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'The Gift' is an understated, underrated thriller which succeeds in captivating one's attentions from beginning to end. The film's main strengths are its screenplay, its beautiful mise-en-scene, a strong ensemble cast and a haunting soundtrack (those of you who enjoyed 'The Shipping News' will recognise the composer from the lilting score of that film)

But perhaps 'The Gift's' main attribute is the presence of the wonderful Cate Blanchett. Although I loved the film, I was forced to wonder if in the hands of a less capable actress, whether it would have had the same captivating power. Somehow I think not. Cate Blanchett's restrained portrayal of Annie exudes compassion and tenderness, and is integral to the success of the film as a whole. Her sensitivity as an actress is important in relation to the subject matter - ESP and the occult - as these areas generally attract much scepticism. Blanchett, through her unique skill as an actress, manages to make the more fantastical elements of the story not only plausible, but intensely moving. She is luminous to watch, reminding me of the (also magnificent) Meryl Streep in terms of her quiet beauty, her range of expression and her adept skill at accent mimicry. Who could believe that she is Australian?

In short, 'The Gift' is well worth seeing, primarily for Cate Blanchett, but also for the supporting actors Keanu Reeves (very impressive and effective) Hilary Swank (underused) and the magnificent Giovanni Ribisi - who is both explosive and reticent as Buddy Cole. Also demanding attention is the imaginative screenplay, and the hauting beauty of the mise-en-scene which manages to be both beautiful and eerie at the same time. Overall, 'The Gift' is a resounding success, due mainly to the heart of the film - Cate Blanchett's resonant performance. The actress has a unique gift herself, which richly deserves to be seen by many.

In The Gift, Cate Blanchett is blessed(or cursed?) with the ability to sense things that no ordinary person can see. She is asked by the police to aid in the search of a missing person and what follows, is a journey into the supernatural. Sam Raimi knows how to set up a scene for the maximum scare potential. Honed on his Evil Dead series, Raimi lets a scene begin slowly and allows the viewer to sense the dread and feel the suspense build. There are visual tricks, interesting camera techniques and the fine performances by a very talented cast that propel this story forward. Among this cast that really stands out is Keanu Reeves. People have always complained that Reeves brings down a movie. At least some of the people I know. I prefer to think that Reeves is an underrated actor. In the role of Donny Barksdale, Reeves brings a certain menace to his character that usually isn't scene in his other roles. Barksdale isn't a creature of the night, or a space alien, but a flesh and blood creature that is capable of true evil. When you watch him, look at his eyes and you'll see a true menace lurking behind those dark brown eyes. Cate Blanchett shows that she can master just about any accent that's out there. She sounds like she's a native of the south and she has a quiet courage about her. Most notable when she's squaring off against Reeves.

All in all, The Gift is a wonderfully atmospheric thriller. It has brains and doesn't insult the viewers. It will keep you hooked up until the very end, and there are quite a few surprises throughout the film. Highly entertaining, and very spooky at times.

Firstly I need to say this isn't a horror. It's a thriller. Also it's not a fantasy movie so both of those tags should be ignored.

That doesn't mean it isn't a good movie. What's particularly good is how some of the actors play roles that ho against their usual character types.

Without a doubt Giovanni Ribissi steals the movie and plays his part perfectly.

Recommended.

Jessica King (Katie Holmes), the fiancée of Wayne Collins (Greg Kinnear), has gone missing. Annabelle Wilson (Cate Blanchett) is the local psychic who has visions of Jessica King. Following her advise, Sheriff Pearl Johnson (J.K. Simmons) dredges the swamp and finds Jessica's body. Donnie Barksdale (Keanu Reeves) is jailed for the murder. However, Annabelle keeps getting visions. There's more to the murder.

Director Sam Raimi has teamed up with Billy Bob Thornton once again and this time as a writer. Cate Blanchett is terrific. There is an overload of big time actors. I almost wish that some of the lesser roles get played by smaller unknown actors. When it's overloaded like this, the movie can feel very Hollywood. However Blanchett never once feels fake in any way. She becomes the character with ease.

