The Gift (2000)

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers (WGA):

Billy Bob Thornton (written by) &
Tom Epperson (written by)

Release Date:

19 January 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The only witness to the crime was not even there

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Pond | Abusive Husband | Clairvoyant | Widow | Grave

Awards:

8 nominations

Cast

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
Nathan Lee Lewis	...	Cornelius (as Nathan Lewis)
Benjamin Peacock	...	Tommy
Clay James	...	Stanley
David Brannen	...	Ben Wilson
Russell Durham Comegys	...	Ben Sr.
Janell McLeod	...	Mrs. Francis
Robby Preddy	...	Lady #2
Lucky Lawrence	...	Member of The Souvenirs Band / Handsome Man at Bar
Mo	...	Member of The Souvenirs Band
Boots Kutz	...	Member of The Souvenirs Band
Buck Edwards	...	Member of The Souvenirs Band
D.J. Pawlak	...	Member of The Souvenirs Band
Kipp Chambers	...	Boy at Dance
Dallas Johnson	...	Dallas
Stuart Greer	...	Officer Huggins
Jeff Bragg	...	Jed Barksdale
Danny Elfman	...	Tommy Lee Ballard
S.D. Stephens	...	Deputy on Shore
Samuel E. Parlin Jr.	...	Deputy in Boat
Ed Reddick	...	Judge
Rebecca Koon	...	Buddy's Mother
Erik Cord	...	Buddy's Father
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cameron Beach	...	Enforcer for the Barksdales (uncredited)
Sam Edens	...	Member of Barksdale Clan (uncredited)
Earl Maddox	...	Barksdale (uncredited)
Ray Wineteer	...	Juror (uncredited)
Yvetta Young	...	Family Friend (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Raimi

Writing credits (WGA)
Billy Bob Thornton		(written by) &
Tom Epperson		(written by)

Produced by
Grant Curtis	....	associate producer
Sean Daniel	....	executive producer
Gregory Goodman	....	executive producer
James Jacks	....	producer
Gary Lucchesi	....	producer
Tom Rosenberg	....	producer
Ted Tannebaum	....	executive producer
Robert G. Tapert	....	executive producer (as Rob Tapert)
Richard S. Wright	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Christopher Young

Cinematography by
Jamie Anderson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Arthur Coburn
Bob Murawski

Casting by
Deborah Aquila

Production Design by
Neil Spisak

Set Decoration by
Marthe Pineau

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Kelly Jefferson	....	assistant makeup artist (as Kelley Gore Jefferson)
Emanuel Millar	....	hair styling designer (as Manny Millar)
Morag Ross	....	makeup artist: Ms. Blanchett
Morag Ross	....	supervising makeup artist
Monty Schuth	....	assistant hair stylist
Deborah Ball	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Jeff Goodwin	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Chris Varosky	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Mary Courtney	....	production supervisor (as Mary J. Courtney)
Gregory Goodman	....	unit production manager
James McQuaide	....	post-production supervisor
Richard S. Wright	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stacey Beneville	....	second second assistant director
Bac DeLorme	....	second assistant director (as Bac Delorme)
Eric Heffron	....	first assistant director
Kurt Uebersax	....	dga trainee

Art Department
C. Scott Baker	....	assistant art director
David Becton	....	greensperson
Erin Fite	....	art department coordinator
Patrick Fuhrman	....	set dresser
Gloria Ann 'Twinkle' Groover	....	greensperson
Stephanie Kern	....	paint foreperson
Andy Krish	....	lead person
Martin Lasowitz	....	property master
Scott A. Lawson	....	set dresser (as Scott Lawson)
Rebecca Leonard	....	paint foreperson
Jeffrey Lynch	....	conceptual artist
Jeffrey Lynch	....	storyboard artist
Thomas Michael Ryan	....	general foreperson (as Michael Ryan)
Jeffrey Schlatter	....	construction coordinator
Martin Smith	....	greensperson
David Stephan	....	storyboard artist
Drew Sywanyk	....	on-set dresser
Jess Tucker	....	set dressing buyer
Angie Woodard	....	property assistant
Michael Zadresny	....	assistant property master (as Mike Zadrosny)
Chris Crowder	....	foreman (uncredited)
Susan Dennis	....	assistant property buyer (uncredited)
J. Luther Jones III	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Stephanie Macomber	....	stand-by painter (uncredited)
William Scot Noonan	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Thomas Michael Ryan	....	foreman (uncredited)
Scott D. Warner	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mark Allen	....	sound effects editor
Robert Batha	....	first assistant sound editor
Kelly Cabral	....	supervising sound editor
C. Douglas Cameron	....	boom operator
Kerry Ann Carmean	....	sound effects editor (as Kerry Carmean)
Mark Choi	....	adr editor (as Mark Hushik Choi)
Valerie Davidson	....	foley editor
Robert Fernandez	....	sound mixing engineer
Robert Fernandez	....	sound recording engineer
Paul Flinchbaugh	....	assistant sound editor
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Kimaree Long	....	dialogue editor
Gerard K. Marino	....	additional sound recordist
James Moriana	....	foley artist (as Jimmy Moriana)
Ed Novick	....	production sound mixer
Kelly Oxford	....	adr editor
Andy Potvin	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Michael Rayle	....	cable person
Brad Sherman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Melissa Sherwood Hofmann	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Melissa S. Hofmann)
Steve Smith	....	assistant sound engineer
Lauren Stephens	....	dialogue editor
Jon Title	....	supervising sound editor
Drew Webster	....	digital sound mix technician
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist (as Jeff Wilhoit)
Greg Zimmerman	....	foley recordist
Brian Basham	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Kimaree Long	....	adr editor (uncredited)
Jeff Toyne	....	additional sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Michelle Crawford	....	special effects laborer
Vern Hyde	....	special effects coordinator
Scott Mobley	....	special effects technician
Lisa Reynolds	....	special effects foreperson

