Author Topic: The Gift (2015)  (Read 822 times)

1SO

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The Gift (2015)
« on: October 28, 2020, 10:11:37 PM »


It’s been 5 years now, and I need to have a conversation about the end of this film, which I don’t think gets enough credit for its cleverness.

To refresh people’s memory, the film sets up the expectation that Edgerton’s Gordon is going to become a crazed stalker to Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall), probably because he’s jealous of Simon’s success and desires Robyn. In most situations this would be a horror movie ripe with surprise jump-scare appearances and a finale that has Bateman and Edgerton fighting with sharp objects, probably while sustaining cuts and/or bleeding from the face. Before I even get to the ending, it’s remarkable that none of this happens. It’s a horror movie where no people die, and in an early scene where Gordo is standing outside their front door, there’s no music or amped up sound effect. He’s just there, real creepy not fake scary.

Where the film turns away from the expected is the gradual reveal of Simon’s past as a bully. It’s a side of him we’ve already seen, but as the hero of our story it was done in easily dismissible ways. I’ve seen countless films where we get a flawed hero who maybe took part in something long ago but was never so directly involved. The present-day version would be full of remorse, but adult Simon here still slips easily into the tormentor. The film reveals Simon to be the true villain while Gordo is given more reasons why his revenge plot is possible and maybe even justified.

I’ve read a number of people who believe Gordo is the father of Robyn’s child, that he drugged her and raped her. However, that’s not what the film presents. We’re in a situation where Simon is a bad person (continuing to bully his way through life), but IF Gordo actually raped Robyn, he’s unforgivable. Even his traumatic past cannot justify it. Instead, Simon learns that the child might be Gordo’s and that it will never be known. While there’s plenty of evidence for Simon to believe Gordo might’ve done it, there’s no proof either way. That’s the punishment, not a rape but the uncertainty that will haunt Simon forever. ”It’s amazing how an idea can take hold and really bring a person down.” Gordo echoing Simons words back to him is the final exclamation point to show that the punishment truly fits the crime.


A secondary thought. There’s another possible road Edgerton could’ve gone down with the script where Robyn is more complicit, where she chooses to get back at her husband by having an affair with Gordo. While there is reasoning for Robyn to want her own turn of the tables, especially when she spends most of the movie defending Gordo and even liking him, this puts her on morally shaky ground, and I don’t think an audience would be satisfied going along with it.

jdc

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Re: The Gift (2015)
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2021, 10:45:28 PM »
I remember enjoying this but largely forgotten.  Will see if I can find for a re-watch before reading the spoiler thread
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