The Gift

The Gift shares hallmark traits with a laundry list of thrillers: a house with lots of windows, suspenseful moments that make you jump for no reason, a seemingly normal couple being tormented by a wolf in sheep's clothing, a dark and disturbing secret. None of these ideas are new, but The Gift delivers on its promise of a twist ending that you really don't see coming. Not exactly at least. Hitchcock would be impressed with this modern take on the dangerous blast from the past.

Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) are the perfect couple. Moving from Chicago to LA to escape their past and start fresh, they have it all; He is a newly crowned sales executive, and she is a designing consultant. They choose the house with giant picture windows everywhere, eliciting the feeling of anxious voyeurism right from the opening scene. Of course, there are no shades, and as often accompanies the magic of film, the viewer is sucked right into the uncomfortable setting, and then Gordon (Joel Edgerton) enters, or more aptly, re-enters Simon's life. From there, things spiral from a friendly, if not awkward reunion into a frightening cautionary tale explaining why you should be nice to everyone in school.

Written and directed by Joel Edgerton, The Gift is a breath of fresh air in what has been a stale movie-going experience for most of the summer. From the very beginning, you know exactly where this will end, though you don't know exactly how. There are moments that make you jump, make you cringe, and most importantly, make your heart pound. The anticipation of the twist makes the experience worthwhile, and although it might not find everyone satisfied at the end, I found it remarkable that I am looking forward to whatever Edgerton writes in the future.

It may not be realistic. Stalker stories rarely are, but that's the rub. They are a form of entertainment well before they are meant to be believable. Scare me, entertain me, humor me, but please oh please, surprise me. There is nothing more satisfying in viewing movies than genuine surprise. The final sequence where Simon is opening the last of the gifts creates a swell of pride in a film well-written. For that alone, I must rave and give a solid 9/10.