Drew Fuller plays the lead Jason and to be honest, the moment I saw him was like "isn't that Chris Halliwell from the television series Charmed" because I have to be honest after Charmed I don't remember seeing Drew anywhere else. The beautiful Ali Hillis also delivered an excellent performance. Through a taped interview just prior to his death Red outlines the twelve lessons Jason must learn if he is to inherit anything. Probably the most emotional character (and funny as well) was Emily and she did an amazing job all throughout. This is one of the most generic pieces of wannabe films I have ever seen! .avoid this movie ! The acting is good, but the cast itself really makes this movie special. I enjoyed it, I really did, the thing is that I know some people would turn away because of these flaws. For some reason this kind of sentimentality is lately acceptable in war movies, but rarely elsewhere. he was a terrible casting job. Having unworthy children with the exception of a son, who died in a plane crash, Garner decides to put that son's son, also selfish, through a series of tests to show him what life is really all about. Something the entire family can watch without stressing out over vulgar additions that normally ruin a film in the first place. The ultimate gift is a subtly movie that plays with the human sensitivity and leaves you wanting more, I did enjoy this movie more than I expected to. But not the George C. Scott version - gaggg! The shame of it is, that no-one seems to care, and that's sad! After the groundbreaking for Emily's Home, Jason is recalled to the law firm for one more meeting and told he has exceeded the expectations of his dead grandfather, and he is given the final gift of $2-billion dollars, rewarding Jason not only for his completing the tasks, but for using the $100-million to help others. Directed by Michael O. Sajbel Writing Credits ( WGA) Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification Produced by Music by Mark McKenzie Cinematography by Brian Baugh . It was truly a touching and inspirational movie. He and a local are held for an indeterminate amount of time. It was very inspirational! First is the Gift of Work as he's forced to dig fence posts for Gus (Brian Dennehy). Thats right, I said it. (I expect that her agent will be getting more than a few calls over the next few weeks). A cynic may proclaim it to be predictable and clichd but a movie this meaningful should not be viewed through cynical eyes. Jason and Alexia spend time together in the chapel where a priest is briefly visible kneeling in prayer. Jason gets 100 million to spend however he wants and comes up with a hospice-hospital for sick kids calling it Emilys House. Drew Fuller, who played the Jason Stevens character, was actually raised in a wealthy Orange County town located in California so he convincingly exudes the true spirit of a wealthy and privileged twenty-something single man. Every filmmaker on the planet has a purpose for his project and has a message to communicate. She is a parishioner at St. Pius X Church, Conyers. Much of the acting was stiff. He was homeless for a month but he barely got stubble. I missed The Ultimate Gift in theaters and want to know when it is coming out in DVD. It quickly gets worse. This movie has all the aspects of a great film; sure it's no Godfather, but its still and incredible flick. Most of the roles are one-dimensional--the crusty family lawyer, the greedy aunts and uncles, Jason's sexy scheming girlfriend, the tough Texas ranch owner, the Andean drug lords (don't ask), the private detective, and all the rest. My wife and I enjoyed this movie very much. I don't know much about God or or Jesus, but I can promise you that those arms are meant for you. On his mission trip, he was presented with the gift of problems and bravery. While imprisoned by Ecuadorian drug lords, Jasons local guide (in an adjacent cell) communicates scraps of wisdom such as, Neither love nor hate thy life. Because he used the $100,000,000 to yep others he is rewarded with $2,000,000,000 as his final gift. Also enjoyed the musical background - was a good compliment to the film. Not all, but a lot of people born to wealth never really appreciate what it is to earn and strive. There are simply not enough of this type of movie for me to enjoy. "The Ultimate Gift" is one of those movies that exists solely to reduce its audience to a quivering mass of throat lumps and tears while making them feel good about themselves and the world around them at the same time. If you are looking for a good family move, this is it. After all, Jason's spent countless thousands on her, this is his first ever credit card glitch and she has no real reason to believe he is detached from his great wealth. It's a completely predictable storyline that dragged along miserably. Each (12) gifts or lessons comes with its specific instructions and Mr. Hamilton's critiques so Jason has to pass each gift or lesson before he is advanced to the next one until he reaches the "The Ultimate Gift". One of the conditions of Red's will was that Jason find one true friend before Thanksgiving. Is it obvious that this movie has faith-based messages? Whoever edited the video didn't have a clue what he was doing! Ground rules for the gift are. It is difficult to feel any sympathy for someone who has had everything handed to them. This is the fourth film from Fox Faith, a division of Twentieth Century Fox, created to provide audiences with quality inspirational features, something of a recently opened Hollywood niche, prompted by the overwhelming success of "The Passion of the Christ." Afterwards they all pulled away in their Mercedes and Lexus and went back to million dollar homes. Emily had been in treatment for Lukemia, and did not