Despite the fact that “The Gift” was released in 2000, and Sam Raimi’s next film was “Spider-Man” in 2002, the director worked on both films simultaneously for a certain period of time, because he was approved to direct Spider-Man in 2000. But despite the conflict in the work schedule, the film studios that owned “Gift” and “Spider-Man” made concessions to Raimi to work on both films at the same time.
“Gift” is one of the stories in which initially there is a villain who immediately declares the director as a creature, but closer to the end it turns out that there is someone more cruel than the villain already familiar to the viewer. Plus, in part, the story of the Gift overlaps with the film released the same year with Harrison Ford, What Hides Lies?
And because the story is not unique, and before these two films came out many films in which the crime was committed on the basis of jealousy (the first came to mind – “Double miscalculation” with Tommy Lee Jones and Ashley Judd). If it weren’t for the element of mysticism in Gift, it would be a classic tale of betrayal and brutal revenge. An element of mysticism brought a certain charm to the Gift, intertwined with the peculiarities of the American south and the American hinterland. Where everyone knows each other within the same town, and the presence of people listed as fortune tellers / witches / healers, automatically ranks them among witches.
The cast.
With a budget of just $10 million, the film has an impressive cast. And if Giovanni Ribisi or Katie Holmes at the time of release were still young enough to be considered truly stars of the first magnitude (although they already had good work behind them at that time), Keanu Reeves, Cate Blanchett and Greg Kinnear were already stars by the time of filming this picture.
The same Kinnear has already been nominated for an Oscar and won the National Council of Critics Award.
Plus Hilary Swank, Michael Jeter (you probably remember him as the owner of the Green Mile mouse), Rosemary Harris (Aunt May from Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire), J.K. Simmons, John Beasley, who, alas, passed away at the end of May 2023, as well as Danny Elfman episodic appearance and Gary Cole.
It's just a mega-caste for a $10 million picture! How Sam Raimi managed to collect so many celebrities – the question!
Although, maybe he used some spell he learned while filming The Walking Dead? It's ironic if anything.
P.S.
You know, seeing Keanu Reeves as a negative character is something so rare that it seems like you'll meet a unicorn faster. However, in 2000, Reeves first played a maniac in the movie The Observer, and then not the best citizen in the Gift. It is possible that this is connected with the personal life of the actor, because in 1999 he and his girlfriend lost a child and maybe the choice of negative characters was a way to spill the negative.
Plus, combined with a loss in his personal life, to play a despot and a tyrant beating a woman – you had to try to portray such a scumbag!
But look at you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.
After the death of her husband, Annie alone raises three people and helps people through divination practice. Some residents of a small town love her, since Annie has repeatedly rescued many of them with her advice, and some hate, calling for the “witch” to be dealt with.
One day, a young girl disappears and Annie begins to have visions of her death. The police, feeling deadlocked, turn to Annie for help in investigating the crime.
People from ancient times resorted to psychics to search for a way out of deadlocked life situations, answers to tormenting questions, and finding them – got rid of the burden of being. Divination, clairvoyance - as one of the types of extrasensory - have not been refuted in the scientific community. Over the past two centuries, the state has actively exploited the achievements of science to understand reality and solve crimes. The Church organized numerous bloody persecutions in the face of the Inquisitorship, which denied the possibility of people supposing sources of knowledge other than church writings.
And while the world has not come to these sources of knowledge, in cinema, as a form of open art, occasionally there are films where clairvoyants are involved in the investigation of crimes ("Dead Zone", "Psychics"). A gift is one of those movies.
Slow cinema, filled with a special aura of the delivery manner of the late nineties-early zeroes, has a special quality of magnetism to its plot and the magnificent play of leading actors. Understanding who is the main antagonist is hidden behind the understatement of the applicants for this role, leaving a hint of their involvement in the crime and imprinted in the memory of Annie in the performance of a very young, not yet “feeling back”. Cate Blanchett, and therefore the audience.
The mystery of the film over the years has lost its share of mystery due to the development of the genre, especially in recent decades, but the Gift itself does not lose its relevance as a film in our time, in many ways served as a turning point in the formation of great actors and the development of the director’s hand of Sam Raimi.
'Gift' is a typical thriller, with a typical Gothic plot, with a typical Gothic ghost.
The films of the series 'Evil Dead' were a masterpiece, in terms of enthusiasm and childlike immediacy, shown by Sam Raimi, ' Gift' it looks like a film made by a serious director who just works in a given genre.
It was interesting to see how the film not only works by trying to reproduce tension, but also focuses on real human issues. There are several of them, but the most interesting one, which was outlined by Sam Raimi, is the problem of sexism. The town in the film uses sexism as one of the ideological institutions: bullying, domestic violence, sexual exploitation. Here is the attitude of the male population to the three major female characters in the film.
' Gift' also tends to move away from the main storyline, focusing on things that ultimately do not play an important role in the story. And the structure of the construction of the detective, quite banal: the mystery of the story is fueled by banal false information, which is a fairly cheap trick.
And even though Sam Raimi was able to make 'Gift' technically tense, but the film suffers from thematic narrowness, from the abundance of one-dimensional characters, but still it has enough quality to be watchable and even pleasant in appearance.
