The Ultimate Gift
Encyclopedia
The Ultimate Gift is a film based on author Jim Stovall
's bestselling novel
released on March 9, 2007 in 816 theaters in the USA. The film was not well attended in the USA and produced low box office receipts, though DVD sales were quite high in relation to its theatrical receipts.
) died, Jason (Drew Fuller
) thought he was going to inherit a piece of the old man's multi-billion dollar estate, but it came with a condition. In order to get his share of the willed inheritance, Jason must complete 12 separate assignments within a year. Each assignment is centered around a "gift". Gifts of money, friends and learning are among the dozen that Jason must perform before he is eligible for the mysterious "Ultimate Gift" his grandfather's will has for him. Throughout his trials and tribulations, the family attorney, Mr. Hamilton (Bill Cobbs
), and his secretary Miss Hastings (Lee Meriwether
) attempt to guide Jason along the path his grandfather wishes him to travel. However, the problem they have is that Jason has lived leisurely using his grandfather's money as an under-achiever who has never had to genuinely work, and who believes through a young adulthood of loneliness that money is the only pathway to making life decent. For instance, to carry out the first task he has to fly to Texas, and naturally assumes he has a first-class seat, and is annoyed when he discovers he has a coach class seat, complaining to the steward "Don't you know who I am?"
On his return after completing the first task in Texas, everything he values is suddenly taken away from him - luxury apartment, his restored muscle car (a 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T) and money - and he is left homeless. His trendy girlfriend, Caitlin (Mircea Monroe
), ditches him when his credit card is rejected at a fancy restaurant and she is mortified when he asks her if she could pay the bill. After his mother tells her son she cannot give him help as part of the agreement, Jason miserably finds himself being ejected from private property he wishes to rest on, and wanders the city for the first time truly alone.
It is while sleeping in a park that he encounters a woman, Alexia (Ali Hillis
), and her extrovert daughter Emily (Abigail Breslin
) - a side story that was not in the novel. Jason befriends the two but then tells them that he needs them to come along to the attorney's office and confirm themselves as his "good friends" in order to pass the "gift of friends" assignment. Alexia and Emily still believe that Jason is very self-centred person, and not anyone they want to have as a friend. However, it is then that Jason discovers by accident that Emily is suffering from leukemia, and sees this family as a chance to develop a strong bond with someone. Indeed, the emergence of his "true" self is the key theme of the film.
From that point onwards he tries as best he can to help Emily to have a great life while it lasts. Emily also engineers and encourages a romance between Jason and her mother. Also, as Jason works through the twelve gifts in twelve months, he comes to see his grandfather as more than a dead billionaire who he believes disliked him. After Jason has completed his twelve tasks, he is given a sum of $100,000,000 to do with whatever he pleases and all of his property is returned to him. His former girlfriend, knowing that he has regained his wealth, makes an attempt to win him back merely with the offer of sex, but he disgustedly walks out on her.
With his inheritance, Jason chooses to build a hospital, called Emily's Home (named after Emily), for patients with deadly diseases and their families, which also includes a church (knowing that Emily was often in the hospital chapel). But then before the building begins Emily dies. Alexia and Jason pray for her at the chapel. After the groundbreaking for Emily's Home, he is brought back to the law firm for one more meeting. He had exceeded the expectations of his dead grandfather and receives one final "gift" of $2,000,000,000, rewarding Jason not only for his completing the tasks, but for using everything he gained to give to the unfortunate ones. That night, Jason is seen sitting on a bench in the park, when Alexia joins him. He thanks her for her help that she and her daughter gave him. They then kiss and a butterfly, representing Emily, is shown flying around them.
plays the mysterious Red Stevens. In the leading male role is Drew Fuller
, better known from WB
's long-running series Charmed
. Drew described performing in the movie as "an actor's dream." Emily is played by Academy Award-nominated actress Abigail Breslin
, and her mother by Ali Hillis
of Must Love Dogs
.
The film was produced by Jim Van Eerden
and Rick Eldridge, directed by Michael O. Sajbel and written by Cheryl McKay
. Costumes were designed by Jane Anderson
(Rudy
, Hoosiers
) with makeup by John Bayless (Cold Mountain
, The New World).
