The Ultimate Gift

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Ultimate Gift
Directed by Michael O. Sajbel
Produced by Rick Eldridge
Jim Van Eerden
Written by Jim Stovall (novel)
Cheryl McKay (screenplay)
Starring James Garner
Drew Fuller
Abigail Breslin
Ali Hillis
Brian Dennehy
Brett Rice
Donna Cherry
Music by Mark McKenzie
Cinematography Brian Baugh
Distributed by Fox Faith
Language English
IMDb profile

The Ultimate Gift is a film based on author Jim Stovall's bestselling novel released on March 9, 2007 in 816 theaters.[1] The film was not well attended and produced low box office receipts, though DVD sales were quite high in relation to its theatrical receipts.

Contents

[edit] Plot

When his rich grandfather, Red Stevens (portrayed by James Garner) died, Jason (Drew Fuller) thought he was going to inherit a piece of the old man's multi-billion dollar estate, but it came with a condition. In order to get his share of the willed inheritance, Jason must complete 12 separate assignments within a year. Each assignment is centered around a "gift". The gifts of money, friends and learning are among the dozen that Jason must learn before he is eligible for the mysterious "Ultimate Gift" his grandfather's will has for him.

At one point everything is taken from him and he lives as a homeless man; another time he visits a developing country where even old library books are a treasure. Along the way, the movie spins a side story that was not in the novel, adding a romantic interest, Alexia (Ali Hillis), and her daughter Emily, an outspoken mysterious girl (Abigail Breslin) who, unbeknowst to Jason, is dying from leukemia. All throughout the movie, Jason helps Emily to have a great life while it lasts. As Jason works through these twelve gifts in twelve months, he comes to see Red Stevens as more than a dead billionaire. At the end of the film when he chooses to use his entire inheritance to build a hospital for cancer patients and their families. He has exceeded the expectations of his dead grandfather and receives one final "gift", making him a billionaire. Emily dies of leukemia, and Alexia and Jason pray for her.

[edit] The Twelve Gifts

  • The Gift of Work
  • The Gift of Problems
  • The Gift of Friends
  • The Gift of Giving
  • The Gift of Gratitude
  • The Gift of Family
  • The Gift of Learning
  • The Gift of Money
  • The Gift of Laughter
  • The Gift of a Day
  • The Gift of Dreams
  • The Gift of Love (which leads to the Ultimate Gift)

[edit] Cast and crew

James Garner, the well-known actor, plays the mysterious Red Stevens. In the leading male role is Drew Fuller, the well-known TV actor from WB's long-running series Charmed. Drew described performing in the movie as "an actor's dream."[2] Ali Hillis of Must Love Dogs is the leading lady. The cast is joined by Academy Award-nominated actress Abigail Breslin. ReelTalk applauded Breslin, remarking that she "matches her Oscar-nominated work in Little Miss Sunshine with a brilliant performance."

The film is produced by Jim Van Eerden and Rick Eldridge, directed by Michael O. Sajbel and written by Cheryl McKay. Costumes were designed by Jane Anderson (Rudy, Hoosiers) with makeup by John Bayless (Cold Mountain, The New World).

[edit] Critical reception

The movie was given generally mediocre reviews from movie critics, although many that would not recommend the movie respected the sentimentality, but found it too sweet for their tastes. On Rotten Tomatoes, The Ultimate Gift has a 32% overall approval (56 reviews with a 5.1/10 average rating) but only 15% approval from top critics (13 reviews with a 4.1/10 average rating).[3] On Metacritic the film has a rating of 49 out of 100 based on 16 reviews.[4]

Among the harsher reviews the The New York Times reviewer said, "Reeking of self-righteousness and moral reprimand, [the movie] is a hairball of good-for-you filmmaking......[T]he movie’s messages — pro-poverty, anti-abortion — are methodically hammered home."[5] John Anderson of Newsday, called the movie "cartoonish and broad," and commented on the surprising obsession with material possessions,[6] while The Washington Post noted, "There's nothing wrong with the moral of The Ultimate Gift's story; in fact there's everything right about it. But director Michael O. Sajbel too often succumbs to movie-of-the-week sentimentality and starchy pacing."[7]

Christianity Today felt the film warranted 2.5 out of 4 stars and called it "lovingly crafted ... but never manages to build up much mystery, suspense, tension, or narrative steam."[8]. Joe Leydon of Variety was favorably impressed and noted that "Discussions of faith and God are fleeting, almost subliminal -- without stinting on the celebration of wholesome family values."[9] William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes "Its sincerity, optimism and air of open-minded tolerance go down well, and it makes a nice change-of-pace."[10]

The Washington Post and The Hollywood Reporter both thought highly of Breslin's performance as the young girl calling her "captivating" and referring to her "charm," respectively.[7][11] Indeed, it was a common theme for those who both recommended the movie and those who did not to praise Breslin's role.

[edit] Box office and DVD sales

The Ultimate Gift opened quietly with receipts of 1.2 million USD its first weekend. As a result, many theaters dropped the film, causing a drastic slide in screens and ticket sales. As of May 6, the movie had grossed a total of just over 3.4 million USD.[1] DVD sales were $9.55 million in the first two months following its release.[1]

[edit] Locations

Despite simulated South American scenes, the movie was shot mostly on location in North Carolina, specifically in Charlotte.

[edit] Advance screenings

Because of the philanthropic message of the film, charities in a handful of communities sponsored advance screenings of The Ultimate Gift to coincide with National Philanthropy Day 2006. Among such regional screenings was one in Richmond, Virginia, organized in partnership by The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia Bon Secours Health Care Foundation, Richmond Jewish Foundation and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Professor Paul Schervish of Boston College was among those in attendance for the event. Another pre-screening took place on February 22, 2007, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, under the auspices of the United Way of Southeast Missouri. In addition, organizations such as Bernhardt Wealth Management of McLean, VA have held private screenings for their clients. Bernhardt Wealth Management hosted such a screening on February 24th.

[edit] Movie cost and underwriting

The movie was financed with $14 million from the Stanford Financial Group, a wealth management firm based in Houston. Stanford showed the movie to prospective clients at private screenings and according to an executive of the firm, they were able to track a number of multimillion-dollar relationships that resulted because of the film.[12]

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c The Ultimate Gift. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 2007-05-25.
  2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Nv1BTuz84 Drew Fuller interview, on YouTube.com website.
  3. ^ The Ultimate Gift (2007). Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  4. ^ The Ultimate Gift (2007): Reviews. Metacritic. Retrieved on 2007-04-09.
  5. ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette. "Grandpa’s Legacy, Beyond Cash", The New York Times, 2006-03-09. Retrieved on 2007-03-09. 
  6. ^ Anderson, John. "A prodigal son's quest for redemption", Newsday, 2006-03-09. Retrieved on 2007-03-09. 
  7. ^ a b Hornaday, Ann. "The Ultimate Gift", The Washington Post, 2006-03-09. Retrieved on 2007-03-09. 
  8. ^ Arends, Carolyn (March 9, 2007). The Ultimate Gift. Christianity Today. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
  9. ^ Leydon, Joe (March 8, 2007). The Ultimate Gift. Variety. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
  10. ^ Arnold, William (March 8, 2007). 'Ultimate Gift' makes the most of its faith package. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  11. ^ Scheck, Frank (March 8, 2007). The Ultimate Gift. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
  12. ^ Farnham, Alan. "You're Pulling My Legacy", Forbes, 2006-03-12. Retrieved on 2007-03-09. 

[edit] External links