5 out of 10
It's a very good movie. The film of the period when the heat subsided from 'we can in cool special effects' and there was a period 'we can also in the plot'. True, then came 'Sixth Sense' and again came the paragraph, because everyone tried to come up with a twihiist, and the more twisted this twist is, the better. ' gift' calm, interesting, with well-designed characters and a storyline. What's wrong with him?
And with 'Gift' happened Sam Raimi. I’ve watched a lot of his films, but I’ve never tried to systematize his filmography or highlight his directing style. As far as I understand, he was great at films, where at times there was ' directorial wink'. Some kind of joke that defused the situation. And such a wink in 'Gift' No. Worse, in an attempt to create a compelling narrative about the American outback, Sam Raimi fumbles the most important component - the main character.
So, Annie works as a fortune teller, but the husband of the client (whom he periodically beats) begins to threaten the fortune teller. This is where the film’s problems lie. What should a woman do, especially when a man threatens to kill her children? Protect yourself by any means necessary. All right, let's forget the police are barely responding. Ask clients for help. Friends. Buy a gun. And I’m not saying that in the movie, Annie doesn’t do anything for protection. The movie kills her lethargy. There was an attack that miraculously did not end in blood. And then what? And then the peaceful scene of eating cakes. It's so unsettling... Let’s say that the cool fortune teller Annie feels that nothing will happen, and therefore does not take everything to heart. It would be worth it to show how she keeps the situation under control and how she calms the children. And in fact, because of these ' cute' interruptions in front of us is not a mother who fears for herself and her children, but a strange creature under substances.
I'm sure, I don't think, very many scenes are built the same way as in Schuschacherov's "Time to Kill" & #39; But Schumacher's episodes are built very carefully. You've got about five slides in a Schumacher movie. What about Raimi? Waiting, the bloody climax and ... eating cakes. I went to the English Wikipedia, and it says that Rotten Tomates has 57% positive reviews from critics, just over half. And most complain that ' the ending is not satisfactory'. But the problem is that almost all episodes of the film are not satisfied. From the brilliant actress Cate Blanchett create something ephemeral, emphasizing only ' how woman she is ' And because of this, the heroine constantly looks like a sluggish victim. And she doesn't want to feel sorry. There's always a wall between you and the sluggish heroine, because it's hard for victims to sympathize. And by the way, that's the central theme of the film, because one storyline is about domestic violence, the other storyline is about sexual violence. Here. Writing a review served as a good therapy, I realized what I did not like. In one case, the victim does not resist violence in any way, in the other he resists - but on his own mountain. And Annie. Who moves her flippers so sluggishly to protect her family that she is not far from her previous victim behavior.
The detective part is good. Fortunately, the film did not follow the most obvious path. One thing is bad - due to the small number of characters, the choice of suspects is not so great. The plot lines converged well in the denouement. In general, it is the denouement, where there is 1. action, 2. fears, 3. battle, 4. mystical event - the best that is in the film. And the mystical event perfectly completes the denouement.
So what's wrong with the ending? You won't understand what this was all about. This is completely random ' character development'. Annie has changed, but how, why - only because the change of characters is spelled out in the script manuals. And there is no beginning or end to the heroine’s gift line. Although it’s the title, you won’t know in the two hours of the film how she feels about her abilities.
I found out what was wrong with the movie. What's wrong with him? So with him, this is the story of a mentally unstable Buddy. It's worth watching the whole movie for him alone. From the first shots to the last, the director never holds back Giovanni Ribisi, and because the character constantly wants something, achieves something. In every scene, he even plays with his eyes. And, of course, he's the jewel of the movie. The script is very good (would throw out this simmering victimhood of the characters). And let Raimi play Blanchett not a sleepy zombie in a white nightclub, but something more expressive, the movie, ratings (and fees) would only win.
Have you heard of Billy Thornton? The same skilled manipulator who taught Martin Freeman to remain a primate without a broken ridge, and the not-so-good-natured Santa who likes boobs. In general, his mother, Virginia Faulkner, whose ancestors were Italians and Indians, was engaged in esotericism and was considered a medium. This article is called Paranormal Hollywood: The Haunted Life of Billy Bob Thornton. And it would seem that here is Cate Blanchett.
The whole joke is that Sam Raimi – you know this guy, too, he has a track record of “Evil Dead”, “Spider-Man”, and now also in the development of “Doctor Strange” – in the two thousandth year took up the film “Gift” about Billy’s mother and her abilities. It was for him that the charming Kate was nominated for the Saturn Award in the nomination “Best Actress”.
"Gift" is like "Bita of psychics." Widow Annie Wilson steers a penny away from divination sessions and one day celebrates visions of the nuances of a recent crime. Her psychics help to find the corpse and identify the killer. But, of course, not everything is so simple: the body is found in the lake on the site, but does not indicate the involvement of the owner, and the mystical pictures in the brain are more like psychedelics. Here is the ambiguity and appears to be a test for the main character, which must be passed, as on the channel “TNT”. The crystal prize will not be awarded, but you will understand your skills of sensitivity and survival.
