Regali da uno sconosciuto - The Gift

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!

Australian actor Joel Edgerton wrote, produced and directed this drama with thriller elements,. Rebecca Hall and Jason Bateman star as a married couple newly moved to Los Angeles. They run into a old high school classmate of Bateman's (Edgerton) who seems desperate to restart a friendship that Bateman can't remember them having. Hall begins to suspect that something isn't right with Edgerton and that her husband isn't telling the whole truth about their past.

This has all of the trappings of one of those late-80's "yuppie nightmare" thrillers that glutted the market for about eight years, with the upscale settings and work environments of the characters getting upset by a malignant outside force, a situation that draws the worst out of the victims. Bateman is clever casting, as he's one of the best actors in his age range at portraying borderline nice-at-heart-or-really-a-jerk characters, which here keeps the audience guessing. Edgerton is normally a very physical actor, but here he's reserved and quiet. Hall is very good as the woman at the center of this odd dynamic, and she has her own past issues to deal with. I think audiences going into this expecting a rollercoaster-ride thriller will be disappointed, and while I don't want to spoil where things go, I think it's advisable to let viewers know that this is more of a moralistic drama than a jump-scare chiller.

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.

Yeah, this was a lot of fun. I mean, the story reminds me of many others (most noticeably, Gone Girl and Side Effects) in that it's able to turn its story in more ways than one. As a very straight- forward thriller (the first half of the film) it works marvelously. Edgerton really has such a confident control of the pacing and the tone he wants the film to have, and when it switched direction, he's still able to keep the audience in their toes. What's most impressive is that this really is such a B-plot in many ways, but Edgerton goes further and really develops a thoughtful morality tale. Just when the film seems like it's going to go down the rabbit hole and not come back, he reveals another aspect of the story that puts it al in perspective. There are a few implausibilities (like someone else said, not sure if I can buy that she would be unaware of how he was for such a long time) but there are enough answers to such questions that are satisfactory and don't damage the film as a whole.

The three leads are also so fantastic. Edgerton is perfect, and Bateman also really surprising. Who knew the lead from Arrested Development (although in retrospect his character never really stayed in caricature mode really) had this in him? He has some really dramatic scenes that blew me away. Rebecca Hall is such a great screen presence so her I'm not surprised about at all. She's just great.

I think what's also really impressive about the film is that nothing comes out of nowhere. Every turn you sort of have an inkling, and you see all of the clues planted early. This may seem like a problem for many ("i totally saw that coming") but for storytelling, it's what works best in retrospect. The film at its core is really about the way our past can have consequences not just for us but for others, and the way it can also shape other people in ways you wouldn't expect. Simple, but effective.

Why as a seasoned movie addict and theatre visitor am I always amazed at the way the " Blockbusters" get all the press and gossip and fantastic movies like this slip through the net. Like last years immense " The Babadook ", this directional debut by Joel Egerton is a really good thriller and has had nowhere near the media coverage it deserves. It makes me so angry that the Marvel franchise gets rammed down our throats on TV and in fast food cafes and masterpieces slip through the net. Excellently directed and very well acted,this clever little well - wrapped gift is all we need to let us know that the proper movie making process is still alive and kicking. Very few special effects and perfect use of sound( or lack of it in some cases) with 1 or 2 shocks to keep us going,it carries a clear message of our past waiting to wreck our future. I think it cleverly slows pace half way through then wakes up in the last third.Grab it while you can guys cos this will just go after a week or 2.