Regali da uno sconosciuto - The Gift

Billed as a mystery and a thriller, Joel Edgerton's The Gift is indeed both of those and more. The sub genre might be "home invasion" of a figurative and a real kind, reminiscent of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Equally so it's a home horror film, for some of the traditional tropes of that genre are in place (e.g., missing dog, running faucet) waiting around the corner of any room so to speak.

Super security salesman Simon (Jason Bateman) is happily married to interior designer Robyn (Rebecca Hall). Their new LA home is wall to wall windows, all the better for bad forces to look in and to ironically comment on the lack of transparency inside the home as well as a security expert's vulnerability. Then Simon's old high school friend, weirdo Gordo (Joel Edgerton), visits with gifts and memories of a troubled past.

Their home is indeed invaded, not just by nerdy, strange Gordo, who has a bad habit of showing up at odd times and gaining access at even odder ones, but by the past, which is creeping up on the couple despite Simon's will to leave it all behind and Gordo's to "let bygones be bygones." The film bears its tensions well, distributing its exposition of the past in the present slowly.

The Gift doesn't just give the present a chance to come to terms with the past; it also comments on privacy, security, and bullying while serving up a fine stew of ironies and suspense. As for bullying, not the first time in a thriller, it plays out from high school days to adult days in a surprisingly subtle way, forcing us over the long haul of the film's 108 minutes to see it lurking like a clichéd ghost or murderer.

Marriage is also a subject in this taut film, namely how much do we really know about our partners or anyone close to us? This film could make anyone a skeptic about the goodness of your fellow travelers. Speaking of which, Gordo is the outsider, whom writer Flannery O'Connor liked to write about because "he changes things." Gordo is an agent of change, an avenging angel of the past and a messenger for the future.

Smart thriller for late summer.

Simon Callum (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) are married with a new house. They've moved from Chicago back to his home town. He has a new high-powered job. One day, they run into Simon's high school classmate Gordo Moseley (Joel Edgerton). Gordo starts insinuating into their lives making Simon very uncomfortable and leading to a secret from the past.

This has great creepiness right from the start. In the beginning, it seems to be coming from Edgerton and the desolated nature of the film. Then it morphs and spreads beautifully. Edgerton has some great weird vibes. Jason Bateman has this douche side to his roles sometimes. Surprisingly, he brings physicality and is believable in his strength over Edgerton. This is a terrific twist on a story that could have easily been little more than a Lifetime movie.

It's good to see Jason Bateman not be the perfect gentleman in a film for once

A psychological thriller that builds gradually, with an impressive ending! Exceeds my expectations, I tend to think of Jason Bateman as a comedy actor, but all characters we're enjoyed, as the plot thickens!

Here's a surprise: The Gift is a mature thriller that's more complex and classy than the trailers suggest. I don't know what caused the marketing department to make the film look like such a second-rate, cheap, predictable thriller that somehow had gotten ahold of talented actors, but now we know the truth. As Joel Edgerton's directorial debut, it's impressive, considering the sense of craft going on behind the camera. The cinematography is gorgeous and the pacing is that of a slow burn, but it's never dull. The premise is also deceptively simple, turning more intricate and involving as the film progresses.

Edgerton, who also wrote the screenplay, refuses to adhere to genre conventions, constantly subverting audience's expectations on how the story plays out. Red herrings, plot twists, shifting perspectives, and moral ambiguity ensue, but they never feel cheap. Like the best thrillers, The Gift evolves naturally and realistically. Edgerton and Rebecca Hall are great, but it is Jason Bateman who impresses. As a natural comedian actor, he plays one of his rare, serious roles to terrific effect. But I digress. You should go into this film with a clean slate, but know that it is a rare, intelligent thriller that doesn't cheat or spoonfeed its audience. And in that regard, Joel Edgerton has given us a gift, indeed.