This is not a thriller, nor horror, nor mysticism, but just a drama decorated with particles from these genres. In fact, there is a detective thriller-drama with a moderate touch of mysticism, where the indicated circle of suspects forces to produce imagination.
If the plot is fresh and naive, the cast will correct this mosaic. Blanchett has already entrenched herself in the images of strong female characters, but then she fully got used to the position of a fragile dandelion. Giovanni Ribisi proved his dramatic talent, and Keanu Reeves played a fool who can only wave his fists towards his wife, although he is known for his soft and good-natured pawns [yes, there is John Wick, but this exception is opposed by The Matrix, Who Is There, Sweet November, etc.].
The picture, of course, is simple and already even lightweight, but, certainly, there will be amateurs who fall for this.
An interesting movie with a very interesting and mysterious story. Always for me the most difficult to write a review of the film, to which you are neutral: it seems that the film itself is not a masterpiece, but it can not be called a failure.
American director Sam Raimi is famous for his cult fiction trilogy ' Spider-Man' starring Tobey Maguire. Then this director has a cool horror film 'Get Me Into Hell'. But let’s go back much earlier, to 2000, to the great glory that will soon fall on Raimi. It was then that he shot the mystical thriller 'The Gift'.
In this story we see the woman Annabelle Wilson. The widow, along with three young sons, lives in a remote province in the south of America. She has a mystical gift, because of which Annabelle sees ghosts, and also guesses on maps and sees people's fates. When the whole city gets up to its ears because of the brutal murder of a rich girl, the clairvoyant decides to help the investigation find the killer, thereby getting involved in a terrible case, the events of which will be fatal. . .
It seems that the story is so interesting, and everything looks mysterious, the actors play very well, but the movie itself is dry. It was as if the director lacked courage, acumen and ambition. It was not his determination, and this scenario could be much cooler, more effective and more dynamic to present. The film turned out to be unfinished in terms of directorial work, which is why we treat it indifferently. Even this film was unjustifiably harsh.
Whenever I see that Blanchett is a brilliant actress. I compare her to Isabelle Huppert. Kate plays so well, and her roles are often very complex and emotional. Her clairvoyant actress here plays with her soul and is completely devoted to the game, which was pleasant to watch.
In the second roles confidently played and clearly fit Hilary Swank, Rosemary Harris, Keanu Reeves and Michael Jeter. There are no questions for these actors, and all are good. What can't be said about Giovanni Ribisi and Greg Kinnear. I am convinced that the choice of these two actors was wrong. This is one of the reasons for rejecting this film. Katie Holmes once missed so many interesting roles, and she had only to play corpses.
The movie is very disturbing, and this story would be very happy to see in a new treatment, in a remake, a completely different production. Maybe someday we will be happy with that.
'Gift' - American mystical thriller with elements of drama, detective and fantasy 2000. The result, this story captivates attention and looks quite sharp and very mysterious, but because of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the film itself, you treat the picture with a strange feeling: it seems like you liked it, but something could be shot differently.
The story is about an invisible force that is both a gift and a curse, and it is a very heavy burden.
The film ' Gift' is a good thriller and detective. The acting is very good, the composition is really impressive. But the picture lacked a fully revealed idea and characters, in my humble opinion, because it all looks very superficial. Good actors, I thought, so many that the character and life, each of them is shown somewhat one-sided.
The film looks in one breath and fast, and quite interesting places. But to say that this movie is hard to understand is to make a fool of myself, because this picture is something I usually watch in the evening and forget the next day. Concepts such as religion, occultism, are closely dependent on each other, but the true relationship is not shown. For me, this is a very interesting topic that makes you think, but not disclosed here. Keanu Reeves, who, by the way, very well played a negative, not particularly brilliant character, constantly shouted ' Witch!' and other swear words to the main character. Forcing the viewer to show that it often happens that it is the Witch & #39 that saves the city from itself. Immediately you feel some compassion for the main character Cate Blanchett and want to support her. Despite all the accusations from the villagers, I think in many ways she is an altruist who cares. And she still takes money for services to feed a family with three children, being the only person who is capable of it. Despite the fantastic abilities to which society usually treats with ardent skepticism, she is a person who is a kind of cable bridge over the abyss, which is slowly cut off by the inhabitants of the city, thereby driving herself into a place from which there is no escape. These people live in this city as if on the moon, limited from reality, but at the same time trying to escape from it. The ending seemed very predictable, although the director tried to confuse the viewer. It didn't work here. The idea is not new, but since the film is already 17 years old, then maybe it was very cool then.
In the end, it's not a bad movie, about compassion, about maternal love, about how a bad life leads to disappointment and loss of identity. That the strong devour the weak, isolation from society leads to a miserable life. But all this is presented not deeply, but superficially. Here it is more in the background, and in the first detective, and also not very catchy. If it weren’t for the great actors, the movie wouldn’t be fun. It is unlikely that I will go to the collection, maybe someone will hook, but, as for me, in all the diversity of cinema there are more thinking pictures and more vivid ones. This picture is bright only in some moments, but quickly fading away, which gives sensations that do not lead to delight. But it is also possible that this picture was created for the purpose of one-day entertainment, if this is the case, then the picture succeeded.
