Blumhouse is best known for their genre franchises. But when the character writing is strong in their pictures, things get really interesting. In SINISTER, Ethan Hawke's Ellison Oswalt is a writer who was once successful and is desperate to be back in that spotlight. In THE PURGE: ANARCHY, Frank Grillo's Sergeant is a father who is obsessed with revenge, but he can't just stand by and watch innocent people suffer. And Jason Bateman's Simon in THE GIFT is no exception. He is an ambitious executive who's life unravels when he runs into someone he went to high school with.

Based on the trailer, THE GIFT looks like your standard thriller, but it is much better and more interesting than that. Writer/Director Joel Edgerton has crafted a very interesting story where no matter how successful you are, the past can catch up with you.

Jason Bateman is always a compelling screen presence usually scoring laughs in a comedy, but here Edgerton gives him a role where that engaging guy has a much darker side and doesn't just shrug off the weird behavior of his former high school classmate. It's a great role and a great performance.

Edgerton plays Gordo the former classmate and he strikes a good balance between socially awkward and creepy, but it is a serviceable performance at best. He didn't give himself nearly as interesting role as he did for Bateman, nor is his performance as memorable.  

Rebecca Hall plays Robyn, Bateman's lovely wife. Much of the story is told through her eyes and as the story progresses, you realize there is a lot more to her character than just being the token wife. But unfortunately Hall doesn't play the hell out of her role the way Bateman does. Much of it is one note. Both she and Edgerton needed to dig deeper with this role.

The supporting cast is strong, full of talented actors like Allison Tolman, Tim Griffin, Busy Philipps, and Wendell Pierce.

THE GIFT goes in directions that I didn't see coming. It does not follow a standard formula, but instead gets under your skin with its third act developments. It is engaging from its opening scene and really takes you to some dark places. I highly recommend it.