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The Gift

Expectations-defying psycho-thriller

The affluent lives of Jason Bateman & Rebecca Hall (perfectly cast) hit a snag when they bump into a seedy former high-school classmate, a creep who wants to be friends and “let bygones be bygones.” What does he mean by that? He starts by leaving little gifts on their doorstep. Now, you’re thinking a formulaic home-invasion terror flick, right? With maybe a bloody fight in the kitchen at the end. Well, no. Joel Edgerton’s assured directorial debut (he also wrote the script and plays the creep), confounds genre expectations at every turn. I’ll tell you no more, but go see this clever, original thriller. (108 min)