Review: The Gift (2015)

The Gift

This, a directorial debut for Joel Edgerton (actor, Zero Dark Thirty), is a fantastically written and implemented psychological thriller along the lines of Old Boy(2003) and The Hand that Rocks the Cradle(1992). Joel has shown tremendous maturity as a director with his first film itself, and he executes every element close to perfection. The film is a dark play of psychologies of the battles between the bully and the bullied. Unlike Old Boy though, he doesn't add layers of emotions or melodrama but pure thrills which again works for the way he directs. The music definitely lacks a bit of a punch but the raw acting, dark suspenseful cinematography and a lonely themed production design is terrific. He's surpassed many acclaimed directors in bringing it all together with so much sync. Don't hate me for this but I think comparing debut films, this is better directed than Reservoir Dogs, 400 Blows, Gone Baby Gone or even Citizen Kane (I'm only talking about direction here, not about the story arch or its influence in pop culture).
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