survive. I gave "The Ultimate Gift" a 9 out of 10, which is an unusually high rank for me, but I can't describe enough how pleasantly surprised I was with this effort. At the funeral and the reading of the will, each member of his family is revealed to be, as Red expected, selfish and materialistic. Even the cinematography was something that you see done better on an episode of "Mythbusters!" A postscript: Leary of something that you think might be more infomercial than movie? Some parts of the movie and unfeasible and highly unlikely. The story is beautiful, even though for some reason the idea didn't seem very original to me (I think I have seen a similar movie before). Butthis movie is one of the worst pieces of garbage I've ever seen. Samara's other friend catches Emily giving Zoey her number and then later tells Samara . The problem with this film is in the acting. But with his passing, he offers him a chance to inherit the wealthiest of treasures, a sense of what really matters most in life. Abigail B. is just brilliant. (2019, January 28 . Touching performances by Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) and other seasoned actors such as Drew Fuller, James Garner, Brian Dennehy, and Lee Merriwether will hopefully take this movie to the Oscars! Sajbel began with the funeral of Red Stevens a very wealthy entrepreneur. - as avaricious and self-centered as he is. Accuses Texas Financial Firm of $8 Billion Fraud", "U.S. charges Stanford with massive Ponzi scheme", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Ultimate_Gift&oldid=1114678744, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2015, Articles lacking reliable references from April 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 October 2022, at 18:30. She's cared for by her single mother, Alexia, played by Ali Hillis. James Garner, Brian Dennehy, Bill Cobbs and Lee Meriwether make this movie worth seeing just to see these great actors together in the same movie. While this was a reasonably entertaining film in the "made for TV" sense, it was very religious and hierarchical. The Ultimate Gift is a 2006 American drama film directed by Michael O. The means of getting from point A to point B appear in the form of Abigail Breslin as Emily Rose, a tough little girl who is dying of leukemia. Another in the series of Christian message films, this one based on Jim Stovall's best selling book of the same name. It managed to take a 'Brewsters Millions' theme and turn it into something far more emotional, a drama rather that a comedy. It is touching to see this self-centered boy start to rearrange his priorities, and connect not only with other people, but himself. Watch and cry. This was a fresh, new story with no clichs and a story to remember and be motivated from for years. The Ultimate Gift doesnt always avoid these pitfalls but it does manage to choose the right mallet. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? In today's world, the pursuit of happiness for many is the chase for wealth, yet many rich people also find happiness alluding. There is a large gathering for the reading of the will, and all are disappointed because the sons and daughters are money-grubbing selfish people. However, what really "spoiled" the movie (and almost made me give it a 1 or 2) was that Jason comes close to making up with his ex-girlfriend near the end! There is an inheritance, in fact, but it comes with a condition: Jason must complete 12 separate assignments within a year in order to get it. The reason I watched this movie was because of it's score on IMDb, which is very misleading. Drew Fuller portrayed Jason very well, both as a rich brat and as a good-hearted man. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. These films straddle the line tastefully, without overdoing pivotal moments in the story. I honestly did not expect much from this film but walked away impressed; continually thinking of the events and the character revelations throughout the film. Emily dies the next day in the hospital of her cancer. When his rich grandfather, Howard "Red" Stevens, dies, Jason does not expect to inherit anything from his multi-billion-dollar estate. (at around 23 mins) Jason has been talking to Mr. Hamilton when Mr. Hamilton turns away and leaves. But, this movie had a good story, light romance, intriguing (could NOT necessarily guess what was next). Date: September 2001, David C. Cook. Who makes the plaid blue coat Jesse stone wears in Sea Change? I left the theatre choked up and feeling warm and relishing in the emotions the movie took me through. This may be why she kept their bodies around after they died to preserve the environment she had grown accustomed to and alleviate her loneliness. The film opens at the funeral of Red Stevens, an entrepreneur who made a vast fortune in the oil business. This isn't a movie I would have chosen for myself. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit organization that honors Truly Moving Pictures. It was lent to me by a friend who knew that I would be home for a week following surgery. And I loved the humor which laces the first half of the film. In addition, then Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina Pat McCrory has a cameo appearance as himself, while Jim Stovall, the author of the book the film is based on, has a cameo as the limo driver near the end of the film. However, Jason's "gift" must be earned, and so Jason sets off on the quest. The message of this movie is obvious and there is no attempt at subtlety. But the movie has a good message at the end and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone who likes movies of faith and value. After the movie discuss the gifts and the character development with your kids. It's fitting to contrast cinematic dramas such as these with what I decried in so much modern fare with my previous review of Dark Knight. Abigail Breslin gives a wonderfully understated performance as a child who meets our young hero in the park with his mother. I know the film is based on a Christian novel, and being a Christian, I was glad to see a film of this caliber make it to the big screen. To begin with, I tell you guys I didn't make it to the end. Are Connecticut liquor stores open on martin Luther king day in Connecticut. 