Sam Raimi can be safely called albeit rather eccentric and unstable, but certainly very versatile and talented director. Moreover, the director has long proved this with his amazing ability to work with completely different material in different genres. Like a horror movie (Evil Dead), a western (Fast and Dead), a comic book (Spider-Man) and even a comedy (Crime Wave). “Gift” became another proof of this statement, in which Rami also successfully stormed the genres of thriller and detective.
At first glance, the plot of the picture is another detective story about a mysterious murder and further investigation in order to calculate the killer. But in this case, the director of the film Sam Raimi submitted a similar story arc in a rather unexpected and fresh form. When on the one hand, the film very accurately follows the basic canons of the genre. On the other hand, the investigation itself fades into the background and is pushed by a rather non-standard manner of narration.
When confronting the main character of the tape with an abundance of various visions, incomprehensible dreams and signs, the director of the picture Sam Raimi practically throws the viewer with an abundance of various Easter eggs. Giving the picture an element of mystery and mysticism, but folding into a full picture only in the immediate culmination of the tape. Where the main moral foundation of the picture is exposed.
After all, “Gift” is not only a film about a mysterious murder and a brutal killer, but also partly the deepest drama about the exploration of oneself on the example of the main character. An ordinary American woman, working as a psychic, herself could not prevent the tragic death of her husband and barely makes ends meet. Almost throughout the film drawing the question as to what are the unique abilities of the heroine, a gift or a real curse?
Just as the plot develops unusually, so fresh and unusual directing is presented by Sam Raimi. Creating a very ambiguous atmosphere on the screen, which easily sorts through several genres at once on the screen. Like a detective thriller and a horror movie, or even drama and supernatural fantasy. In many ways, it is against the background of this contrast of genres and knocking out the picture obvious points of dignity. Including due to the magnificently shot and implanted in the narrative visions of the main character.
Kate Blanchett played a great role, the game and complete dissolution of which in the image of me personally was very striking. Considering I've never been a fan of her and I didn't like her to say the least. A very characteristic and vivid image was provided by Giovanni Ribisi, who managed to create perhaps the most charismatic character of the film and once again expose his unique dramatic talent. Absolutely completely dissolved in the image of a hot-tempered and cruel man Keanu Reeves. It is impossible not to mention such wonderful artists as Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank, Kim Dickens, J. K. Simmons and Michael Jeter, each of whom performed well on the screen. Including Katie Holmes. Even if it was not so much in the picture.
7 out of 10
The gift is a really worthy example of a detective thriller film, which not only follows the main canons of the genre, but also manages to significantly refresh them on the screen. Creating the impression of a very unusual and really exciting feature film, which is deftly played with several genres at once and keeps the heart fading according to the most final credits.
Symbolic level somehow does not work, or rather it is confusing. For example, a red motif is completely useless for understanding the concept. Neither actor was able to cope with his role. So, for example, very caricatured and even funny Donnie. Neither "farm clothes" nor "rural manners" fit Keanu Reeves' calm classical face. After all, he is Neo from The Matrix, not a rural womanizer. However, so stupid looks the local crazy Buddy, whose boring image is a little animated by outbursts of anger. In general, the character turned out to be template. The main character, a fortune teller and mother of three children, looks psychologically frostbitten. Let’s say this is how you react to the complexity of life. But I find it hard to believe that she loves and cares for her children. Love is action. What's Annie doing? He bakes a cake, cleans the house, takes the children to the nanny, takes them from the nanny. And the nanny has to pay. There is no money (which is often overlooked). At the same time, the mother of the family is not in a hurry to go to work, but lives on welfare and “earns” for a donate. The “soul of the city” is indifferent to people coming to her – she cares only about herself. She doesn’t care about Buddy when he’s really bad (the court scene): she didn’t even try to figure out what kind of diamond he kept telling her. She doesn’t care about the teacher’s drama until she has the opportunity to take a vacant seat. And she does not care about her children: otherwise why does she put them in constant danger by practicing the occult at home?
The Christian theme can somewhat clarify the fog in which the viewer finds himself not tempted by “mystical romance”. It is hard to believe that the city “hates” Annie, considers her a witch, oppresses, etc. Because in fact there is no harassment: the flow of customers does not stop even after the court hearing. The only radical Donnie looks so vile and distasteful that he has little association with the receptacle of Christian consciousness. He is the only one who does not change his mind. Moreover, he overestimates his actions, not trying to justify them with good intentions. Who does the same? How about Annie? Nope. She doesn't need it. The extreme situation forced her to visit the cemetery. Crazy Buddy? He is also true to himself and receives by his faith.
I wonder where Annie got the gift, who gave it to her? Definitely not Grandma... Why is it that only the dead and the scoundrels are surrounded? Is it not because the living people are not interested (again because of indifference). Annie is not a cherub descended from heaven, but a half-crazy lady, a bad mother and an inherently selfish person, endowed with a gift that she uses first and foremost as an excuse for her own weaknesses. I do not want to sympathize with such a sufferer. And the whole town is in the same black abyss as its “soul.”
