Movies
[Review] ‘The Gift’ Is a Surprisingly Effective Psychological Drama!
The best way to watch STX Entertainment’s new film The Gift is to go in knowing as little about the film as possible. The trailers are marketing the film as a psychological revenge thriller, and while that is sort of true, what you will get is something more along the lines of a European psychological drama. This will undoubtedly divide audiences, who will enter expecting a Lifetime-y soap opera (which is what I thought the film looked like).
After moving to his hometown to start a new chapter of their lives, Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall), they cross paths with Gordo (Joel Edgerton), an acquaintance from Simon’s school days. Once Gordo begins making unwarranted house calls and leaving random gifts at their doorstep, Simon and Rebecca ask Gordo to leave them alone. This sets off a chain of events that lead Rebecca to dig into Simon and Gordo’s history with each other. That is all you need to know about the film. Now go see it.
Written and directed by Edgerton himself, The Gift is a huge surprise from the first-time director. He clearly knows how to work a camera, as many shots of the film are haunting and desolate. It can be tricky to pull off the trifecta of directing, writing, and starring in a film, but Edgerton pulls it off with aplomb.
Bateman is the complete opposite of Michael Bluth here. A common complaint I have about him is that he always plays the same character. That is not the case in The Gift. From the start, Simon is extremely unlikable with almost no redeeming qualities. It is refreshing to see Bateman get down and dirty with the role, but his character’s detestability makes you wonder why Robyn got married to him in the first place. A certain suspension of disbelief is required to buy into it.
Faring even better is Hall as Robyn. Hall has flown under the radar for quite some time, always playing a supporting role in films (though she did receive a Golden Globe nomination for Vicky Cristina Barcelona), but The Gift should get her some much deserved attention. She portrays Robyn as a smart, resourceful woman who isn’t just “the wife.” When she begins to doubt her sanity, you really feel for her (and loathe her husband). It is a role reminiscent of Michelle Pfeiffer’s in What Lies Beneath.
Supporting turns by Allison Tolman, Busy Phillips and Tim Griffin, while minor, are also strong. Of particular note is Tolman, whose breakout role in FX’s Fargo series earlier this year really put her on the map. She doesn’t have any standout moments in this film, but she is the most prominent side character and provides a much-needed support system for Hall’s character.
What The Gift does remarkably well is have the characters mirror the audience’s thoughts. As soon as I found myself thinking “she should do this,” someone on screen would say my thought out loud. It’s refreshing to have that happen in a film, as it shows that these characters are at least moderately intelligent.
As mentioned above, The Gift is a slow burn. It takes a little bit of time for it to really get going (we must sit through three dinner scenes in the first 30 minutes), but it’s never boring. There aren’t any big action set-pieces, nor are there any jaw-dropping twists (though plot twists are present). Horror fans will be happy to know that there are only two jump scares in the whole movie, but they are actually handled well (other filmmakers, take note).
Like this year’s It Follows, many people may walk out of The Gift with a feeling of “that’s it?” It is a film that will stick with you for days, though (I’m on day 2 as of this writing and can’t stop thinking about it). You will probably find yourself liking it more and more the more you think about it. The Gift is absolutely worthy of becoming the sleeper hit of the summer.
Movies
‘Tha Rae: The Exorcist’ Review: Gory Thai Possession Horror Faithfully Adheres to the Tropes [NYAFF 2026]
Possession films are an exceedingly common subgenre in horror to the point that far too many of them feel far too familiar. This is a generalization, obviously, but it too often seems that someone is possessed, a representative from the area’s dominant religion is called in, and a fierce spiritual battle comes to a dramatic conclusion. The idea that the demon in question always happens to be of the exorcist’s faith and denomination is simply chalked up to plot necessity.
Tha Rae: The Exorcist adds an intriguing wrinkle into that trope by introducing a demonic entity that rebuffs both a Catholic priest and a local Yao shaman. It’s only when the two join forces that they’re able to put up a fight against the evil being.