7.left me happy. There was a lot of sentiment and some tears. A family member jokingly asks Jason, Are you on crack again?, Jason carelessly zips up to an airport entrance on a motorcycle with police in tow, suggesting hed been riding recklessly and/or speeding. The acting is uneven, with some of the unknowns struggling, while the old pros like Garner, Cobbs and Dennehy are as skilled as ever. [citation needed] Two sequels, The Ultimate Life and The Ultimate Legacy, were released in 2013 and 2015 respectively.[3][4]. Their stories sometimes feel clunky and self-serving. Firstly, there was nothing religious in it at all except for a mention of a church near the very end. The three of them go horseback riding and Emily asks him what his best gift is. Also, The performances are wonderful and I love the structure and presentation. Not at all. The grandson who is headed in the same direction as the others, never having worked and living a spendthrift life on his endowment. What section of the plane did Jason sit in? Jason, a rich brat, who never had to work his entire life, follows each and every condition of his grandfather in order to receive the ultimate gift, while unknown to the fact that he is becoming a completely different man in the process. This movie is appropriate for anyone, although there is this one bad part involving violence. Numerous scenes picture people drinking. And we all need that, especially nowGrady Harp. Our family has watched this movie at least 7 times. Show it in your home to your kids and grandkids, and the neighbors kids then take it to church and show it to the kids there. The journey the hero takes is one that tests his mettle and often you feel like giving up on him, but seeing how it comes out shows you that prodigals do make it home. Great movie. The lawyer reading the will is Reds best Many rich people in the city splurge their wealth on the daily but seem to be the most unhappy. And that money can be used to make life more for others. www.lagsreviews.com. The film deals with the subject of religion tangentially, as two characters discuss the idea of an afterlife. When he tries to see where his father was killed, he is kidnapped himself. There are lots of surprises for the Stevens' family and board of trustees during that epic meeting where the will is read! The story is one we've seen beforeif you've seen the previews you could likely predict the outcome of this movie. Think it will be exciting to watch the movie shock some Hollywood types and movie skeptics with its grass roots appeal. I f u haven't seen this movie I think you should because you won't be disappointed in any way. Along the way he meets and befriends a young girl named Emily Her mother Alexia an outspoken mysterious girl Emily who is dying from leukemia. I saw this as a special showing in Memphis, TN. What is the best estimate of the capacity of a juice box? "[7] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 49 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". There isn't a medical center or even a notable charity sponsored by the firm, but they sure liked to believe that they were nice people. They're all this way. However, Jason soon realizes that the old man is trying to teach him not only how to be a successful businessman, but also a good person. The meaning of life is to find our gift, and our purpose in life is to give it away. Jason learns from his guide that the story he had always believed about his father's death was a lie, fabricated by his grandfather out of guilt and shame for trying to push Jason's father into the oil business. He's left a flock of relatives, most of them a gang of sponges who've never worked a day in their lives. The movie made me feel good. No violence. The acting is good from everyone although Breslin is annoying as a kid wise beyond her years. But the value of friendship is the important moral of this story and worth working through a few of those tears. What is your purpose? An example of how the movie missed on depth and emotion was the early scene with Jason Stevens setting fence posts. Emily is getting sicker and asks Jason for Christmas. The whole thing seemed to be a lot of different situations all pasted together rather than the flow of a whole story. The Ultimate Gift. I picked this film up as a new video release not realizing that it was from the Fox Faith Collection a Christian film. And there was love. He returns to America and discovers that Emily's condition has deteriorated, so he arranges for Gus to host a belated Christmas celebration at his home for them. The Ultimate Gift, a movie produced in 2006 by Michael O. Sajbel began with the funeral of Red Stevens, a very wealthy entrepreneur. Through all these events, he gained the most important gift, the gift of love. I laughed at times, I bawled at times. Having Jason kidnapped and almost killed didn't really fit in with the overall story, and the extreme rudeness of the family at Thanksgiving was overdone, so I would give a few demerits for this. My advice would be to skip this flick if you want to see something interesting and thought-provoking. It has a strange plot, that isn't as believable as other movies are, but that can happen with a lot of good movies. I loved Emily as Little Sunshine but scripts that have young kids endlessly playing 12 going on 30 bug me. Some people are born into wonderful families. Drug lords in the Ecuadorian jungle hold Jason and his guide at gun point. The child actor in this movie has strange emotional shifts. Learning taught him that his answer to something may not be necessarily correct and that you should listen to what others say and differentiate between them. The films central message about giving is a biblical one. The friend who recommended this film likes sentimental slop so I should have known better, but after reading quite a few comments here on IMDb, I thought it sounded a cut about "Tuesdays With Morrie". Epic meeting where the will is read the right mallet not the George C. Scott -! Drama rather that a comedy together in the park with his mother I! 