SummaryA haunting psychological thriller, The Gift is ultimately a profound celebration of the human spirit. (Paramount Classics)
Directed By:Sam Raimi
Written By:Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Epperson
The Gift
Metascore
Generally Favorable
62
User score
Generally Favorable
6.7
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
62
55% Positive
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
41% Mixed
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
3% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
90
When movie lovers are looking back on the best of 2001, they will still be marveling at the beauty, intelligence and seemingly effortless mastery of Ms. Blanchett's performance.
75
At its heart, there's Blanchett, an actress whose instincts are unerring, and dead-on.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.7
63% Positive
46 Ratings
46 Ratings
29% Mixed
21 Ratings
21 Ratings
8% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
Jun 3, 2021
9
Well... Well, well, well... I have found it! The movie I watched as a small kid with absolutely no ones permission because it popped up on tv one night. I didn't know what I was expecting, probably a horror movie because of the scary visuals. But what I actually saw was pretty profound for an adult movie. It was not the first R Rated movie I ever saw, I believe that award goes to Damien: Omen II, but it's definitely the first one to have taught me that not all Rated R films are slasher horror films. It taught me it could use adult themes to tell a dramatic story about a psychic who helps solve the mystery behind a murder of a woman who visited her days beforehand, and of her friend who committed suicide who later saves her from beyond the grave (supposedly). I was around 13 or 14 when I saw this movie, And I thought of it as "That's So Raven but more mature" but it really wasn't. One thing I can say about this movie is that it definitely forges it's own identity. It never talks down to you, or assumes you're below intelligence by just telling you the answers immediately, but it does make you feel for the characters on screen. As a side note, I'd like to say that this is the first movie that I ever saw that went out of it's way to explain to a small child (in a scene) what the meaning of the F word is, which I found hilarious and endearing as a kid. Go ahead and watch it, it's not the most amazing masterpiece, but it is definitely a quality movie with an early 2000's vibe and charm.
Nov 2, 2018
9
Some parts are slow paced and a little bit boring but overall quite captive and alluring. The picture is really beautiful and fantastic, alongside the natural acting.
70
Blanchett's quietly radiant performance anchors even the most outrageous plot developments, and she's well-supported on all sides.
63
She (Blanchett) single-handedly forms the human heart of this engrossing, if ultimately preposterous, supernatural thriller.
60
Were it not for these performances (Blanchett, Ribisi, Swank, Reeves), The Gift would be fairly negligible.
50
A clumsy, heavy-handed and unnecessarily sordid occult thriller that somehow has managed to generate a big pre-release buzz.
30
So chock-full of stereotypes as to be a filmic Southern Country Safari.
Jul 13, 2014
7
The Gift is engrossing, well-scripted, and beautifully shot until the final quarter. Then, the movie gets very movie-ish and preposterous with an unsatisfying ending. But the performances alone in this star-studded cast are what make this movie, especially Blanchett's emotionally moving portrayal of a woman secluded from society because of her psychic powers. Ultimately, I recommend seeing The Gift; it's a fine piece of filmmaking.
Jun 16, 2021
5
This movie could of done with more time spent on it's script as it ranges from the dull to melodramatic. As for the ending, the less said the better.
May 6, 2016
5
Featuring a star-studded cast, Sam Raimi's The Gift cannot be classified as anything other than a disappointing effort. Raimi is at his very best here crafting a truly chilling atmosphere and carefully manufacturing each and every scare to maximum effect. The Gift can be a truly horrifying experience at times and this has to be its strongest asset. The acting is also very strong, but of course it is with a cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank, JK Simmons, Gary Cole, and Kim ****. Everybody delivers here and this cast is more than worth your time. However, the film shoots itself in the face repeatedly at the end of the film. Featuring a predictable "twist" that anybody could see after 20 minutes into the film and a stupidly convenient ending that is also deeply sexist really make The Gift's ending feel more like a slap to the face than anything. Even worse, the film was effectively scary up to this point, even if it was incredibly conventional. Instead of being an acceptable thriller that adds very little to the genre, it is merely a disappointing effort from all involved that deserved far better writing and a less dumb ending.
Jun 18, 2019
0
Terrible acting except for Blanchett who is great, laughable dialogue and dumb plot twists. Keanu gives one of his worst performances in this movie.
Production Company:
- Lakeshore Entertainment
- Alphaville Films
Release Date:Dec 20, 2000
Duration:1 h 51 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Can you trust a witness who wasn't there?
Awards
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 5 Nominations
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards
• 2 Nominations
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
• 1 Nomination