, The Ultimate Gift has a 32% overall approval (56 reviews with a 5.1/10 average rating) but only 15% approval from top critics (13 reviews with a 4.1/10 average rating). On Metacritic
the film has a rating of 49 out of 100 based on 16 reviews.
Among the harsher reviews The New York Times
reviewer said, "Reeking of self-righteousness and moral reprimand, [the movie] is a hairball of good-for-you filmmaking......[T]he movie’s messages — pro-poverty, anti-abortion — are methodically hammered home." John Anderson of Newsday
, called the movie "cartoonish and broad," and commented on the surprising obsession with material possessions, while The Washington Post
noted, "There's nothing wrong with the moral of The Ultimate Gift's story; in fact there's everything right about it. But director Michael O. Sajbel too often succumbs to movie-of-the-week sentimentality and starchy pacing."
Christianity Today
felt the film warranted 2.5 out of 4 stars and called it "lovingly crafted ... but never manages to build up much mystery, suspense, tension, or narrative steam.". Joe Leydon of Variety
was favorably impressed and noted that "Discussions of faith and God are fleeting, almost subliminal -- without stinting on the celebration of wholesome family values." William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
writes "Its sincerity, optimism and air of open-minded tolerance go down well, and it makes a nice change-of-pace."
The Washington Post and The Hollywood Reporter
both thought highly of Breslin's performance as the young girl calling her "captivating" and referring to her "charm," respectively. Indeed, it was a common theme for those who both recommended the movie and those who did not to praise Breslin's role.
n scenes, the movie was shot mostly on location in North Carolina
, specifically in Charlotte
.
and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Professor Paul Schervish of Boston College was among those in attendance for the event. Another pre-screening took place on February 22, 2007, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri
, under the auspices of the United Way of Southeast Missouri. In addition, organizations such as Bernhardt Wealth Management of McLean, Virginia
have held private screenings for their clients. Bernhardt Wealth Management hosted such a screening on February 24.
, an allegedly fraudulent wealth management
firm based in Houston. Stanford showed the movie to prospective clients at private screenings and according to an executive of the firm, they were able to track a number of multimillion-dollar relationships that resulted because of the film.
Jim Stovall
Jim Stovall is an American writer best known for his bestselling novel The Ultimate Gift. The book was made into the movie The Ultimate Gift, distributed by 20th Century Fox. The Ultimate Gift has a sequel out called The Ultimate Life....
's bestselling novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
released on March 9, 2007 in 816 theaters in the USA. The film was not well attended in the USA and produced low box office receipts, though DVD sales were quite high in relation to its theatrical receipts.
Plot
When his rich grandad, Howard "Red" Stevens (portrayed by James GarnerJames Garner
James Garner is an American film and television actor, one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both media. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades...
) died, Jason (Drew Fuller
Drew Fuller
Drew Fuller is an American actor and former male model. He is best known for his portrayal of Chris Halliwell in the television series Charmed and for playing soldier Trevor LeBlanc on Lifetime's Army Wives.-Early life:Fuller was born in Atherton, California and grew up in Newport Beach; he has a...
) thought he was going to inherit a piece of the old man's multi-billion dollar estate, but it came with a condition. In order to get his share of the willed inheritance, Jason must complete 12 separate assignments within a year. Each assignment is centered around a "gift". Gifts of money, friends and learning are among the dozen that Jason must perform before he is eligible for the mysterious "Ultimate Gift" his grandfather's will has for him. Throughout his trials and tribulations, the family attorney, Mr. Hamilton (Bill Cobbs
Bill Cobbs
Wilbert "Bill" Cobbs is an American film and television actor. He has starred in over 120 television programs and movies.-Life and career:...
), and his secretary Miss Hastings (Lee Meriwether
Lee Meriwether
Lee Ann Meriwether is an American actress, former model, and the winner of the 1955 Miss America pageant. She is perhaps best known for her role as Betty Jones, the crime-solving partner in the long-running 1970s crime drama, Barnaby Jones. The role earned her two Golden Globe Award nominations in...
