The film centers around a triad of really good performances.

 Jason Bateman's rise in popularity after Arrested Development caused a lot of general audiences to put him in a comedic box. While he certainly can excel in those roles, he has always seemed to enjoy these darker parts. Bateman has to walk a tightrope of sorts in this film. Early on he needs to endear Simon to the audience. But as the plot progresses, the endearment must turn to distrust and then eventually disgust. Then in the finale, depending on his effectiveness, evoke either some kind of sympathy or revelry in his comeuppance. It is a delicate balance that he think he manages to nail. 

 Rebecca Hall also has an important role to play in the script. Her part of the plot is a much more 'conventional psychological thriller'. She sells us on her forlorn character from the start and she has to convince the audience that her version of reality is the right one. If she sells it right, the audience will begin doubting themselves along with her character; which pays dividends for the plot as it reaches its conclusion. 

Joel Edgerton's performance is also really solid throughout the film. He walks a more straightforward tightrope than Bateman, but a tightrope nonetheless. He has to make Gordo feel awkward and strange, but at the same time earnest and just a little charming. His most important part of the role however, is to remain innocent enough that the audience bites off on some of the movie's twists.

2. Cinematography

Not my favorite part of the film, but it is competent and has moments that worked really well. Its color scheme is fairly straightforward and the camera moves are a bit plain at times. However, I really enjoyed a couple shots: 

The shower scene jump scare was a great moment of visual setup and payoff. Earlier, the almost exact same visual sequences plays out, but this shot comes at a moment where tension has built up quite a bit. The repeated visual sequence primes the audience and the payoff really works well. I don't typically like jump scares, but this was well executed. 

Another great visual moment came as Simon and Robyn are departing their awkward dinner with Gordo. Again, the tension had been building and when Simon leaves his car for a possible confrontation, he is lighted in the dark with just the emanating red light from his brake lights. The combination of the tension and visual was quite captivating.

3. Production/Costume Design

Again, there was a lot of straightforwardness in terms of production, but there was some notable bright spots. 

I enjoyed the visual motifs of Gordo's gift and letters. The repeated use of the same bows and letters felt like a great choice to draw the audience in and is even used later to create unease whenever an envelope of gift is in a scene. 

I also think the house they chose to shoot in was smart. The huge windows and lack of blinds made it so the audience is always questioning if someone is watching.

4. Writing

The biggest strength of the film is the writing. The reason it works so well is due to its recognition of the usual tropes and patterns in psychological thrillers and its ability to subvert them to its advantage. 

The first part of this film is trying to convince you that it is like any old predictable thriller. A couple moves to a new place and they meet a weird guy that seems to be overbearing in trying to rekindle an old friendship. He particularly seems to becoming infatuated with the female lead. As things progress, everything about the plot and even the characters within it are screaming at the audience that this weird guy is going to become dangerous. However, that feeling is playing right into the hand's of the filmmakers. 

Slowly but surely the film then pivots and starts presenting Simon as the villain. As we learn more about Simon and Gordo's past we realize that Simon is not the person we thought he was. And much like Robyn, we start to doubt everything that has come before. By slowly revealing Simon as a manipulative bully, everything becomes flipped. Simon is now the creepy villain we distrust, Gordo starts to feel like a victim, and the audience and Robyn begin actively looking for clarity. This subversion of the standard thriller formula is fantastic and I really enjoyed how it unfolded, especially when we see Simon go and see Gordo to deliver his faux apology. 

I'm a bit torn on the third act however. I think there's a version of this film that just sticks with the singular 'twist' and finds a conclusion where Simon remains the villain and Gordo is innocent. I think that alone would have been interesting enough. However, they chose to give yet another twist (that still works). For the finale we find out the Gordo IS in fact the person we thought he was all along and he has committed some seriously heinous act (potentially). This second twist could have failed spectacularly, but what I think makes it work is that it has built in ambiguity. By implying Gordo's most egregious act and not definitively showing it, the audience and Simon are left with a dreadful sense of not knowing.

A theme in the core of the story seems to be the destructive power of lies and bullying. Interestingly, the audience is also an active participant in those lies as the story unfolds. The story is lying to us and the effects of that are making us doubt our perception of what is happening and what the objective truth is. The finale also turns the film into a revenge fantasy. We are left questioning if it is righteous to ruin a bully's life when they have destroyed yours as a kid - especially when they grew up to be the same piece of shit they always were.

5. Sound Design

 The sound team did well playing off the rising and falling tensions built into the screenplay. They accentuated moments by either dulling down the noise and letting the conversations drive the tension, or by abruptly interjecting with a glass shatter or some other jolting noise.

6. Editing

 The final cut clocks in at 108 minutes which felt like right where it needed to be. The editing kept a good pace but did well recognizing that longer shots and a slower pace was essential to keep the tension up. Then in other moments, it kept things short and moving to progress to the next section of the script. 

7. Visual Effects

There didn't seem to be much VFX, nor a need for it. 

8. Originality or Strength of Adaptation

 Like I already mentioned, I really enjoyed the script's ability to use the cliches and tropes of most thrillers against the audience. By subverting expectations, the film elevates itself amongst its peers.

9. Stunt Coordination

Nothing in particular to note here. 

10. Direction

I am impressed by Edgerton's triple threat performance in this film. Being the writer, director and actor must have been an exhausting endeavor. However, having that much continuity can be a real boon since the vision is completely unified. This was a really well executed film.

Legacy/Final Thoughts

 The film grossed nearly $60 million dollars on a budget of $5 million. It also garnered praise from both audiences and critics. This is once again where I will bemoan the decline in mid/small budget films and praise the small studios that are willing to invest in cool little films like this. This was one of STX Entertainment's first features after its founding in 2014 and they have gone on to produce some great films in the decade since. Hopefully we will continue to see more from this studio and the teams involved in making this film.