THE GIFT

Joel Edgerton stars as the arch-villain in this unnerving mystery thriller, which he also wrote, produced and directed.

A young married couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall), move to Los Angeles and have a chance encounter with Gordo (Edgerton), a sinister school friend from Simon’s past.

Gifts start appearing on their doorstep followed by unannounced visits, and this rekindled “friendship” has dire consequences on their marriage.

Edgerton is compelling as the socially inept Gordo and his directorial debut is remarkable, keeping audiences at the edge of their seats.

Not an entirely original story, but movie-goers should be enthralled by the nail-biting suspense and the clichéd scare tactics commonly utilized in films of this genre. The twists and turns in storylines will have audiences questioning the true identity of the villain.

This psychological spine-chiller reinforces Edgerton’s astute talent both behind and in front of the cameras. (MMo)

***1/2