Visual Effects by
Kelly G. Crawford	....	editor: Illusion Arts Inc.
Peter Donen	....	visual effects supervisor
Syd Dutton	....	visual effects supervisor: Illusion Arts Inc.
David Dwiggins	....	effects photography supervisor
Fumi Mashimo	....	animator: Illusion Arts Inc. (as Fumi Mashimo)
Kelvin McIlwain	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts Inc.
Kenneth Nakada	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts Inc.
Henric Nieminen	....	effects photography coordinatior (as Heinric Niemenin)
Catherine Sudolcan	....	producer: Illusion Arts
Bill Taylor	....	visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.
Mike Wassel	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts Inc. (as Michael Wassel)
David S. Williams Jr.	....	lead compositor: Illusion Arts Inc.
Chris Crowell	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Ken Dackermann	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Jim Pearson	....	underwater coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Gregory Brunkalla	....	stunts
James M. Churchman	....	stunts (as Jim Churchman)
Kathy Dicker	....	stunts
Christina Ritzi	....	stunts
Steven Ritzi	....	stunts (as Steve Ritzi)
Ramsey Scott	....	stunts
Brandon Sebek	....	stunt double: Giovanni Ribisi
Mark Stefanich	....	stunt coordinator
Chad Stahelski	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Adam Alphin	....	second assistant camera
Greg Banta	....	assistant chief lighting technician
James 'Booze' Bonsignore	....	grip (as James Bonsignore)
Michael Bonsignore	....	grip
Chip Byrd	....	second assistant camera
Lex Camp	....	grip
Billy Clevenger	....	camera operator (as Bill Clevenger)
Matt Doll	....	grip
David Dunbar	....	rigging lighting technician
Michael S. Endler	....	first assistant camera (as Michael Endler)
Dan Lynch	....	second company grip
Mark McDevitt	....	camera loader
Billy Merrell	....	grip (as Bill Merrill)
David L. Merrill	....	first company grip (as David Merrill)
David Morton	....	chief lighting technician
Melissa Moseley	....	still photographer
Monty Rowan	....	camera operator
Monty Rowan	....	director of photography: second unit
Steve Skinner	....	grip
Dascious Thomas	....	rigging grip
Dan Turek	....	first assistant camera
Troy N. Wade	....	grip (as Troy Wade)
William D. Wynn	....	dolly grip (as Billy Wynn)
David Ellis	....	electrical technician (uncredited)
Harrison Palmer	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Leigh French	....	voice casting
Shay Griffin	....	location casting (as Shay Bentley-Griffin)
Dianne Lynn	....	location casting
Melissa Maxfield	....	location casting
Kelly O'Brien	....	casting assistant
Cristi Rickey	....	extras casting coordinator
Tricia Wood	....	casting associate
Chad Darnell	....	location casting assistant (uncredited)
David Pollison	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Layne Brightwell	....	supervising costumer (as Layne Brightwell-Werner)
Dorothy Masters	....	costumer
Dorothy Masters	....	seamstress
Wendy Moynihan	....	costumer
Hope Slepak	....	costume supervisor (as Hope B. Slepak)
Sanford Slepak	....	assistant costume designer (as Sandy Slepak)