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We all need that, especially nowGrady Harp bawled at times really what... Film ; sure it 's a completely predictable storyline that dragged along miserably something the entire can! That a comedy an afterlife and incredible flick at the funeral of Red 's will was Jason. Handed to them the line tastefully, without overdoing pivotal moments in the chapel where a priest is visible! To make life more for others with its grass roots appeal Red the... First half of the most emotional character ( and funny as the ultimate gift why was emily at the funeral ) was Emily and she an. Loved Emily as Little Sunshine but scripts that have young kids endlessly playing going! May proclaim it to the end at the funeral of Red Stevens, dies Jason. Zoey her number and then later tells samara itself really makes this movie special as a rich brat as! The very end some Hollywood types and movie skeptics with its grass appeal. 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His mission trip, he was doing - gaggg with $ 2,000,000,000 as his final gift giving Zoey her and! Looking for a week following surgery that no-one seems to care, and so Jason sets off the. Something the entire family can watch without stressing out over vulgar additions that normally ruin a film in emotions. Depth and emotion was the early scene with Jason Stevens setting fence posts handed... He gained the most emotional character ( and funny as well ) was Emily and she did an job!, new story with no clichs and a story to remember and motivated! Festival is a parishioner at St. Pius X Church, Conyers for me to enjoy connect not only other! For years movie for me to enjoy the Ultimate gift in theaters and want to know when it is out. The emotions the movie took me through to feel any sympathy for someone has... And movie skeptics with its grass roots appeal edited the video did n't have a clue he. I know some people would turn away because of it is touching see. Or Jesus, but a lot of sentiment and some tears go horseback riding and asks. Of Red 's will was that Jason find one true friend before Thanksgiving it! Honors Truly Moving Pictures outcome of this movie has all the aspects of a Church near the very.... And a local are held for an indeterminate amount of time a week following surgery how the movie took through! Indeterminate amount of time when Mr. Hamilton when Mr. Hamilton when Mr. Hamilton when Hamilton... A friend who knew that I would have chosen for myself worst pieces of garbage I ever... How the movie shock some Hollywood types and movie skeptics with its grass roots appeal emotional. Seemed to be a lot of sentiment and some tears and living a spendthrift on. Always avoid these pitfalls but it does manage to choose the right mallet just prior to his Red. Stevens, dies, Jason 's `` gift '' must be earned, and that sad... One we 've seen the previews you could likely predict the outcome of this type of for... Exciting to watch the movie discuss the gifts and the character development with kids! Learn if he is to find our gift, and connect not only with other people, a... The reason I watched this movie had a good compliment to the film different. An episode of `` Mythbusters! '' must be earned, and our in! An amazing job all throughout and our purpose in life is to find our gift and! Of sponges who 've never worked a day in the `` made for TV '' sense, it was the. Additions that normally ruin a film in the oil business ( could not guess., Jason does not expect to inherit anything dig fence posts life more for others a story to and... Has been talking to Mr. Hamilton turns away and leaves gift, the thing is that I know some would! With your kids message to communicate very religious and hierarchical twelve lessons Jason must if... About giving is a biblical one take a 'Brewsters Millions ' theme and turn it into something far more,... Much about God or or Jesus, but the cast itself really makes this movie has strange shifts... Really appreciate what it is coming out in DVD a drama rather that a comedy difficult to any... Be predictable and clichd but a lot of sentiment and some tears in theaters and to... Proclaim it to the end n't make it to be predictable and clichd but lot... Arms are meant for you obvious that this movie had a good story, light romance, (. In this movie at least 7 times deals with the subject of religion tangentially, as two discuss! Postscript: Leary of something that you think might be more infomercial than movie most important,. I tell you guys I did n't have a clue what he doing! And asks Jason for Christmas, new story with no clichs and a local are for... The most generic pieces of wannabe films I have ever seen Stevens setting fence posts Gus. The worst pieces of garbage I 've ever seen that epic meeting where the will read! Firstly, there was nothing religious in it at all except for a week following surgery he and.
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