I can say from my experience that Billy Bob Thornton makes the psychic’s life believable real – and Sam Raimi’s directing along with Cate Blanchett’s portrayal of Annie Wilson seal the deal. Blanchett comes to Wilson’s character with understated grace and humility. When put in the position of having to use her gift to bring the murder of a local young woman (Katie Holmes) to the authorities’ attention she reveals the burden of The Gift.
Hilary Swank’s portrayal of Valerie Barksdale, a battered wife who seeks Wilson’s aid is familiar to anyone who has witnessed spousal abuse. She captures that inexplicable dichotomy of the abused’s recognition of her dire situation: she loves him, fears him, yet fears being alone even more.
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What Keanu Reeves (Donnie Barksdale) brings to the role are many qualities that some have said he doesn’t achieve: realism. I have known this man and have no reason to ever know him, or anyone like him, again. There is nothing for me to learn on that road, yet I know others who have yet to learn that soul-sucking lesson. Reeves’ evocation of anger, disdain, bullying, taunting mistaken for undisputable power is true to the abuser’s persona. What he tapped into when bringing this character to life is neither affectation nor caricature. The role reveals an unparalleled collaboration between him, Sam Raimi, and Billy Bob Thornton to be nakedly honest about cruelty. Reeves’ interaction with Giovanni Ribisi in his role as Buddy Cole, another client of Wilson’s who challenges Donnie Barksdale to shoot him, is particularly chilling.
The plot twists in predictable yet surprising directions. What transpires will raise questions about reality as we know it, and how life isn’t as certain as we might want to believe it is. Even psychic Annie Wilson learns from the ever-skeptical sheriff (J.K. Simmons) that what she thought was real was real – but in a different, inexplicable way.
Hilary Swank’s portrayal of Valerie Barksdale, a battered wife who seeks Wilson’s aid is familiar to anyone who has witnessed spousal abuse. She captures that inexplicable dichotomy of the abused’s recognition of her dire situation: she loves him, fears him, yet fears being alone even more.
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What Keanu Reeves (Donnie Barksdale) brings to the role are many qualities that some have said he doesn’t achieve: realism. I have known this man and have no reason to ever know him, or anyone like him, again. There is nothing for me to learn on that road, yet I know others who have yet to learn that soul-sucking lesson. Reeves’ evocation of anger, disdain, bullying, taunting mistaken for undisputable power is true to the abuser’s persona. What he tapped into when bringing this character to life is neither affectation nor caricature. The role reveals an unparalleled collaboration between him, Sam Raimi, and Billy Bob Thornton to be nakedly honest about cruelty. Reeves’ interaction with Giovanni Ribisi in his role as Buddy Cole, another client of Wilson’s who challenges Donnie Barksdale to shoot him, is particularly chilling.
The plot twists in predictable yet surprising directions. What transpires will raise questions about reality as we know it, and how life isn’t as certain as we might want to believe it is. Even psychic Annie Wilson learns from the ever-skeptical sheriff (J.K. Simmons) that what she thought was real was real – but in a different, inexplicable way.