The film opens with a Catholic exorcist out of options. A possessed child writhes before him, pustules and other signs of devilish control wracking the little girl’s body with snarls and contortions. Unable to beat the demon, and unwilling to let it grow stronger and move to another host, the priest convinces the child’s mother that death is the only choice left – so they plunge a knife into the girl’s heart.
Forty years later, it’s that same priest, Ming (Thaneth Warakulnukroh), who’s become possessed to the point of attacking and trying to eat other villagers. His daughter Malee (Nichaphat Chatchaipholra) arrives to check in on her father, but she too soon falls prey to a possessive entity with a taste for flesh. Two exorcists with wildly differing faiths and styles are called in – Sopha (Phiravich Attachitsataporn) is a self-described Yao witch doctor and TikTok exorcist who uses props, dance, theatricality, and ancestral spirits to combat the forces of evil, while Father Paolo (Jirayu Tangsrisuk) is entrenched in the traditions and rituals of the Catholic Church.
Photo: © 2025 SAHAMONGKOLFILM INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. North American Premiere
There’s both tragedy and betrayal at play in the narrative of Tha Rae: The Exorcist, but director/co-writer Taweewat Wantha puts the thematic focus on the collaboration and understanding required to go toe to toe with a deviously malevolent force. It’s an interesting spin on the expected formula, and while the rest of the film stumbles in its supporting players and follows more traditional beats – albeit with some fun, gooey gore – that core element is enough to make it stand apart from the crowd.
Wantha broke onto the film scene with 2004’s memorably titled Sars Wars: Bangkok Zombie Crisis and continued that trend with oddball genre comedies like The Sperm and Kindergarten War, but he found major success with the one-two horror punch of Death Whisperer and Death Whisperer 2. His latest is more in line with those hits as jump scares and local mythologies play into his creepy tale of possession and generational punishment.
Tha Rae: The Exorcist arguably has more personality and humor, and both are due in large part to the character of Sopha and the playful but sincere performance that brings it to life. Where Tangsrisuk is saddled with the more straightlaced priest, Attachitsataporn’s witch doctor enjoys his local celebrity and has fun while aiding his community. Sopha’s social media followers expect a show, and he delivers, but there’s an engaging dynamic at play within him.
Photo: © 2025 SAHAMONGKOLFILM INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. North American Premiere
Sopha’s grandmother was the original witch doctor, and he was just her apprentice. When she passed – and subsequently became the primary ancestral spirit that he calls upon during his rituals – Sopha took up the mantle. For one reason or another, continuing her legacy requires him to carry on with his more feminine foot forward. Makeup, costumes, and a feminine lilt to the way he walks and talks are all part of the show. He apologizes to Paulo for it, but there’s no shame in his words or tone as he embraces the gifts he holds and the power he wields.
There’s no disdain between the two even as they seem initially unimpressed by each other’s efforts. Eventually, though, after each has struck out in dramatic and painful fashion, they realize a combined approach to fighting this particular demon is the only way forward. It’s here where the film shines brightest with the idea that beliefs can intermingle and co-exist without the need for disdain or dismissal.
The two of them are the heart of Tha Rae: The Exorcist, but the meat and potatoes of the genre come in the form of creepy antics and a bit of the ol’ gut munching. Intestines are nibbled, a feral man bursts through floorboards to terrorize young girls, and the possessed have a generally unsettling look about them. Wantha too often neuters his atmosphere and mood, though, by jumping quickly to the gore. It cuts into the horror of it all, leaving the film to work in fits and bursts rather than as a cohesive, propulsive whole.
Shortcomings in both the script and direction prevent the film from coming close to denser, more memorable, and atmospheric possession horrors like It Comes or The Wailing, but its main theme and dual lead characters still offer up an intriguing combination.
Genre tropes exist for a reason, but Tha Rae: The Exorcist is a good reminder that they also exist to be twisted, teased, and, when necessary, torn to shreds.
Tha Rae: The Exorcist made its North American premiere at the 25th New York Asian Film Festival.
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