“The Gift” Review

The Gift Review

Director, writer, and actor Joel Edgerton brings to the big screen a mysterious thriller. The Gift tells the story of a dark secret, strange presents, and revenge.
Set in present day a young married couple, Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) move into their new home in a quiet suburban town. Workaholic Simon settles in quickly while Robyn is left alone in their open floor planned home to un pack and befriend their neighbors.

Soon after moving they run into Simon’s old “friend” Gordo (Joel Edgerton). Gordo begins showing up at their house unexpectedly while Robyn is alone, and since both characters are socially awkward they form somewhat of a bond. Gordo begins leaving them odd presents, which include fish for their koi pond and multiple bottles of wine. Gifts and companionship earn Gordo some sympathy from Robyn, but her husband seems to be only freaked out by the odd behavior.

Simon’s true colors are revealed when he demands the odd friendship come to an end in the middle of a dinner party. It is revealed that Simon and Gordo have a dark past and didn’t leave on good terms. Simon’s actions nearly destroyed Gordo’s life when the two were younger. Strange things begin happening in the couples life, including dead koi fish, their beloved dog being stolen, and strange noises around their home.

Despite the film’s 102 minute run time, it is actually very complex. The story is detailed and filled with plot twists and backstory. This is definitely a movie that held my attention, and the plot was probably my favorite part. It’s an interesting story and the full mystery is never truly revealed. It leaves viewers to make their own assumptions about what happened after then film ended.

However, no assumptions need to be made about whether or not Bateman was the right choice for Simon. He fits his role of an entitled bully perfectly. I had sympathy for his character at first because his privacy was being invaded, but as the film continued I began to think that maybe someone as vicious as Simon deserved it. His sour attitude and middle school like mentality almost made me completely dislike his character.

Hall also played her part well, but again I had mixed opinions about her character. Robyn never completely loses her sympathy for Gordo, even though she is scared of him, which shows how nice of person she is trying to be. However, her naive behavior enabled his frightening actions. As the movie progresses, she does become more skeptical and eventually makes the right choice to distance herself from the dangerous people in her life.

One of those people is Gordo. Joel Edgerton was the perfect person to play this role. He was the scariest character in the film, mostly because he looks just like a normal guy and at first even acts like one. As the film continues he becomes increasingly more creepy and the image of him peering in a glass front door is quite haunting. His character is out for revenge and once reconciliation is out the window he will stop at nothing to make Simon feel the pain that he felt.

This movie raised some serious questions in my mind: “What’s the difference between right and wrong?” “How far is too far for revenge?” and last but not least, “Does anybody really deserve this form of cruel and unusual punishment, even if they are a jerk?” I think this film goes beyond any other standard thriller movie, with a interesting plot, complex characters, and a relatable setting this film is not only haunting, but a hour and forty minutes well spent.