) attempt to guide Jason along the path his grandfather wishes him to travel. However, the problem they have is that Jason has lived leisurely using his grandfather's money as an under-achiever who has never had to genuinely work, and who believes through a young adulthood of loneliness that money is the only pathway to making life decent. For instance, to carry out the first task he has to fly to Texas, and naturally assumes he has a first-class seat, and is annoyed when he discovers he has a coach class seat, complaining to the steward "Don't you know who I am?"
On his return after completing the first task in Texas, everything he values is suddenly taken away from him - luxury apartment, his restored muscle car (a 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T) and money - and he is left homeless. His trendy girlfriend, Caitlin (Mircea Monroe
Mircea Monroe
Mircea Monroe is an American actress and model.Monroe's first professional acting job was in the New Line film, Cellular. Since then, Monroe has appeared in various films, and pilots for The WB and Fox, starred in the Fox show Drive, and guest starred on TV shows, including Freddie, Scrubs, and...
), ditches him when his credit card is rejected at a fancy restaurant and she is mortified when he asks her if she could pay the bill. After his mother tells her son she cannot give him help as part of the agreement, Jason miserably finds himself being ejected from private property he wishes to rest on, and wanders the city for the first time truly alone.
It is while sleeping in a park that he encounters a woman, Alexia (Ali Hillis
Ali Hillis
Alecia Deann "Ali" Hillis is an American film, television and voice actress.-Early life:At the age of six months, Hillis' moved with her family to Normal, Illinois and at age 3, to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin and then to Charlotte, North Carolina when she was thirteen years old.Hillis performed in...
), and her extrovert daughter Emily (Abigail Breslin
Abigail Breslin
Abigail Kathleen Breslin is an American teen actress. She is one of the youngest actresses ever to be nominated for an Academy Award....
) - a side story that was not in the novel. Jason befriends the two but then tells them that he needs them to come along to the attorney's office and confirm themselves as his "good friends" in order to pass the "gift of friends" assignment. Alexia and Emily still believe that Jason is very self-centred person, and not anyone they want to have as a friend. However, it is then that Jason discovers by accident that Emily is suffering from leukemia, and sees this family as a chance to develop a strong bond with someone. Indeed, the emergence of his "true" self is the key theme of the film.
From that point onwards he tries as best he can to help Emily to have a great life while it lasts. Emily also engineers and encourages a romance between Jason and her mother. Also, as Jason works through the twelve gifts in twelve months, he comes to see his grandfather as more than a dead billionaire who he believes disliked him. After Jason has completed his twelve tasks, he is given a sum of $100,000,000 to do with whatever he pleases and all of his property is returned to him. His former girlfriend, knowing that he has regained his wealth, makes an attempt to win him back merely with the offer of sex, but he disgustedly walks out on her.
With his inheritance, Jason chooses to build a hospital, called Emily's Home (named after Emily), for patients with deadly diseases and their families, which also includes a church (knowing that Emily was often in the hospital chapel). But then before the building begins Emily dies. Alexia and Jason pray for her at the chapel. After the groundbreaking for Emily's Home, he is brought back to the law firm for one more meeting. He had exceeded the expectations of his dead grandfather and receives one final "gift" of $2,000,000,000, rewarding Jason not only for his completing the tasks, but for using everything he gained to give to the unfortunate ones. That night, Jason is seen sitting on a bench in the park, when Alexia joins him. He thanks her for her help that she and her daughter gave him. They then kiss and a butterfly, representing Emily, is shown flying around them.