Cate Blanchett's performance alone make this solid thriller worth watching. I saw her in this movie, and I became baffled as to why she wasn't considered for an Oscar nomination. She carries this film on her shoulders, and never once budges. Not only does she totally get rid of her Australian accent and perfectly don a Southern accent, but she gives a deep, powerful performance as the innocent widow, Annie Wilson, who is looked down by many in her community but simply wants to share her psychic gifts with her willing clients. Blanchett communicates great emotion with a simple facial expression.

Of course, I also have to give it up for the multi-talented supporting cast. Though most of them, with the exception of Hilary Swank, couldn't really nail down the Southern accent, they are absolutely terrific. The only actor I felt was miscast was Katie Holmes. Not only is her accent phony and over-the-top, but she just seems too young and innocent for the role. Giovanni Ribisi, on the other hand, is a revelation. I knew, ever since his breakthrough performance in "Suburbia," that he had great promise as an up-and-coming actor, but in "The Gift" he delivers his most powerful performance up-to-date. I would even argue that he deserved an Oscar nod. He constantly stirs up sympathy in his audience, despite his mental instability and momentary outbursts of anger. I was also extremely impressed with Keanu Reeves, who delivers a genuinely haunting performance. It's times like this where I just can't fathom why many people still insist on picking on Keanu, regarding him as dull and cardboard. Personally, I thought he was great ever since his emotional performance in "Permanent Record." But he better demonstrates his versatility as an actor as the abusive Donny. He made his debut, as a villain, in the throwaway thriller "The Watcher," but I found him much more haunting in this role. Plus, he sports a rugged look, totally shedding his pretty-boy image. Greg Kinnear is good and subtle, and Hilary Swank continues to flaunt her brilliant acting abilities as the vulnerable wife of Donny who constantly takes beatings from him, yet still maintains her love for him.

The story is very intriguing, revolving around a cast of colorful characters. This isn't a "scary" movie as it somewhat looks in the previews, but it is full of mystery and thrills, without cheaply going for shock value. There is a nifty twist at the end, which is credible and not thrown from left field, but the plot isn't packed with surprises. We're simply going along on an emotional journey, through the mind of our protagonist, Annie, and that's how the tension is created. Sam Raimi creates a haunting mood and Billy Bob Thornton wrote a fine script. The story is easy-to-follow, and not as mind-bending as some of these other supernatural thrillers. Just keep in mind that this is not a horror movie. But it's a good mystery and a good mood piece and a damn good film altogether.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Having seen this film several times and never remembering the composer of the score, I decided to look it up at IMDb. While here, I decided to check out the various user reviews. And I was kind of surprised at the "love it or hate it" division.

I'm mainly surprised that anyone thought it was "typical" Hollywood pap or that it was slow moving, labored or simply so-so.

Maybe you just have to like Sam Raimi to enjoy this. I couldn't help but appreciate the fact the style and many elements were a lot like "Evil Dead 1 & 2", but more subtle and refined. Sam obviously made the most of the camera angles, scenery and lighting for specific reasons...the general "darkness" of the town versus the "light" surrounding Cate(the only one who could see the truth).

Maybe some didn't see a lot of the dark humor or appreciate the fine acting with non-stereotypical southern accents by all, especially Cate.

This is a film well worth repeated viewings.

An interesting story line and a fine cast make The Gift a good choice, if you want some mystery and suspense on your screen. A good good mix of drama, mystery, fantasy and a slight touch of horror.

Maybe i'm wrong but it's the first movie i watch with a lot of big names and that ends up really good : Hillary, Keanu, Katie, Cate, Kinnear and Ribisi really push their original characters and thus the movie never lost quality. In addition, we have Sam's team on the board as well with « aunt May », « JJJ », « sheriff Lucas Buck » and the famous yellow Oldsmobile. It's a pity that we don't have the usual cameos of Sam himself, his brother or Campbell ! It's also a great thing to find a story in a small town, with « ordinary » people having simple life as ours. I expected Sam to be more dynamic and on the contrary, the movie is as quiet as lying water. But as the main hero isn't Darkman or Spiderman but a widower mother of three boys, he was inspired to choose this pace: it really fits the Cate's compassion and maternal instinct, all the more than as told in the movie, she is really the heart of the town ! And for sure this wild nature with swamps and torn trees are as much frightening as any other supernatural monsters !

