Have you heard the buzz that “The Gift” is actually a good movie? Did you happen to read this review or some of the other positive notices out there? Yes, a movie can be far better than its trailer or TV spots, but let”s give STX Entertainment a slight break on this one. It is their first real release and they are certainly trying to have fun with other aspects of their campaign (Plus, the trailer for their next flick, “Secret in Their Eyes,” is much better) .
“The Gift” centers on a married couple, Simon and Robyn (Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall) who have just moved to Los Angeles from Chicago. Simon was actually raised in Southern California, but hasn”t lived there for years. A few days after arriving, the couple runs into an old high school friend of Simon”s, Gordon (played by screenwriter and director Joel Edgerton), while shopping at a local furniture store. Still going by the nickname “Gordo,” Simon”s former classmate is awkward, but sweetly hospitable. Things start getting strange, however, once Gordo starts leaving gifts for them at their new home. Is he a stalker? Did something happen in the past between Simon and Gordo we don”t know about? Or are Rebecca and Simon just overreacting to a friendly new neighbor?
Video interviews for a movie like “The Gift” often take place in a makeshift set up at a fancy hotel in New York or Los Angeles. In this case, STX did something different. They brought the talent and the press to the real Hollywood Hills home where a majority of the movie was actually shot. This led to a more relaxed conversation with Bateman, Hall and Edgerton and a pretty nice view of the San Fernando Valley in the twilight hour.
You can watch the interview in the embedded video at the top of this post.
Since the point was to not spoil too much of the movie's plot (trust, the twists and turns are worth it in the end), we mostly discussed what it”s like to run into former classmates years after school (Hall has quite the anecdote). Then, on cue, this writer got his own personalized gift from “Gordo.”
How well does Gordo know me? Not only did he get me a Clippers bandana for my cat (we”ll see if she wears it), but with the now “old” logo as well. It's such a perfect gift for me that it”s downright…scary.
“The Gift” opens nationwide on Friday.