A tense atmosphere, a pressing atmosphere, a fascinating ending. So you can characterize the painting by Sam Remy - "Gift".
The cast is great. Cate Blanchett managed to play not only a loving mother, but also a beautiful clairvoyant who loves and respects others. I felt sorry for her when Doni defiled her name during the trial. To do good is harder than to do evil. But this is the strength of our heroine, who went to the end to solve the murder.
I really liked the game of the famous actor Keanu Reeves, finally he is not a noble savior of all mankind, but a natural bastard. He did not often get into the frame, but his appearances were bright and aggressive. A quick-tempered and cruel man, Reeves managed to play well.
I want to talk about Giovanni Ribisi, obsessed with a phobia of blue diamond. Played great. He considers Annie his friend, and she tries to help him, even though her own life is full of problems. Personally, I think it is very difficult to play a psycho, but Giovanni did a great job.
Hilary Swank, who starred in Insomnia, played as well as the entire cast.
And the music complemented the film very well, adding more tension.
As for the plot, not very confusing, but also not boring for sure. A bit of mysticism, a couple of sharp moments kept me from sitting still. You can guess who the killer was after a certain point. The plot is not twisted, and I like puzzles. And this is the only disadvantage that did not give me the opportunity to give the highest rating.
In general, the picture is more than worthy of viewing if you are a fan of classic detective thrillers.
8 out of 10
If it wasn’t for Billy Bob Thornton’s screenwriter and superb cast, the movie probably turned into a passing one, another one so similar to each other. But “Gift” turned out to be a bright and very subjective thriller, with a special life in it. I liked it. True, if not for Cate Blanchett in a strange and unusual way for her, without blinking an eye would switch the channel.
But after a while, I can say that this is more of a detective than a thriller, and even a bit of a drama. The plot is tense, but I can not say that when watching I experienced fear and horror. Yes, there were wasted moments, and they were predictable, but it was not destructive. Rather, the enveloping sinks.
If we talk about acting, then all the actors in a few unexpected, unusual images. The heroine of Cate Blanchett is a widow with two children, the hero Keanu Reeves is a city reveler and troublemaker. Another interesting image by Hilary Swank.
I can say that I am not a fan of thrillers, but this film was special. It's interesting.
A wonderful mystical thriller, in which the director managed to organically tell a detective, mystical and life story.
Interesting and believable shows the life of a small town, the inhabitants of which who hides, and who does not, their skeletons in the closet. Very subtly, organically and unobtrusively, the director managed to tell the story of a local clairvoyant widow (Kate Blanchett), who helps neighbors and friends with her gift. Once in the center of the investigation into the murder of a young girl (Katie Holmes), the heroine of Kate is trying to help with all her might.
Curiously shown are people coming for help to the clairvoyant. Before us is a series of destinies, each of which is deep and tragic. Two lines of the film, first going in parallel, in the middle of the picture intertwine, become dynamic and intriguing, somewhere frightening.
Everything, in my opinion, in the tape is wonderful: camera work, and cozy filmed atmosphere of a provincial town, and truthful characters.
I especially want to mention the actors. Kay Blanchett once again proved that she is an outstanding actress (in fact, after Jasmine) Woody Allen has no doubt about that. She managed to completely reincarnate into her character, her play is truthful and subtle. Giovanni Ribisi also played well - his hero, a young boy who survived a terrible sexual abuse by his father as a child, causes incredible sympathy and sympathy. Convincing and Keanu Reeves. I was surprised to see that he was not only successful in positive roles. Was not a revelation to me Katie Holmes, once again showed that the actress she is worthless, talentlessly playing even a corpse. But this is perhaps the only spoonful of tar in the excellent cast of "Gift."
In short, the film is a beautiful, atmospheric narrative at first sight of a simple but intriguing story.
10 out of 10
What is each individual worth? An unbalanced psychopath, a lying lawyer, a husband who regularly beats his wife, those who find pleasure in bullying like them ... Are they worth respect, kindness and participation, are they worth empathy, are they worth laying down their own lives for them?
Annie Wilson (Kate Blanchett) thinks they are.
She lives in a small town with three children and has clairvoyance. To her from all sides flock the grey and wretched, suffering both bodily and spiritually, in search of shelter, peace and help - advice or deed. Annie is not the embodiment of any higher power, she is not able to heal with touch or word, but she tries to do everything in her power: instruct, unobtrusively suggest, be there for as long as it takes. This responsiveness is a heavy cross that not everyone can bear. Because it is so difficult and sometimes unbearably terrible to stand in the midst of the storms of human misfortunes, facing hypocrisy and cruelty, all the while struggling with their own horror and their helplessness, while not losing the ability to love: not themselves, but people.
She is a weak little woman, an ordinary person who makes mistakes and sometimes draws wrong conclusions, her truly human nature was vividly outlined by the thorny and long path that Annie had to go before she finally realized who had committed the brutal murder of Jessica King (Katie Holmes), but the matter is different. She continues to live, squandering herself for others, making no exceptions for anyone, helping those who need help, and this is her true gift and her greatness - in kindness.