In a small town deep in the South, a single mother endowed with a special ability becomes involved with the disappearance of a young woman and has a brush with the supernatural, in `The Gift,' directed by Sam Raimi. Cate Blanchett stars as Annie Wilson, a young widow attempting to raise her three kids and provide a decent life for her family, scraping out a living on Social Security since the tragic death of her husband in a work related accident the previous year. She supplements her meager income by doing `readings' for the local townsfolk, accepting their donations for the insights she offers them into their own lives. Annie has a `gift,' the ability to see certain things in the cards that enables her to advise her clients about personal issues. It's something she can't explain; she knows only that it's inherited (which she learned from her grandmother), and that it's real. And though it's helped her maintain her home, she soon finds that it doesn't always make for the most pleasant of situations, as when she must advise a young woman, Valerie Barksdale (Hilary Swank), on how to cope with her abusive husband, Donnie (Keanu Reeves), or attempt to help a troubled young man, Buddy Cole (Giovanni Ribisi) come to terms with some sensitive aspects of his life. Then, when a client comes to her to ask for help when his daughter disappears, not only does it take her to the dark side of the human experience, she discovers that certain individuals, including local sheriff Pearl Johnson (J.K. Simmons) do not believe that her `gift' is real.

Stylistically crafted and delivered, Raimi's film will keep you engrossed and on the edge of your seat until the very end. He successfully blends reality with just a touch of the supernatural that makes for riveting suspense while keeping it within the realm of believability. The relationship played out between Donnie and Valerie is anything but unique-- you've seen this before, many times in many films-- but within the context of this story it's fresh and it works. The doubtful sheriff and the cynical, jaded defense attorney, Gerald Weems (Michael Jeter), are fairly stereotypical, but that can be easily overlooked in light of the overall story and especially due to the credibility of the Annie character, which is well developed and never presented as anything beyond what can be readily accepted as true to life. As the central character, Annie anchors the film and enables the circumstances in which she is involved to be perceived as real; it's the strength of the film, and it's what makes it all work so well.

What also makes it work is the strong performance by Cate Blanchett, who makes Annie so real and accessible, displaying her `gift' with restraint and avoiding the possible pitfall of taking it too far over the edge, which could easily have made it suspect. Instead, she brings a depth to the character that draws you into her world and allows you to empathize with her, which would have been impossible had she invested Annie with even a touch of the charlatan. With consummate skill, Blanchett creates a well rounded character which demonstrates that as an actor, she definitely has a very real `gift' of her own.

Ribisi also does a memorable turn as Buddy, with a striking performance in which he creates some disturbing moments that are almost painful to watch; his is a character study of a soul in distress, seeking solace and resolution, and even as he attempts to sort out his life, you are able to sympathize with his plight as you share Buddy's experiences. And it's through Buddy (as well as Annie, of course), that the audience is able to make that necessary and very real connection with the film. With films like `Saving Private Ryan' and now this one, Ribisi is on his way to establishing himself as one of the premiere character actors in the business today.

Playing somewhat against type, Reeves proves that he can be a good `bad' guy, giving possibly one of his best performances ever as Donnie. He very credibly conveys that sense of explosiveness lying just beneath the surface that makes his character menacing and dark, which in turn makes Donnie psychologically as well as physically threatening. It's a good job by Reeves, who deserves credit for taking on a role that is so disagreeable and insensitive.

The supporting cast includes Greg Kinnear (Wayne), Katie Holmes (Jessica), Kim Dickens (Linda), Gary Cole (David) and Rosemary Harris (Annie's Granny). A taut thriller that is emotionally involving, `The Gift' delivers what it promises early on, which is exceptional, as many films of this nature often fail to actually follow through after a tremendous opening act. Rest assured, this one does and has it all; suspense, credibility and some memorable moments, all courtesy of Raimi, a good story and a superb cast. And that's the magic of the movies. I rate this one 9/10.

