|
|
Raimi's latest thriller replaces the snowy north and cold gaze of Bridget Fonda for Cate Blanchett's undeniable warmth in a southern Gothic thriller. She plays the local small town's psychic and shrink. A recent widow (still stricken with guilt for not warning her husband before his untimely death), she makes ends meet by reading cards and counseling more of the lower class townspeople like battered wife Hillary Swank (against the wishes of her violent husband, played by Keanu Reeves) and the seriously troubled Giovanni Ribisi. Solving the death of a promiscuous girl (Katie Holmes) of the country club set leads to Blanchett, whose visions and help are both sought. However, she must also dart the many poison arrows of the town's disbelievers who seem ready for a witchhunt. The title of the film, The Gift, is obviously ironic, as Blanchett's character explains when on the stand as a witness. What sort of a gift is it be to be beleaguered by harrowing images night and day and watching the people you care for suffer? On the other hand, her connections to the other world and visitors from the past (i.e. her grandmother) make the present easier to bear. The film boasts a very strong cast indeed. Blanchett shows yet another dimension to her depth and her performance is riveting and full of soul. Keanu Reeves is excellent as an insecure redneck and is almost unrecognizable. Hillary Swank doesn't have all that much to do as a battered wife, while Giovani Ribisi alternates between credibility and overzealousness. Greg Kinnear flexes a new muscle as someone you can't completely trust. Raimi keeps the “who done it” aspect of the story engrossing and fast paced. Up until the end it's hard to know who the killer is. From the violent redneck to his angry wife, from the cuckolded fiance to a prosecutor with a secret to hide, anyone could be the potential killer who's dumped a girl in a lake. Raimi is masterful at giving his audience the willies. Even a scene involving Blanchett walking to her bedroom to uncover the source of a suspicious noise is pregnant with suspense. From the open windows to Blanchett's horrible premonitions, you're always waiting for a guy in a ski mask or a bloated corpse to jump out at you. The selflessness of Blanchett's character Annie, and her acceptance of those around her, tempers the darker sides of the tale. When executed flawlessly, the familiar tale of search for a murderer and the courtroom scenes inevitably involved are rendered absorbing with a talented cast and director.
 |
|