Cast
- Drew FullerDrew FullerDrew Fuller is an American actor and former male model. He is best known for his portrayal of Chris Halliwell in the television series Charmed and for playing soldier Trevor LeBlanc on Lifetime's Army Wives.-Early life:Fuller was born in Atherton, California and grew up in Newport Beach; he has a...
as Jason Stevens - James GarnerJames GarnerJames Garner is an American film and television actor, one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both media. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades...
as Howard 'Red' Stevens - Ali HillisAli HillisAlecia Deann "Ali" Hillis is an American film, television and voice actress.-Early life:At the age of six months, Hillis' moved with her family to Normal, Illinois and at age 3, to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin and then to Charlotte, North Carolina when she was thirteen years old.Hillis performed in...
as Alexia - Bill CobbsBill CobbsWilbert "Bill" Cobbs is an American film and television actor. He has starred in over 120 television programs and movies.-Life and career:...
as Mr. Theophilus Hamilton - Abigail BreslinAbigail BreslinAbigail Kathleen Breslin is an American teen actress. She is one of the youngest actresses ever to be nominated for an Academy Award....
as Emily Rose - Mircea MonroeMircea MonroeMircea Monroe is an American actress and model.Monroe's first professional acting job was in the New Line film, Cellular. Since then, Monroe has appeared in various films, and pilots for The WB and Fox, starred in the Fox show Drive, and guest starred on TV shows, including Freddie, Scrubs, and...
as Caitlin - Brian DennehyBrian DennehyBrian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
as Gus - Lee Merriwether as Miss Hastings
- Donna Cherry as Sarah Stevens
- Catherine McGoohanCatherine McGoohanCatherine McGoohan is a British actress active in the United States.McGoohan is the eldest daughter of acclaimed Irish-American actor Patrick McGoohan and his widow, British former stage actress Joan Drummond. She has two younger sisters, Anne and Frances...
as Ruth Stevens - Brett Rice as Bill Stevens
- D. David Morin as Jack Stevens
The Twelve Gifts
- The Gift of Work
- The Gift of Money
- The Gift of Friends
- The Gift of Learning
- The Gift of Problems
- The Gift of Family
- The Gift of Laughter
- The Gift of Dreams
- The Gift of Giving
- The Gift of Gratitude
- The Gift of a Day
- The Gift of Love
- The Ultimate Gift
Cast and crew
James GarnerJames Garner
James Garner is an American film and television actor, one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both media. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades...
plays the mysterious Red Stevens. In the leading male role is Drew Fuller
Drew Fuller
Drew Fuller is an American actor and former male model. He is best known for his portrayal of Chris Halliwell in the television series Charmed and for playing soldier Trevor LeBlanc on Lifetime's Army Wives.-Early life:Fuller was born in Atherton, California and grew up in Newport Beach; he has a...
, better known from WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
's long-running series Charmed
Charmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
. Drew described performing in the movie as "an actor's dream." Emily is played by Academy Award-nominated actress Abigail Breslin
Abigail Breslin
Abigail Kathleen Breslin is an American teen actress. She is one of the youngest actresses ever to be nominated for an Academy Award....
, and her mother by Ali Hillis
Ali Hillis
Alecia Deann "Ali" Hillis is an American film, television and voice actress.-Early life:At the age of six months, Hillis' moved with her family to Normal, Illinois and at age 3, to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin and then to Charlotte, North Carolina when she was thirteen years old.Hillis performed in...
of Must Love Dogs
Must Love Dogs
Must Love Dogs is a 2005 romantic comedy film based on the book written by Claire Cook. It is the third film directed and written by Gary David Goldberg. The film, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, was produced on a budget of $30 million...
.
The film was produced by Jim Van Eerden
Jim Van Eerden
James "Jim" Van Eerden is a Co-founder and Managing Director for The Helixx Group. He is a brand strategist, media producer, and specialist in developing “blended value” enterprises...
and Rick Eldridge, directed by Michael O. Sajbel and written by Cheryl McKay
Cheryl McKay
Cheryl McKay is an American author and screenwriter, from Los Angeles, California.McKay holds an M.A. in Screenwriting at Regent University in Virginia, and is a winner of the 2006/2007 Art Within Labs....
. Costumes were designed by Jane Anderson
Jane Anderson
Jane Anderson is an American actress-turned-award-winning playwright, screenwriter and director. She has written and directed one feature film, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio and wrote the script for the Nicolas Cage film It Could Happen to You.- Career :Prior to film directing, Anderson...