The Gift boasts a good cast Katie Holmes, Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank and Giovanni Ribisi in a surprisingly strong role.

The gift is a very interesting film, and has some unique ideas. It has some good scares but also good spiritual sequences and ideas, Keanu Reeves plays a somewhat religious character who clashes against Blanchett's (she plays a sort of fortune teller) it was good to see Reeves in a villainous role.

7/10: Good plot and characters along with clever ideas make this a quality watch

Delicious combination murder-mystery/character portrait set in the present-day South. Widowed mother of three, who works from home as a psychic and card reader, is pulled against her will into the logistics of a popular local girl's disappearance. Although the brutality inherent in the script is laid on with a trowel by director Sam Raimi, "The Gift", written by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson, has some mesmerizing attributes, not the least of which is Cate Blanchett's luminous performance in the lead. The actress is sensational here; whether hesitantly giving out advice to her customers, sympathizing with troubled mechanic Giovanni Ribisi, or standing up to a surprisingly menacing Keanu Reeves, Blanchett is absolutely riveting. The plot is intricately unwound--and with occasionally outrageous detail--and is quite satisfying from start to finish. In a terrible oversight, no Oscar, Golden Globe, or BAFTA nominations (for Blanchett, at the very least) were forthcoming. ***1/2 from ****

While age may have dulled the initial impact of Sam Raimi's "The Gift," the lightly macabre thriller still makes for an impressive piece of near-horror. Led by a stellar Cate Blanchett, the film revolves around a fortune teller who becomes tangled in a murder investigation. Raimi quiets his usual voice in order to focus on performance and Southern atmosphere, though some of the director's standard creepiness scuttles to the screen. Powered by Blanchett and a strong cast, an engaging mystery, and potent chills, the experience proves robust.

Ps: I Love u Giovanni Ribisi

A young woman gets killed in a small town, and Annie Wilson, a widowed mother of three boys, is the only one who can help to find the killer by using her "gift", an ability to see and foresee things supernaturally.

The film starts out fine, introducing the characters one by one, and aptly creating the atmosphere of a typical southern urban town. But somewhere in the course of the story, the film seems to lose its pace. Annie has dreams and visions of the murdered woman's corpse and whereabouts, which are supposedly meant to be shocking and frightening, but most of the time they are just silly and annoying. Hilary Swank is utterly bad and unwatchable in a very passive and uninteresting role, you wonder why she agreed to play such a character after her Oscar win that year. And the last third is so unbearably predictable, it's completely unbelievable, that Annie does not realize the situation, especially when she is assumed to have that special gift. Really stupid! And very, very shallow and superficial.

If it was not for Cate Blanchett's engaging performance, I would give this movie a much lower rating than 5 out of 10.

Sam Raimi has a bit of folklore to him, at least in t horror movie circles. His story with Evil Dead is one that tells us that if you really believe in what you are doing and have an undeniable passion for it, you can succeed with an indie. Evil Dead was that film for Raimi. Now that he has bigger budgets and better casts, one could expect him to fail, but with terrific films like A Simple Plan and now this one, he proves that he does possess a gift as a film maker. The Gift takes him back to his roots as a horror director and he doesn't disappoint. The Gift is a tight, tense film with some questionable weakly written court room scenes, but take that away and you have a very effective thriller.

The Gift has an all star ensemble cast that takes everything they are given and shines with it. Cate Blanchet is awesome to watch as the small town clairvoyant that some people look upon with utter reverance and others disregard as nothing more than a Satan worshipper. Keanu Reeves is very effective as a wife abusing husband and Hilary Swank, Katie Holmes, Greg Kinnear, Giovanni Ribisi and Gary Cole are all very good in their roles. I especially liked Reeves as the wicked wife beater. I grew to hate his character and not just because he was a wife beater, but because he was such a smug, "I'm above the law" wife beater. I like seeing the smaller and perhaps more challenging roles Reeves is taking in between his billion dollar turn as Neo.

