The Ultimate Gift (2006) was directed by Michael O. Sajbel. It's an inspirational film, based on an inspirational book by Jim Stovall. Within that genre, it's not bad.
James Garner plays Howard 'Red' Stevens, who has died before the film begins. He appears by video, dispensing wisdom and "gifts" to his grandson Jason (played by heartthrob Drew Fuller.)
These aren't gifts in the classic, physical sense. They are gifts of opportunity to allow Jason to become a decent human being. (There are supposed to be 12 gifts, like the labors of Hercules, but I couldn't find that many.)
Anyway, we know what's going to happen from the moment that Jason arrives late for his grandfather's funeral. The question is, How are we going to get from point A to point B? (If your guess is that Jason will still be a rotten, spoiled, arrogant person at the end of the movie, maybe this review won't be useful to you.)
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. She's cared for by her single mother, Alexia, played by Ali Hillis.
A great little girl dying of leukemia has to emotionally touch the viewer, and, of course, I was touched by her too. (Maybe more so, because I've worked with little girls like her, and you are changed forever by the incredible experience.) Ali Hillis is perfect for the part of Emily's mother, because she's a good actor and she's beautiful, but not so beautiful that she pushes everyone else off the screen.
However, the rest of the film plays out almost as if it were computer-generated. 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.
Still, given the nature of the movie, you could do worse than The Ultimate Gift. It's inspirational, but the inspiration is to help other people and form stronger relationships, and it's hard to argue with that.
This isn't a movie I would have chosen for myself. It was lent to me by a friend who knew that I would be home for a week following surgery. If I had it to do over, I would probably watch it again, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it at all costs. Some of the scenes in Texas would have worked better on a large screen, but the film works well on DVD.
James Garner plays Howard 'Red' Stevens, who has died before the film begins. He appears by video, dispensing wisdom and "gifts" to his grandson Jason (played by heartthrob Drew Fuller.)
These aren't gifts in the classic, physical sense. They are gifts of opportunity to allow Jason to become a decent human being. (There are supposed to be 12 gifts, like the labors of Hercules, but I couldn't find that many.)
Anyway, we know what's going to happen from the moment that Jason arrives late for his grandfather's funeral. The question is, How are we going to get from point A to point B? (If your guess is that Jason will still be a rotten, spoiled, arrogant person at the end of the movie, maybe this review won't be useful to you.)
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. She's cared for by her single mother, Alexia, played by Ali Hillis.
A great little girl dying of leukemia has to emotionally touch the viewer, and, of course, I was touched by her too. (Maybe more so, because I've worked with little girls like her, and you are changed forever by the incredible experience.) Ali Hillis is perfect for the part of Emily's mother, because she's a good actor and she's beautiful, but not so beautiful that she pushes everyone else off the screen.
However, the rest of the film plays out almost as if it were computer-generated. 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.
Still, given the nature of the movie, you could do worse than The Ultimate Gift. It's inspirational, but the inspiration is to help other people and form stronger relationships, and it's hard to argue with that.
This isn't a movie I would have chosen for myself. It was lent to me by a friend who knew that I would be home for a week following surgery. If I had it to do over, I would probably watch it again, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it at all costs. Some of the scenes in Texas would have worked better on a large screen, but the film works well on DVD.