Editorial Department
Winnie Cheng	....	post-production coordinator
Catherine L. Cusimano	....	assistant editor (as Catherine Cusimano)
Paul Hart	....	first assistant editor
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Peter Kwong	....	apprentice editor
Michael Rafferty	....	first assistant editor (as Mike Rafferty)
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Ewa Zbroniec	....	assistant editor
Harry Muller	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer
Andrew Hausmann	....	score coordinator
Tanya Noel Hill	....	music editor
Chris Innis	....	music editor
Simon James	....	music contractor
Derrick Lefebvre	....	score coordinator
Christopher S. Parker	....	music coordinator
Robert Puff	....	music preparation
Jasper Randall	....	scoring coordinator
Adam Stern	....	conductor
Paul S. Henning	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Bill Liston	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Flavio Motalla	....	score producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Cindy Parker	....	transportation coordinator
J.L. Parker	....	transportation captain
Robert Ballentine	....	transportation (uncredited)
Christie Chaplin	....	driver (uncredited)
Roy A. Grace	....	driver (uncredited)
Chuck Graydon	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Kathleen Alcorn	....	production assistant
Brad Banks	....	electrical technician
Samantha Barker	....	synthesizer coordinator
Steven Bernstein	....	production assistant
Steve Cainas	....	production coordinator
Dan Callahan	....	production assistant
Kathleen Callahan	....	craft service (as Kathleen 'Kat' Callahan)
Dan Carter	....	location projectionist
Gina Cascino	....	location manager
Julie Cummings	....	production assistant
Renee Derossett	....	animal handler: "Butch"
Anna Downing	....	production auditor
Tom Fendley	....	electrical technician
Billy Fields	....	medic
Julie Ford	....	production assistant
Clinton Lee Futch Jr.	....	production assistant (as Lee Futch Jr.)
Jillian Gallant	....	production assistant
Karen Golden	....	script supervisor
Grant Grabowski	....	production coordinator: Lakeshore Entertainment
Douglas Hansen	....	production financing
J. Cindy Hill	....	assistant: Mr. Goodman and Mr. Jacks
Stephanie Huntsinger	....	auditor
Calise Kerns	....	production assistant
Tatiana Komlos	....	assistant production coordinator
Douglas Leme	....	production assistant
Jordan Lewis	....	production assistant
Jeffrey Lynch	....	creative supervisor: second unit (as Jeffery Lynch)
Gerard K. Marino	....	synthesizer programmer
Shane Meador	....	production assistant
Michael Mendelsohn	....	financial consultant: Patriot Advisors
Carla Meyer	....	dialect coach
Brian Keith Miller	....	assistant location manager (as B.K. Miller)
David Muscatine	....	first assistant auditor
Ben Noble	....	electrical technician
Colleen Nybo	....	post-production auditor
Ed O'Briant	....	electrical technician
Leigh Oblinger	....	unit publicist
Willow Reed	....	assistant: Mr. Rosenberg
Renee Rigenhagen	....	assistant: Mr. Rosenberg
Mike Satterfield	....	electrical technician
Brandon Schiffman	....	production assistant
Bryen Shannon	....	production assistant
Brian Sheil	....	production assistant
Jerrell Skinner	....	assistant production coordinator
Anja Stadelmann	....	supervisor: second unit
A. Jon Stitch	....	assistant synthesizer coordinator
Jeff Tapert	....	craft service
Jerri Whiteman	....	auditor
Bob Williams	....	electrical technician (as Robert Williams)
Amy Denning Winfrey	....	auditor
Joseph Woolf	....	production financing
Andrew J. Young	....	location scout (as Andy Young)
Bill Gula	....	photosonics operator (uncredited)
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative (uncredited)
Matthew Krueger	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Shanda Lee Munson	....	photo double: Katie Holmes (uncredited)
Todd Peterson	....	stand-in: Keanu Reeves (uncredited)
Senia Phillips	....	animal trainer: dogs (uncredited)
Chad Stahelski	....	stand-in: Keanu Reeves (uncredited)
Ty Warren	....	assistant: Sean Daniel (uncredited)
Amy Denning Winfrey	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
Peter Afterman	....	thanks
Robert L. Benun	....	thanks
Sue Binder	....	thanks
Andrew Boyd	....	thanks
Christine Buckley	....	thanks
Robert Burke	....	thanks
John Edward	....	thanks
Jim Goodkind	....	thanks
Virginia Longmuir	....	thanks
Klein Mayes	....	thanks
David Pollison	....	thanks
W.R. Portee	....	thanks (as Dr. W.R. Portee)
Jay M. Self	....	thanks: Savannah Film Commission (as Jay Self)
Rhooby Sue	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Lakeshore Entertainment
• Alphaville Films (as Alphaville)