When a local town aristocratic beauty disappears, all fingers point towards Reeves as the murderer. He was having an affair with the girl, he has a violent temper, and he has scratch marks all over him from her and most importantly she was found dead in his swamp on his property. That is pretty compelling evidence against him. Also, Annie, the clairvoyant had visions about her whereabouts being located on his property. But soon after his impending incarceration, Annie begins to have other thoughts. She thinks the wrong man has been put away and now she fears that the real killer is going to come after her.

What The Gift benefits from, besides great performances, is tight direction. Raimi shows us here why it is that he got his start as a horror director. There are at least half a dozen scenes that are tense and frightening. When Annie is having her visions of death and sees dead women in trees and in bathtubs and such, there are collective gasps of fear in the audience. And when she is visited by ghosts or visions of people, you feel the heart race a little faster. This is not to say that the film is flawless because it's not. The flaws come from the writing of the court case where there is so much heresay and such that any good lawyer would have jumped all over the defense's case. When a man is being tried for murder and your defense is questioning how you came to know where the body was, they are two different issues. Why does it matter if an elephant told you where the body was or if you happened to fish it out of the pond with a crane. The point is that the body was there and it was on the accused's property and the accused had scratch marks on his arm from the deceased. That in my book is a pretty simple case. I was disappointed with how Thorton wrote the court room scenes but that is about all I was disappointed with.

The Gift is not one of the best horror films I've ever seen, but it is an enjoyable one and if I had to compare it to another similar one to it, I would have to say that this was better than What Lies Beneath. I think Zemekis is a great director but Raimi just has that certain intangible quality about him. He can make suspense out of something when perhaps there is none there. This is worth seeing and if you are a horror fan or just like a few thrills in your film, this'll keep you entertained.

8 out of 10- a good creepy horror film with a few genuine scares and a plethora of great performances.

When I first watched this I thought nothing of it, but then I watched it a second time and actual enjoyed the film. The tone is very serious as this thriller takes you into a mystery murder scenario. The acting is what truly brings the film to light, Cate Blachett is at the heart of the movie, her facial expression, especially the emotions in her eyes, bring each scene to life. The other actors such as Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank and Greg Kinnear were also very good performances. The story and filming isn't an Oscer winner and it's not a movie I would call my favorite, but if you're looking for a thriller with some great familiar actors that will not disappoint then this is your film.

I saw this not realizing it was directed by Sam Raimi. After the first half hour, I was so hooked by the story and gripping pace of the film that I checked IMDb to find out who directed. It was no surprise when I saw Raimi's name. The movie sucks you in with it's fine pacing, script, and fantastic performances.

The cast is as solid as it gets for a film. Two Oscar winners included, what more can I say. There are few movies that can be mentioned in the same breath as "The Gift" when it comes to suspenseful thrillers. It's hard to pick a favorite, but Blanchett played the part well and was convincing as a psychic medium. The stress that comes with having such a gift is depicted well by her. Giovanni Ribisi was probably the show stealer, and I say probably because the other cast members were masterful, including Keanu Reeves who had never crossed my mind as someone who could play a villainous character. He was great, as was Hiliary Swank.

The script was solid, and there were no wasted scenes in this movie at all. Each scene makes the next one better. Another great thing about this film is that it wasn't predictable. It keeps you guessing until the minor twist at the end. I wouldn't call this a powerful film, or one you'll talk about for days after viewing it, but definitely thought provoking.

7/10 for it's fine acting, directing and story.

Cate Blanchett is a widowed mother of three small boys in a southern town. She supports them all by reading the cards -- not Tarot, but what appear to be Duke University cards. She is subject to visions of her dead grandmother and dreams. When Greg Kinnear's fiancee disappears, the police reluctantly call Miss Blanchett, whose vision lead them to drag redneck Keanu Reeves' pond and find the corpse.

