The Gift

Joel Edgerton certainly isn't a bad director at all, as he managed to make his feature debut almost an A plus. The problem is the denouement of the story, which is a dusty copy of several other films, as others have mentioned here. But I applaud the atmosphere, the performances, and the occasionally solid suspense. Overall, it's kind of an average 3 stars. (12/02/2019)

I have to say that I like Joel Edgerton more and more. And he is going so far that apart from acting, he tries his luck in the role of a director, and as a director, he has completely won me over with the movie The Gift. A thriller which is suspenseful from the beginning until the end and at the same time it references the best movies from the genre and on top of that, it is completely believable and realistic. There is nothing too over the top, as movies often are. And on top of that, the finale sets off in such a way that the viewer cannot even afford to blink so that they wouldn’t lose a minute of suspense. Good job Joel! (05/17/2016)

A nice little present, though Hřebejk tackled a very similar theme with much more effect and grace in Honeymoon. I can't fault the film in terms of craftsmanship, and I give it a thumbs up for that one brilliant jump-scare, but the ending didn't make my jaw drop, it simply fizzled out. A good debut nonetheless, Joel Edgerton. (04/10/2016)

A well-constructed story that relies on the fact that it's never really clear who the asshole is and who isn't. That is also true for the ending. Good progression that doesn't go to extremes, but primarily a well-executed psychological game that shows Edgerton's talent in multiple ways. Just looking at him will give you chills. And surprisingly, also Bateman. (11/09/2015)

What the advertising sold as a run-of-the-mill stalker thriller it’s actually an ambitious and smart psychological drama with only hints of the genre elements of thriller and horror (the film probably has the ugliest jump scare of the year). Even after the end, the film is a fable with lots of empty spaces that could be easily filled with fairly different versions of the events, which makes for post-viewing debates. Certainly, a surprise from first-time director Joel Egerton, I hope he’ll get back behind the cameras soon. (09/06/2015)