It was impossible to watch this film, but the scant repertoire of thrillers forces you to look back into the past - namely, in the work of old and proven directors. Sam Raimi in those years only rose as a connoisseur of his art, his early horror stories can, and serve as a calling card in the film industry, however, I believe he began his current formation at the beginning of this century.
Equipped with strong actors, the film "Gift" is an example and a specific representative of thrillers of "those years", with its inflating atmosphere, classical operator techniques, and with appropriate musical accompaniment. The fact is that today both the genre and the industry live on different foundations, somewhere superior to their predecessors, and somewhere inferior.
What can be proud of the film "Gift" in comparison with contemporaries, it does not look like an unwanted guest, it has all the same standard moments of "boo", there are questions to the actions of the characters, but this performance is played convincingly, and for a while you want to believe in it. The script of this tape is far from brilliant, it is certainly purely “Hollywood”, but it is good and fascinating.
It was not difficult to unravel the killer of the heroine Katie Holmes, there were not many options to calculate the villain, but "Gift" does everything possible so that the intrigue does not die prematurely. Summing up - the film, albeit for once, but more or less high-quality in all respects, of course, it lags behind the technical breakthrough of modern films, but if you do not take the matter of technology for the main thing, it turned out by the standards of that time not bad.
7 out of 10
I want to start my review with the fact that I decided to watch the film because of a very interesting annotation and eminent cast. I began to watch with great enthusiasm - the story seemed clear and interesting. The fortune teller, the fights, the murders, they all came together. Throughout the film, the plot constantly famously twisted, making unexpected surprises. However, an interesting and intriguing plot could not save the sluggish play of the actors.
The role of clairvoyant definitely suits Cate Blanchett, as she has a very mysterious and even slightly mystical appearance. However, she presented her character to Kate not as a fortune teller, but as an ordinary city woman, on whom suddenly a mountain of problems fell, and therefore she now walks with a dull and unspoilt expression. Maybe I’m too biased about Cate Blanchett, but still a big name needs to be confirmed by convincing play. Keanu Reeves and Katie Holmes played much better than Cate Blanchett. It’s a completely different situation with Giovanni Ribisi – he, unlike Blanchett, was much overplayed. I admit I was a little annoyed by his character.
I also want to note that the film is quite a lot of clichés characteristic of typical thriller films. It was disappointing, because the idea was great, but presented it - so wow. Of the pluses, I can single out that the question “Who is the murderer?” torments to the very end.
6 out of 10
It should be noted that it is harder to write a positive review than a negative one, probably because negative emotions are harder to hold, and positive ones are harder to express.
It’s been about a year since I saw this movie for the first time. Since then, I have tried several times to write a review, but still failed to gather my thoughts.
To watch “Gift” I was struck by the fact that in it Keanu Reeves plays a negative character. Before this movie, he was perceived as a purely positive Neo. But all of a sudden, I discovered another talent that I had never known before. I'm talking about Cate Blanchett. Before that, I had been able to ignore her in other films, but this time she just amazed me. Her heroine with her contradictory abilities, which can be called a curse rather than a gift, moved me to tears.
And in general, all the actors played perfectly. This is just the rare case when a talented director and a group of well-chosen actors pull a film with a standard plot to a high level.
Separately, I want to thank the composer for the pleasant soundtrack and the operator for the delightful landscapes.
Do not sit down for this film, waiting for thrills and an unusual plot. Just enjoy playing great actors.
Still, "Gift" is more of a drama. The drama about the fact that we live for a long time not in the Middle Ages, but enthusiastically pursue those who are different from the standard that we have in our heads.
In addition to a well-composed storyline with several branches, the picture strikes with casting: here Keanu Reeves, “savior of the universe”, rebel and brawler, Katie Holmes, “gray mouse”, sexy beauty, Hilary Swank, “boxer and lesbian”, beaten wife, and Cate Blanchett, accustomed to the roles of women with a rod, a silent visionary with constant tears in her eyes. And I have to say, all coped with new roles to glory.
I also ask you not to believe the synopsis - you should not expect any psychological twists from the picture, as well as special mysticism - half of the tape is devoted to the life of an American widow, and half to the court session, which does not prevent the film from looking in one breath.
Strong drama with detective intrigue and a slight touch of mystical horror is ideal for lightening up the evening without tension.
The ability to see the past, predict the future and perceive what is not available to the average person. People with psychic abilities, are they high-class charlatans or are they actually touched by higher powers? Can their abilities be considered a gift, or is it rather a curse, a heavy burden, capable of doing more harm than saving lives?
Annie Wilson is a widow raising three children alone. The only means of earning it is to help people through the gift of clairvoyance, which is a hereditary feature of her kind. A wife beaten by her husband, a neurotic, haunted by childhood fears - desperate people come to her who see no other way to overcome their difficulties. They truly believe that Annie can help them. But can you call it a gift? She felt her husband would die, but could not prevent it. She saw the only way to free Valerie from the tyranny of her husband, but was unable to help. She truly wanted to dispel Buddy's childhood fears, and what did that lead to? In the end, the nightmare vision of the fate of the couple Wayne and Jessica shocked her, but nothing can change. But the real test was waiting for her. The news of the disappearance of a girl from a wealthy family stirred the whole county, and Annie seemed to be the only one who could help in her search. The search that led to the horrific find and tied the fate of many people into a single knot.