Distributors

• Lakeshore Entertainment (2000) (worldwide) (all media)
• Paramount Classics (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• Eurocine (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Helkon Filmverleih GmbH (2001) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2001) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Redbus Film Distribution (2001) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (Canada) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Laurus Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Net5 (2004) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Paramount Pictures (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (re-release)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2004) (2005) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• Sociedad General de Derechos Audiovisuales (SOGEDASA) (Spain)
• Star Movie Amusements (Paraguay)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Bangladesh) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Bhutan) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (India) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Maldives) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Nepal) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Pakistan) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Sri Lanka) (all media)

Special Effects

• Illusion Arts (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies by
• City of Savannah, Georgia  thanks
• City of Springfield, Georgia  thanks
• City of Thunderbolt, Georgia  thanks
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color
• Effington County Board of Commissioners  thanks
• Entertainment Finance Group  production financing provided by
• Georgia Film Commission  thanks
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty provided by
• Ken and Art's Catering  catering
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Northwest Sinfonia  orchestra
• Orbit Digital  avid editing systems provided by
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Paramount Pictures  scenes from "Heckle and Jeckle" courtesy of
• Patriot Advisors  financial consulting
• Peabody Essex Museum  "America" painting by Fitz-Hugh Lane courtesy of
• Savannah Film Commission  thanks
• Soundelux  post-production sound services by
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording services by
• Union Bank of California  production financing provided by
• Will Records  soundtrack
• Xtreme/Music Works Studio  music recorded at

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language, and sexuality/nudity

Runtime:

112 min | USA:111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating on appeal) | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #37790) | Malaysia:18PL (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Philippines:PG-13 | Japan:PG-12

Filming Locations:

Effingham County, Georgia, USA

Company:

Lakeshore Entertainment

Trivia:

Cameo: [Danny Elfman]the composer appears as a fiddle player in one of the dream sequences.

Goofs:

Continuity: Annie is bleeding on the dock from her head, and in a close up the blood runs down her cheek into the corner of her mouth. In the shots following, however, all the traces of blood disappear from her cheek and mouth, and move to the side of her face.

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?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Holliston: Weekend of Horrors: Part 1 (#1.9)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Hide Away

A compelling, genuinely intriguing, very well-acted mystery/thriller

Cate Blanchett's performance alone make this solid thriller worth watching. I saw her in this movie, and I became baffled as to why she wasn't considered for an Oscar nomination. She carries this film on her shoulders, and never once budges. Not only does she totally get rid of her Australian accent and perfectly don a Southern accent, but she gives a deep, powerful performance as the innocent widow, Annie Wilson, who is looked down by many in her community but simply wants to share her psychic gifts with her willing clients. Blanchett communicates great emotion with a simple facial expression.

Of course, I also have to give it up for the multi-talented supporting cast. Though most of them, with the exception of Hilary Swank, couldn't really nail down the Southern accent, they are absolutely terrific. The only actor I felt was miscast was Katie Holmes. Not only is her accent phony and over-the-top, but she just seems too young and innocent for the role. Giovanni Ribisi, on the other hand, is a revelation. I knew, ever since his breakthrough performance in "Suburbia," that he had great promise as an up-and-coming actor, but in "The Gift" he delivers his most powerful performance up-to-date. I would even argue that he deserved an Oscar nod. He constantly stirs up sympathy in his audience, despite his mental instability and momentary outbursts of anger. I was also extremely impressed with Keanu Reeves, who delivers a genuinely haunting performance. It's times like this where I just can't fathom why many people still insist on picking on Keanu, regarding him as dull and cardboard. Personally, I thought he was great ever since his emotional performance in "Permanent Record." But he better demonstrates his versatility as an actor as the abusive Donny. He made his debut, as a villain, in the throwaway thriller "The Watcher," but I found him much more haunting in this role. Plus, he sports a rugged look, totally shedding his pretty-boy image. Greg Kinnear is good and subtle, and Hilary Swank continues to flaunt her brilliant acting abilities as the vulnerable wife of Donny who constantly takes beatings from him, yet still maintains her love for him.

The story is very intriguing, revolving around a cast of colorful characters. This isn't a "scary" movie as it somewhat looks in the previews, but it is full of mystery and thrills, without cheaply going for shock value. There is a nifty twist at the end, which is credible and not thrown from left field, but the plot isn't packed with surprises. We're simply going along on an emotional journey, through the mind of our protagonist, Annie, and that's how the tension is created. Sam Raimi creates a haunting mood and Billy Bob Thornton wrote a fine script. The story is easy-to-follow, and not as mind-bending as some of these other supernatural thrillers. Just keep in mind that this is not a horror movie. But it's a good mystery and a good mood piece and a damn good film altogether.

My score: 7 (out of 10)