THE GIFT
US, 2000, 112 minutes, Colour.
Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank, Michael Jeter, Kim Dickens, Gary Cole, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, Chelcie Ross.
Directed by Sam Raimi.
The Gift is a film about supernatural gifts, about ESP, about reading the cards, about seers being able to see into the future and into the past. The film focuses on Annie, a widow played by Cate Blanchett, with three children. She has the ability to see into the future – but is called on to solve a murder mystery. Eventually she does – with some peril to herself.
The film was directed by Sam Raimi who began his career with such films as The Evil Dead. He made a number of mainstream films, very entertaining, including For Love of the Game (about baseball) and A Simple Plan. However, at the beginning of the 21st century he made an impact with the first Spiderman film and for several years continued to make the sequels.
The screenplay was written by Billy Bob Thornton with his associate Tom Epperson. Thornton and Epperson wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-nominated Slingblade. Other films include One False Move, A Family Thing, Don’t Look Back.
The film has an excellent cast led by Cate Blanchett with an interesting turn by Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves as a villain, Greg Kinnear as a very smooth teacher who turns out to be the villain with Hilary Swank in support.
The film works well as a murder mystery, also works well as a psychological drama, especially with the focus on Cate Blanchett’s character and the effect that her gift has on her.
The film has a very good advertising slogan: “The only witness to the crime was not even there.”
1.The impact of the drama, the mystery? The American south and its atmosphere?
2.The title, gifts, ESP, psychic powers, reading cards? The credibility of this kind of behaviour? Popular beliefs?
3.The atmosphere of the town, the American south, the countryside, the pond? Homes and schools? Court? The dancehall? Authentic atmosphere? The atmospheric score?
4.The quality of the cast and their screen presence?
5.Cate Blanchett as Annie, a young widow, the three children, her managing to cope? Her appointments, her clients, talking about the future, the man who was ill? Buddy and his concerns? Valerie, her relationship with her husband? Her injuries? Annie’s role in the town, people’s belief or not? Consulting her about the crime?
6.Annie exercising her psychic powers, seeing into people’s future, the man who was ill, Valerie and her life? Her meeting Jessica and Wayne and a glimpse of the future? Her fear? The portrayal of her dreams, the search, Jessica dead in the tree, her eye? Her being in the pond, in the tree? Her later seeing into what Wayne had done?
7.Keanu Reeves as Donnie, his appearance, his visits to Annie, threats? Threats to her children? His treatment of his wife? In the truck and the confrontation with Buddy? Buddy defending Annie against him? The searching of the pond, his violent reaction, his arrest? In the court? Telling the truth about his relationship with Jessica? The flashbacks? His being in jail, Valerie lonely? People’s dislike of Donnie? Yet Annie concerned that he was innocent?
8.The Dance, Annie and Linda, their discussions, the attraction towards Wayne? Her children at home, their not having their father, going to visit the father’s grave? Their criticism of her time with clients? The visit to school, the discussions with Wayne about the children? Annie and the influence of her mother, her mother coming to her in a vision, her mother’s advice?
9.The character of Wayne, agreeable, at school, at the dance, his love for Jessica, Annie and the attraction? The meeting with Jessica, her death, Jessica’s father, going to see Annie for a consultation? The irony of what had really happened?
10. The interviews, Wayne, Jessica’s father, Annie unable to help? Her visit to Cole, the interview, her telling him that she was telling the truth? In the court, the attempts to discredit her? The prosecutor and his ridiculing of her?
11. The character of Buddy, at home, his parents, mentally disturbed, his devotion to Annie? His turning on her and criticising her? His outbursts? Going home, tying his father, setting him alight? The arrest?
12.Annie and her going to the scene with Wayne, Wayne wanting to know whether she knew the truth? Menacing her, her seeing the vision? Wayne’s attack on her? Buddy and his coming to rescue her? Wayne and his arrest – and wanting to tell the truth? The fact that Buddy had died – and she was saved by his ghost?
13.The supporting characters in the town, Linda, the sheriff and his dealing with Annie? The prosecutor and his attitudes?
14.The experience of gifts, ESP – the effect on the person who has the gift? The contribution to police investigations?
