The Gift (2000) (5 Stars)

This film is a masterpiece. It was a box office success, even though the critics slammed it, once again proving that film critics have lost touch with what the public wants to see.

It's a slow-moving gothic horror story, relying on a steady build up of suspense rather than artificial jumps. Today I noticed for the first time that the film's main character, Annie Wilson, is reading "Wuthering Heights" when she goes to bed. Knowing that, I can see the inspiration. Like "Wuthering Heights", "The Gift" is an old-fashioned tale that takes place in an old-fashioned world. Small-town Georgia is a place that has been ignored by modern developments. It's not just the technological developments, the town has also missed out on social developments. They live in the past. The local newspaper, the "Brixton Daily Record", proclaims that it's "Hatcher County's only newspaper since 1908", as if that were something to be proud of. I pity the people who have to live in towns like that.

The film's strength is in the characters. Everyone we see is an archetype of the inhabitants of small town societies. I've never had the misfortune to live in a town like Brixton, Georgia, but I can easily recognise the characters.

Keanu Reeves is the town's racist Christian wife-beater. I don't usually like him as an actor, but he's compelling as the despicable bad guy. He should play the bad guy more often.

J. K. Simmons is the small town sheriff. He's a good man, but not too bright. This was the first film I ever saw him in, and I've been his fan ever since.

Here is Giovanni Ribisi, the town's car mechanic, sitting happily in Sam Raimi's car. It's appeared in so many films that it should have its own IMDB page.

Something else that I noticed today for the first time is how often the film shows close ups of Cate Blanchett's face. It could be argued that the cameraman, the cinematographer, the director or all three of them are in love with her face. On my previous viewings I've always concentrated on Katie Holmes, someone I've long found attractive, but today I followed the camera's lead and gazed at Cate Blanchett. I don't think I've ever realised before today how beautiful she is. Take a look at the following screenshots from the film and tell me what you think..

There are so many other close ups of her face during the film, far more than I've shown here. It's as if the camera is caressing her face. It's not just her looks that I find appealing. There's such a depth of emotion in every facial expression. In future I'll pay more attention to her.

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