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Movies / On DVD / The Gift
The Gift

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The Gift (2001)

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Reviews Counted:8

Fresh:5

Rotten:3

Average Rating:6.1/10

Consensus: With a reported budget of around 10 million, The Gift is obviously a labor of love for those involved. Unfortunately, the A-list cast can't prevent the movie from becoming a by-the-numbers whodunit with an ending that's all but unsatisfactory.

Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Synopsis: Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett) is a young widow living in Brixton, Georgia, who does psychic readings. She has a power that allows her to see things her neighbors don't see, and she talks about the... Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett) is a young widow living in Brixton, Georgia, who does psychic readings. She has a power that allows her to see things her neighbors don't see, and she talks about the things that they try to keep quiet. She eventually stirs up trouble by advising Valerie Barksdale (Hilary Swank) to leave her abusive husband, Donnie (an effectively menacing Keanu Reeves). Donnie chases after Annie and threatens her and her young sons. Then Jessica King (Katie Holmes), a sexually liberated rich girl, disappears, and Annie has visions of a gruesome murder that endanger her own life. THE GIFT is an unusual supernatural thriller. Director Sam Raimi (A SIMPLE PLAN) and DP Jamie Anderson use the huge gnarled trees and foggy swamps of Savannah to create a palpable sense of dread, and Raimi really knows how to jolt an audience. The script, by Billy Bob Thornton (SLING BLADE) and Tom Epperson, has enough twists to keep the audience guessing. Blanchett is very believable, and Giovanni Ribisi gives a heart-wrenching performance as Buddy Cole, a disturbed young man who seeks Annie's counsel. Their relationship gives the film an emotional weight that makes it more than just a good thriller. [More]

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Hilary Swank, Keanu Reeves

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Hilary Swank, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Greg Kinnear, Kim Dickens, Gary Cole, Michael Jeter, Danny Elfman, Stuart Greer, Alex Lee, Chelcie Ross, J.K. Simmons

Director: Sam Raimi

Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: Tom Epperson, Billy Bob Thornton
Studio: Paramount Classics

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Gift

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1 - 8 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out
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Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
04/16/01
Michael Thomson
Michael Thomson
BBC
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Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
03/02/01
Empire Magazine
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Raimi's skillful direction, the way he positions the camera, and his brilliant pacing keep things jumping almost until the final frame.

Full Review Source: CNN.com | comment Comment
01/19/01
Paul Clinton (CNN.com)
Paul Clinton (CNN.com)
CNN.com
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The movie is ingenious in its plotting, colorful in its characters, taut in its direction and fortunate in possessing Cate Blanchett.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/19/01
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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A rather pedestrian whodunit.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
01/19/01
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
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Characters lean too heavily toward the Southern grotesque, and the direction the plot is heading is more predictable than it should be.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
12/19/00
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
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Raimi eschews trendy, over-emphatic effects in favor of a straightforward approach that makes for a solid tale well told.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
12/18/00
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
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The makers of The Gift lay on the rustic nonsense awfully thick, peopling the tiny town of Brixton, Ga., with more 'colorful' characters than any town -- or movie -- can tolerate.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
12/13/00
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
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1 - 8 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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