(Rudy
Rudy
-Places:* Rudy, Silesian Voivodeship, south Poland* Rudy, Lublin Voivodeship, east Poland* Rudy, Krotoszyn County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland* Rudy, Słupca County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland* Rudy No...
, Hoosiers
Hoosiers
Hoosiers is a 1986 sports film about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship. It is loosely based on the Milan High School team that won the 1954 state championship....
) with makeup by John Bayless (Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain (film)
Cold Mountain is a 2003 war drama film written and directed by Anthony Minghella. The film is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Charles Frazier...
, The New World).
Critical reception
The movie was given generally negative reviews from movie critics, the consensus being "Though The Ultimate Gift avoids religious speechifying like other Fox Faith films, it's dramatically inert with flat direction." On Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, The Ultimate Gift has a 32% overall approval (56 reviews with a 5.1/10 average rating) but only 15% approval from top critics (13 reviews with a 4.1/10 average rating). On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
the film has a rating of 49 out of 100 based on 16 reviews.
Among the harsher reviews The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reviewer said, "Reeking of self-righteousness and moral reprimand, [the movie] is a hairball of good-for-you filmmaking......[T]he movie’s messages — pro-poverty, anti-abortion — are methodically hammered home." John Anderson of Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
, called the movie "cartoonish and broad," and commented on the surprising obsession with material possessions, while The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
noted, "There's nothing wrong with the moral of The Ultimate Gift's story; in fact there's everything right about it. But director Michael O. Sajbel too often succumbs to movie-of-the-week sentimentality and starchy pacing."
Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
felt the film warranted 2.5 out of 4 stars and called it "lovingly crafted ... but never manages to build up much mystery, suspense, tension, or narrative steam.". Joe Leydon of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
was favorably impressed and noted that "Discussions of faith and God are fleeting, almost subliminal -- without stinting on the celebration of wholesome family values." William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
writes "Its sincerity, optimism and air of open-minded tolerance go down well, and it makes a nice change-of-pace."
The Washington Post and The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
both thought highly of Breslin's performance as the young girl calling her "captivating" and referring to her "charm," respectively. Indeed, it was a common theme for those who both recommended the movie and those who did not to praise Breslin's role.
Box office and DVD sales
The Ultimate Gift opened quietly with receipts of 1.2 million USD its first weekend. As a result, many theaters dropped the film, causing a drastic slide in screens and ticket sales. As of May 6, the movie had grossed a total of just over 3.4 million USD. DVD sales were $9.55 million in the first two months following its release.Locations
Despite simulated South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n scenes, the movie was shot mostly on location in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, specifically in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
.
Advance screenings
Because of the philanthropic message of the film, charities in a handful of communities sponsored advance screenings of The Ultimate Gift to coincide with National Philanthropy Day 2006. Among such regional screenings was one in Richmond, Virginia, organized in partnership by The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia Bon Secours Health Care Foundation, Richmond Jewish FoundationRichmond Jewish Foundation
Richmond Jewish Foundation is a charity based in Richmond, Virginia. This is a non-profit organization. The website is .-Overview:The Richmond Jewish Foundation was established in 1979...
and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Professor Paul Schervish of Boston College was among those in attendance for the event. Another pre-screening took place on February 22, 2007, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
, under the auspices of the United Way of Southeast Missouri. In addition, organizations such as Bernhardt Wealth Management of McLean, Virginia
McLean, Virginia
McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....
have held private screenings for their clients. Bernhardt Wealth Management hosted such a screening on February 24.
Movie cost and underwriting
The movie was financed with $14 million from the Stanford Financial GroupStanford Financial Group
The Stanford Financial Group was a privately held international group of financial services companies controlled by Allen Stanford, until it was seized by United States authorities in early 2009....
, an allegedly fraudulent wealth management
Wealth management
Wealth management is an investment advisory discipline that incorporates financial planning, investment portfolio management and a number of aggregated financial services...
firm based in Houston. Stanford showed the movie to prospective clients at private screenings and according to an executive of the firm, they were able to track a number of multimillion-dollar relationships that resulted because of the film.