The Gift - ***+ out of ****

Here is a thriller with an interesting concept that never loses focus or sells out. This is a whodunit with a murder victim, and ultimately, a murderer, and I'd like for you to think about that statement for a second. So many mysteries seem to have everything riding on a twist in the end that may or may not make sense (i.e. "We're dead the entire time," "The murder victim/murderer is the main character," "It was all a dream"), but this film creates a plot, adds mystery and suspense as well as genuine thrills, and gives you a payoff that may or may not be what you guessed.

In a very Southern small town, Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett, jaw-droppingly perfect as always) is a woman with a psychic gift to see into people as well as some events. Her husband died in an explosion before the movie starts (and no, there are no heart-wrenching flashbacks), so she's left to raise three young boys by herself. Social Security helps, but when she does readings, her clients often leave donations. Her clients include a haunted mechanic named Buddy Cole (Giovanni Ribisi, showing he can match with Goddess Blanchett), Valerie, the wife of an abusive husband (Hilary Swank, very effectively used), and others from the town who bear no significance to the plot. Wilson advises Valerie to leave her husband Donnie (What the hell? Keanu Reeves, not asking for an ounce of sympathy and doing genuinely good acting) which pisses him off. Annie receives threats and vandalism, but what the movie centers around is that she has a dream where she sees where the body of one of the characters is located, wrapped in chains. Does she see the location (without the murderer there, of course) because that's where the murder took place, is the dream symbolic, or is she just insane? I'll give you a hint- it's not the last option. Come on, it's a Sam Raimi movie with a supernatural concept! He doesn't do stupid twists.

We meet several other characters, but the most important is the engaged couple of Wayne Collins and Jessica King (Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes, both so very good). There is a murder that takes place, and the most likely suspect couldn't be the killer. I mean, seriously, where would be the fun in that? This isn't a heartfelt, Southern drama- it's a supernatural mystery.

While reviews, trailers, and the back of the DVD cover seem keen on revealing a great plot development, I was one of the fortunate ones who saw the movie without knowing who was killed until it happened. This was the way to view the film because the exposition didn't feel like wasted time- we met the characters, there were some great thrills, and by the time the murder happened, I began guessing. I will admit this right now; I guessed incorrectly. Maybe my idea of the murderer would have been more fun, but that's not what the screenwriters (Billy Bob Thornton, basing the character of Annie on his own mother's gift and Tom Epperson) wanted us to see. Surely the possibility of anyone in the town being a murderer was interesting, but the way the pieces fit together is very satisfying and actually makes sense. The ending didn't quite have the punch I wanted, but five minutes isn't enough to ruin it for me.

Sam Raimi directs, and I'm here to tell you, the man can operate a thriller. There are chills, a couple jumps, Hitchcockian tension, great characters, and a movie that doesn't feel over-directed. This was a very fun journey for me, and by simply letting the story be told, the final product is worthy. There are traces of his work in the "Spider-Man" series as well as the "Evil Dead" films, but this isn't a rip-off or imitation. It is its own movie and can stand alone as a 'Film by Sam Raimi.'

"The Gift" didn't receive any major nominations, but I feel that Giovanni Ribisi is an extraordinary actor, and here he performs some major feats and makes it look easy. When I think about the actor, I think about his range. He played the husband to Scarlet Johannson in the beautiful "Lost in Translation," an hilarious half cameo half supporting role in the TV series "My Name Is Earl," and now this. He has acted in many, many films (some fine, others not), but what remains static is that he is a very talented actor. Perhaps he could have replaced Willem Dafoe ("Shadow of the Vampire") or Joaquin Phoenix ("Gladiator") for the supporting category in the Oscars of 2000. Maybe I'm too keen on this actor, but this felt like the breakthrough role some new actors would kill over.

The characters are all great and well-written, but some can't shake that they are basically greatly crafted stereotypes. Of course, the argument could be made that the vast majority of great characters could have been stereotypes, but let's analyze for a second. It's a southern town, and there's the kind-hearted widow, a wife beater, his wife who doesn't want to leave him, a youngish guy who's afraid he might do something, the very attractive village bicycle, the sweet principal of the elementary, the corrupt public official, and the town sheriff who doesn't believe in any of this psychic hocus-pocus. You know what? I don't care if they could be seen as stock characters on the surface. The acting and writing depths don't let laziness fly. I mean, we never meet the boozer or town pastor nor do we see alligators in a foggy swamp.

I wish I could give the film four stars, but the ending felt a little too sudden instead of allowing some time in the final revelation. Whatever. Regardless, there are enough genuine thrills and scary moments not involving the supernatural to keep you pinned throughout the ride. The only moment for me where there was a logic gap was in the trial scene. Neither the prosecutor nor the defense attorney object at some moments where the other is out of line. That may work for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," but this is a movie grounded in realism with only one supernatural concept.

I will end by saying that it shows something excellent that in a story that could have made a bad movie, the only thing that some may find unrealistic would be the presence of the psychic abilities in Annie. If that's the case, suspend your beliefs and just accept it for a couple hours. It's a fictional thriller for the love of God!

Rated R for violence, language, and sexuality/nudity.
Buy it here.