The Gift (2000)

A woman with extrasensory perception is asked to help find a young woman who has disappeared.

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers:

Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Epperson

Stars:

Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves

8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cate Blanchett	...	Annabelle 'Annie' Wilson
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Buddy Cole
Keanu Reeves	...	Donnie Barksdale
Katie Holmes	...	Jessica King
Greg Kinnear	...	Wayne Collins
Hilary Swank	...	Valerie Barksdale
Michael Jeter	...	Gerald Weems
Kim Dickens	...	Linda
Gary Cole	...	David Duncan
Rosemary Harris	...	Annie's Granny
J.K. Simmons	...	Sheriff Pearl Johnson
Chelcie Ross	...	Kenneth King
John Beasley	...	Albert Hawkins
Lynnsee Provence	...	Mike Wilson
Hunter McGilvray	...	Miller Wilson

Storyline

When Jessica King goes missing, all eyes turn to Annabelle Wilson. Not as a murder suspect, but as a clairvoyant. Many of the towns folk go to Annabelle for help, and Jessica's fiancée, Wayne Collins, turns to Annabelle for possible guidance. Annabelle feels that she can't help, but this doesn't stop her from constantly getting visions of Jessica's fate.

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Plot Keywords:

pond | abusive husband | clairvoyant | widow | grave | 

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Taglines:

It was the perfect crime... Except someone saw it all

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language, and sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Artis Group [de] (german) Paramount Classics [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 January 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dar

Filming Locations:

Effingham County, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$432,409 (Italy) (31 August 2001)

Gross:

$13,139,364 (Europe) (31 August 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lakeshore Entertainment, Alphaville Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Annie's car is "The Classic" - the Delta 88 Oldsmobile that appears in every Evil Dead movie and nearly every other Raimi movie.

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Goofs

When Annie gives a reading for Kenneth King (Jessica's father) her watch is on the table as usual. In one shot the watch is on his arm but soon after is back on the table.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Annie: Oh, thank you for the peaches.
Tommy Lee Ballard: Yes, ma'am.
Annie: So how you been?
Tommy Lee Ballard: Oh, pretty good, I reckon.
Annie: You had a health problem since I saw you last?
Tommy Lee Ballard: Ma'am?
Annie: Have you been sick.
Tommy Lee Ballard: Back's been hurting a little.
Annie: No, no, it's not your back. You been bleeding somewhere?

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Connections

Referenced in Holliston: Weekend of Horrors: Part 1 (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Trouble Is A Lonesome Town"
Written and Performed by Lee Hazlewood
Courtesy of Okemah Productions - SLR Records

User Reviews

A smart and atmospheric movie.

THE GIFT (2000) Rating: 8/10

The Gift is one of the most intriguing suspense movies I've seen in a while. I'll admit the movie is pretty slow in its beginning, but when it starts to get to the murder information and readings, this movie picks up speed and brilliance. I did notice the film was generally slow to develop its characters a bit more, but I did find it a tad boring at the start. Sam Raimi is an amazingly focused director. With this movie, he betters his last effort For Love of the Game by a long shot. He makes the movie very atmospheric and the movie succeeds in its eeriness and excellence thanks to him. What really makes The Gift as spine-tingingly great as it, however, is the ensemble cast and their performances. Cate Blanchett leads the way with a brilliant performance. She literally becomes her character and works well in this thriller. They couldn't have cast her better. Giovanni Ribisi is highly believable in this film, his character is a sad one and we feel sympathy for him. Keanu Reeves displays a great performance as the wife-bashing freaky guy. His scenes are some of the most powerful ones and Keanu has rarely been better. Supporting performances from the sexy Katie Holmes, the highly talented Greg Kinnear and the masterful Hilary Swank all satisfy. This film is a highly original one, and the story will stick with you long after the credits roll. The script is one of the most engrossing and surprisingly heartfelt horror scripts to be written in a long time. Watch this movie at night with the lights off, a bag of chips and get ready for a chilling and interesting ride that will make you shake in your boots and your brain work overtime.