Starting as a mystical drama, the film tells about the difficult fate of Annie. Few friends believe in her gift and that she can help people. However, the cries of "witch!" are heard behind her back much more often. One against all, fighting for happiness and a decent life for her children. Maybe her struggle doesn't make sense, but as long as there's one person Annie can help, she won't give up. And fate presents her with another test, giving an opportunity to prove to the ill-wishers and unbelievers the purity of her aspirations. From that moment, the narrative is rebuilt into a detective thriller, increasingly permeated with classic inserts in the spirit of the horror genre with the dead coming in visions, fragmentary dreams in which the heroine finds herself in mysterious places related to the crime, and psychedelic shots reflecting Annie’s acute perception of everything around. At the same time, the dramatic side of the film continues to develop and intensify - the further the investigation of a crime in which Annie plays an important role, the more terrible the consequences can become.
A film with a plot that is not new for a mystical thriller, coupled with excessive smoothness and, perhaps, the length of the narrative, could not receive wide publicity and recognition. However, participation in the project of stars of world magnitude largely anticipated the success of the picture, deservedly called the benchmark in its genre. For Sam Raimi, the director of the film, this is not the first “mystical” work (his classic “Evil Dead” the world will not forget for a very long time) and the tape feels the hand of the master, with his unique vision of the implementation of the plot. And embodies the pages of the script on the screen a powerful cast. Very young Katie Holmes, for whom the ascent to the Hollywood Olympus was just beginning. Hilary Swank and Giovanni Ribisi may have received supporting roles, but their characters had a great influence on the overall perception of the story. Keanu Reeves in the not quite usual role of a misogynist villain. But the main star here is undoubtedly Cate Blanchett. The whole story is built on her game. It is her most often snatched camera and it attracts the eyes of the audience. It seems that nothing is impossible for her, and any role she can. Although the picture is a mystical thriller, but the image of Annie Wilson is still a dramatic image, only the full disclosure of which will contribute to the understanding of the ideological side of the Gift. The task that Cate Blanchett copes with, however ridiculous it may sound, playfully.
The desire for free assistance will not always be able to find a response from others. Where there are supporters, there will be enemies. On the way there will always be obstacles, difficulties will complicate the achievement of the task, but, as they say, the worse the body, the better the soul. Knowing that your abilities can and do benefit people is invaluable knowledge that gives strength for any achievement. And the comprehension of this knowledge will be the first step towards changing society, its restructuring and raising it to a new stage of development.
9 out of 10
Annie Wilson is a widow, mother of two children, a resident of an ordinary American town, no different from others. But no, there is a difference: Annie sees the future. Everyone comes to her - men suffering from various diseases, women who are beaten by husbands, in general, all those who sometimes lack just a kind word, advice and support in difficult times. And Annie helps everyone - under the guise of card divination, she gives people hope for the future and faith in themselves. Does she really know how to guess? It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is the kindness she gives to people and the help she gives. All the action takes place against the background of rural landscapes and pastoral music, replaced only by the crackling of crickets, and cannot but tune in a peaceful way, immersing the viewer in the atmosphere of a provincial town lost in the vast expanses of the country. But everything changes when real visions begin to appear with frightening frequency.
Pastorality becomes viscous and tense, sometimes simply unbearable - it seems that the bow of the violin sounding behind the scenes touches not the strings, but your naked nerves. In all this supposed serenity, a certain paranoidness is felt more and more clearly - as if the atmosphere of a quiet town has heated up over many years and reached a boiling point. What is missing is a tiny spark to thunder an explosion of unprecedented force. The growing aggression between people; the dead, predicting a thunderstorm, everything looks like a harbinger of evil, and the spilled paint in one of the scenes is like a hint of future blood.
Techniques for 2000 do not look innovative, and even advanced they can not be called, but this is the case when the picture takes not external effects, but the skill of execution. The intriguing arrangement of scenes, when the beginning of the frame is strikingly different from its ending, does not sometimes even allow you to imagine what awaits you in the next moment. That's probably how visions happen. And you have to have amazing restraint to look in the face of tomorrow's dead, not to give them the truth. Of course, the game of Cate Blanchett here successfully conveys all the features of the role. Plus the appropriate entourage - increasingly dark music, dark tones, eclipses during the next vision.
The plot seems quite clear: here it is, and we can move on. But why then do melodic trills become more disturbing? There is always something in the background that does not give rest. Collecting a mosaic from seemingly clear and clear pieces, in the end you get not what you expected to see – as if in the process the director has replaced some of the details of the puzzle. The resulting picture is not stunning - deep down the viewer was ready to see exactly this, especially given the contented transparent hints of the writer - but the effect is still valid.
