THE GIFT review

I'm playing a bit of catch up with these reviews, so please excuse their short and to the point nature.

THE GIFT is a very solidly made quality film, that unfortunately has a rather pedestrian sense of genre convictions and ends up feeling like an ultimately forgettable episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

However, even though the plot and story ultimately disappoints, nearly every performance... the filmmaking technique of Sam Raimi and the genuine tense and scary creepy moments made it worth every moment of my time in the theater.

Now coming into this film I expected to be riveted by Cate Blanchett and Hillary Swank.... I was ready with baited breath for the big screen debut of Katie Holmes' yet to be discovered and exposed talents. And I was expecting to hate with a passion: Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves and Greg Kinnear.

Everything delivered right up to expectations, with the noted exceptions of Giovanni Ribisi and Keanu Reeves... who against all odds delivered textured and dramatic performances well beyond that which I have come to expect from either. Keanu was genuinely scary. Ribisi... hell, I managed to even shed a tear over his character... and the very best moment in the entire film (besides the aforementioned Katie Holmes moments) is between these two. GREAT CROWD REACTION.

However, the most important new discovery of the film for me was J.K. Simmons as the sheriff... and it seems that Sam Raimi decided as he was shooting this film, to film it with the idea of casting J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson.... Watch the film... the hair, the moustache... the CIGAR CHOMPING and belittling of his fellow employees.... This is the obvious precursor performance before his role in SPIDER-MAN.

The gals in the film are all wonderful... even Katie Holmes delivers beyond her attributes before the camera... as the slutty wife to be, she convinces and is obviously quite enticing as the minx she is playing. The film is peppered with other folks you'll like... Michael Jeter's defense attorney for Keanu is dead on. Really really good... as is ALWAYS the case with Jeter.

The worst spoiled rotten egg of the film though is GREG KINNEAR. Please someone.... give him a standard sit-com to age to retirement in. The only thing I see in his eyes is the reflection of cue cards. I really dislike him in this and NURSE BETTY this year. His 'blah-ness' nearly ruined both films completely for me.

As for my overall feeling for this movie.... Did you ever see THE PSYCHIC or THE EYES OF LAURA MARS? If you have, you have basically seen this film... just add a slightly cajun flavor and Katie Holmes breasts and you are there. Raimi elevates the material as do MOST of his actors. Definately worth seeing on the big screen if only to marvel at Raimi's cinematic flair. Let's hope SPIDER-MAN is on more solid footing than this script... which had garnered mixed word from the beginning.