The Gift (2015)
I'm not just open to original films: I crave them. An original film makes my viewing experience incredibly difficult because I can have trouble separating the originality from the quality of film-making present. So, when I sat down to watch The Gift , I was treated (for the first act of the film, at least) to a semi-routine stalker thriller. Honestly, it was well-directed, well-acted, and decently written. It just didn't pull me to the edge of my seat all that often. The premise of The Gift is at least unique in a way: upon moving to a new area, a man, Simon, and his wife Robyn are approached by Gordo, one of his high school classmates, who mysteriously leaves gifts on their doorstep and shows up uninvited at their house repeatedly. The device of the gifts on the doorstep is interesting and well-executed, as we see how intrusive Gordo can be early on. However, the film remains trapped in itself for most of the first act, developing not unlike other psychological thrill...