Sam Raimi is not a lover of happy endings - it is difficult to forget at least one horror, thriller or mystical film in his performance, which ended in rainbow tones. Nevertheless, the “Gift” is crowned with a bright ending that brings universal calm. It’s as if there were steam in a small town, and there’s nothing to fear in the coming decades. And everything would be fine, but the feeling of a certain understatement does not disappear. Whether the modern film industry accustomed to wait for sequels, or Raimi did not answer the main question – what is the ability of the main character: a gift or a curse?
I love movies with a good atmosphere, when the skin feels what is happening. "Gift" is just such a work of cinema.
We are talking in this picture about a young widow Annie Wilson, part-time mother of three children and clairvoyant. During the film, she tries to unravel the meaning of her visions and help law enforcement in solving the crime.
The idea of the picture, and the way it is presented to the viewer, is very interesting. We are not talking about any superpowers of the main character: she does not know how to move objects with the effort of thought, light the flame with her eyes, read the past or future by touch, enter into a trance. Nope. She just feels, sometimes seeing some images or symbols. Annie Wilson’s attitude towards her gift is very multifaceted: she notices what is not visible to an ordinary person, but at the same time her possibilities remain a mystery to her. She is in doubt whether there is really something on the other side, or whether it is just echoes of the past and phantoms of the future.
The action in this film is very smooth, gradually swinging more and more like a pendulum. Everything that the viewer sees is, as it were, everyday life of ordinary people. The exciting look elements of mystery and mysticism, skillfully woven into the plot. The detective line also captivates attention: there are several negative and positive characters in the tape, whose fates are intertwined in a strange way, and this adds intrigue to the story in question. This film, by the way, is somewhat similar in mood to the film What Lies Beneath (2000), apparently was a good year for the film industry.
In general, “Gift” is a real representative of the classic thriller: the atmosphere of mystery and mystery permeates it through. Special effects are restrained, but used very skillfully, where necessary. Thus, when viewing, there is fear and tension.
The scenery and shooting are designed in the same style: there is some unpleasant heaviness inside, for example, when there are shots on a lake surrounded by fog. In general, the picture is as if plain, pale, which allows you to feel some hopelessness inherent in some moments of the film.
From the actors remembered the play of Cate Blanchett, she stunningly played the role of a woman who lost a loved one, a loving mother and, not indifferent to the grief of others, a clairvoyant. In her character there was confusion, hope, and, in the end, faith. Keanu Reeves liked him in such an unusual role as a bad guy, which caused, undoubtedly, negative emotions. Well, Katie Holmes was terrifying, in the literal sense of the word, of course, not without the help of makeup artists.
The finale of the film turned out to be very exciting and answered all the questions, both the main character and the viewer, leaving behind warmth and peace.
In the end, the picture pleased. This, of course, is not an action film with chases, battles and drive. No, it is a picture of reflection, with a good degree of intrigue and mystery, with the search for the answer to the question: a gift or a curse to feel more than can be explained? And, undoubtedly, the hope that in the dark tunnel will seem long-awaited ray of light.
8 out of 10
And so... The cast of the film is very “positive”, good. The plot didn't seem to blow either. But his incarnation on the screen was boring and protracted. First of all, it started a long time. It was only around the 40th minute that major events began to take place. I didn't feel the intensity. Probably because the movie itself is boring. Although sometimes there are glimmers of attempts (not the attempts themselves, alas) to scare or maintain tension. It is a pity that there is nothing to support.
The plot of the film is as follows: the main character - Ani (Kate Blanchett) - has psychic abilities, that is, can see, although not clearly, future events. She often guesses at the same girl (Hilary Swank) who is married to a man (Keanu Reeves) who beats her hard at times. She also meets the principal of her sons’ school and his fiancée (Katie Holmes). She has a vision about this girl. Ani leaves in a hurry. The next day it turns out that this girl is missing. For help in the investigation turn to Eni. Well, there is no point in saying further, because it will not be interesting to watch.
To be honest, of all that was offered on screen as storylines, I liked the story presented by Swank and Reeves the most. So the guys played their roles well. I didn't expect this game from Keanu. Wild, rude, all nervous... Interesting character. His wife is a downtrodden woman in the literal and figurative sense, who still loves him and simply cannot live alone, because she is corny used to him. I would like to see how their story ends. But instead, I was forced into the psychological torment of Buddy – a mentally unstable friend of Eni, whom she undertook to help, her many visions associated with the missing girl. Sometimes this girl appears to Eni in a very unpleasant way. Like a drowned woman. We are shown the horror of Ani, her fear, her nerves. Of course, Kate played for a solid 4. Just because the movie doesn't give her the chance to play at 5.
When I talked about a positive cast, I forgot to mention that Katie Holmes had nothing to do with it. She's a bad actress. Not the first time. Stupid face, thin voice. She doesn't play ghosts from the dead! You're not even afraid of her.
The ending of the film was very predictable. I knew from the beginning who the main villain was. It's a pity, comrades, a pity. The film could be interesting and dynamic. It could have been 1 hour and 10 minutes. But no, the film is brazenly stretched for a good 1 hour and 50 minutes! Almost 50. In general, given the play of Kate, Keanu and Hilary, a good plot, but also given the failure of the director’s work, this film I put.
6 out of 10