The Ultimate Gift

Sometimes the greatest gifts come in the journey, not the destination... Directed By:  Michael O. Sajbel Starring:  James Garner, Drew Fuller, Ali Hillis, Abigail Breslin Length:  1 hour, 54 minutes Content Filters:  None

The Ultimate Gift is the story of a family who has become completely corrupted by money and greed. Upon the death of the wealthy family partriarch, Red Stevens, the entire clan gathers to hear the reading of his will and find out what they are getting out of his death. Disappointment and complaints ensue as the will is read and each person discovers what their portion of the inheritance is. Finally the last family member, Jason Stevens, is told through a pre-recorded video message from his grandfather that there is something special in store for him particularly. The condition is that he can only receive what his grandfather calls “the ultimate gift” after receiving a series of other gifts first.

Jason Stevens, excellently portrayed by Drew Fuller, is a spoiled brat. Because of his family's circulating wealth, Jason has never had to work a day in his life. He is extremely skeptical at doing anything his grandfather asks him, especially when the actual nature of "the ultimate gift” that he will receive has not been disclosed beforehand. At the urging of his similarly shallow girlfriend, who points out that he could possibly inherit billions of dollars, Jason decides to go along with his grandfather’s scheme.

What follows is a thoughtful movie about the value of life, and why our lives need to be defined by more than a pursuit of wealth and financial security. At the beginning of the film, Jason is a person devoted solely to seeking temporary pleasures and diversions—attending the latest parties, spending thousands on fancy vacations, and asking his girlfriend if he can move in with her. Normally moviepicks would hesitate to post a film where a guy is asking his girlfriend if he can move in with her, but The Ultimate Gift is a kind of “before and after” story and by the end of the film Jason Stevens is someone completely changed.

The Ultimate Gift succeeds at providing an excellent message without coming across as too preachy—and there are enough funny moments and witty lines that the entire movie is both entertaining and touching to watch. moviepicks won’t ruin the ending of the film by revealing what “the ultimate gift” is, but we will say that this is an extremely inspiring film that the entire family should enjoy together.

Reviewed By:  Stefanie Cosman
Author of Book:  Jim Stovall