Sam Raimi's movie is not a standard horror movie, but a meditation on the oppressiveness of having psychic abilities, or indeed, different. It's populated with quite a distinguished list of actors, including J. K. Simmons, Michael Jeter, Katie Holmes, Hillary Swank, and Rosemary Harris. Given Raimi's varied credits -- he was working on SPIDERMAN while cutting this film -- it offers an interesting vision of what super-powers mean. Or perhaps, if you're not so inclined, some fine work on editing for atmosphere.

This is one if those gems that no one knows about but should, just look at the cast. Good luck trying to put that cast together now and written by billy bob Thornton and directed my an Underrated phenom director mr sam raimi!! Its not a horror in anyway not sure why it states that, it's a mystery, thriller drama. I could go on and on but simply put to yourself a HUGE favor watch it right now!!!

Anyone who loves a good slice of southern Gothic murder mystery should check out Sam Raimi's The Gift, one of several films in the eclectic scoundrel's ouvre which made a departure from his usual brand of chaotic horror. Cate Blanchett stars as Annabelle, a single mother with a very perceptive telepathic ability, which in rural USA is greeted without any skepticism by the locals. She is renowned for her gift, and often approached by people in need. The story sees her trying to locate young Jessica (Katie Holmes), who has gone missing, and discovering some nasty secrets about the people around her in the process, people she thought she knew better. Jessica's fiancé (Greg Kinnear) is desperate but clearly knows something he's not saying. Also involved is battered housewife Valerie (Hilary Swank), her terrifying abusive boyfriend Donnie (Keanu Reeves), a local mechanic (Giovanni Ribisi) who befriends Annabelle, and others. It's an ugly tale contrasted by Blanchett's striking beauty, which the cameras capture in all the right instances. She could be rearranging a bookshelf and still be compelling and elegant, and always is in whichever role she takes on. Reeves is a scary tornado of pent up rage and sickness, cast way against type and loving every rage fuelled second. As if the main cast wasn't packed enough with talent, we also get stellar work from Gary Cole, Michael Jeter, Kim Dickens, Rosemary Harris, a random cameo from Danny Elfman and a sly turn from J.K. Simmons as the county sheriff. What a cast, eh? Raimi puts them to good use, and each one gets their moment to shine. I've never seen a film by the director I haven't loved; the guy just makes super fun, accessible genre treats that are irresistibly likable. Pair that with the evocative southern tone and Blanchett's winning presence and you've got one hell of a little package. Very overlooked stuff.

I recently rewatched this wonderful movie and it really says something when you know the twist ending and still find a lot of enjoyment. Other reviewers have applauded Cate Blanchett and of course she's great. Kind of expected, similarly with Hilary Swank and Greg Kinnear. The surprise for me is just how good Keanu Reeves is in this film. I think this has to be the first time I've seen him play someone truly despicable and he really pulls it off! That's not easy when the audience remembers you as the super hero of The Matrix series and romance guy from movies like the Lake House. Really well done, highly recommended.

The Gift (2000, Dir. Sam Raimi) When Jessica King goes missing, all eyes turn to Annabelle Wilson. Not as a murder suspect, but as a clairvoyant. Many of the towns folk go to Annabelle for help, and Jessica's fiancée, Wayne Collins turn to Annabelle for possible guidance. Annabelle feels that she can't help, but this doesn't stop her from constantly getting visions of Jessica's fate.

I don't have a great knowledge of Sam Raimi's films, outside of the 'Spider-Man' series, so i was interested to see what this film could offer. Especially with stars, such as Cate Blanchett, Greg Kinnear and Giovanni Ribisi. What i found to be watching was a good thriller, which i actually enjoyed. The film is your usual 'who dunnit?' film, but this didn't stopped me from enjoying the characters portrayed. Everyone has a different personality, with some being excellent and some being acceptable. It can start to becoming obvious when you get about 40 minutes into the film. I had already worked out who was the likeliest suspect before i had even reached this point of the film. I wouldn't blame this on this film, but more on the fact that a lot of mystery movies have gone through the same approach. Still, i really enjoyed myself and you should too.

"Looks like there's a storm comin'." - Annie's Granny (Rosemary Harris)