There is nothing like receiving a present, especially when it is unexpected. It is exciting to open a perfectly wrapped box to find something that has been purchased specifically for you hiding inside. Yet, this simple concept takes a much more ominous and sinister turn in the 2015 mystery thriller, The Gift.
Joel Edgerton, perhaps best known for his performances in such films as Warrior and Black Mass, performs a triumvirate of roles (writer, director and actor) in this Hitchcockian style slow-burner of a thriller. The story follows married couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall), who have left Chicago for his home state of California, where he has acquired a high stakes job in selling elite corporate security systems.
While shopping for goods to fill their new, modernistic, window-filled home, a man approaches Simon – recognizing him from high school. His name is Gordo (Joel Edgerton) and he exchanges information with the couple.
It does not take long for the former acquaintance to drop off a beautifully wrapped gift while the couple are out, despite the fact that they only swapped phone numbers. It turns out to be a nice bottle of wine.
While Robyn is puttering around the new abode, the introverted, slightly backward new friend arrives at the front door. She lets him in, giving him a tour of the impressive house and then invites him to stay for supper. The dinner conversation is eerily awkward, with Gordo bringing up Simon’s famed high school past – he recounts the man’s student president campaign slogan of using the name of the child’s game ‘Simon Says’ to his political advantage, citing that even to this day, what he asks for he gets (i.e. a lovely wife and a beautiful house).
The husband voices his discomfort with having the off-putting man around, going so far as to mockingly tell their new neighbours and work friends (including performances by Allison Tolman and Busy Philipps) about the man’s awkwardness, though Robyn likes his shy, unorthodox persona.
The couple are soon invited to go to dinner at Gordo’s house – which turns out to be quite the estate. Surprisingly, Gordo leaves the twosome in his home alone after receiving a call from work, and Simon rudely and boldly tells his wife that he is going to break it off with the man. When he returns, Simon asks Robyn to leave and he says his piece.
Soon after, their fish (that were also a gift from Gordo) are found dead and their beloved dog, Mr. Bojangles, disappears. Simon returns to the stately home to discover that it was not Gordo’s place after all. They then receive a long letter from the third-wheel explaining his side of the story, while also claiming that he was willing to let bygones be bygones in relation to their past. When Robyn asks her husband about the final comment, he pleads the fifth, purportedly having no idea as to what it means. It is at this point that things take a turn, as they say, causing us to begin to question the squeaky clean image of our supposed protagonist. Also, Robyn’s medical past is slowly revealed, providing us with an insight into issues with her job in Chicago, their attempts to conceive a child, as well as other illuminating things. What follows is a sharp finale that brings us to a dark, complex and inconclusive ending.
The Gift is a vintage style thriller that uses mood, atmosphere, strong character development and slow reveals to build to its intense climax. Edgerton shows deft touch, not only with his script and direction, but also with his complex, dichotomous character – that seems both extremely fragile as well as unbelievably ominous, making him an unreadable wild card. Bateman is equally as complicated to read, as his casting brings all of his past good guy personas along with him, yet there is something off-putting about his attitude and mysterious history. Hall succeeds at straddling the line between the two, finding something attractive about her new acquaintance (as she too feels like an outsider at times) while also having a strong bond with her husband. The health issues add another interesting level to her character.
I present you here with another interesting movie that is well worth a watch. If you are into character driven thrillers, much like Alfred Hitchcock’s Suspicion or numerous others from his extensive resume, you will enjoy this one. The main trio brings forth strong performances while Edgerton’s feature length directorial debut oozes style. So, unwrap this mystery gift movie today, it will leave you with several pregnant moments.
Sounds intriguing