The Ultimate Gift: Movie Review

In the movie The Ultimate Gift, Jason Stevens (actor Drew Fuller) has never worked a day in his life. He is shallow, spoiled, rich and used to getting his own way. When his grandfather Red dies he shows up at the funeral late with music blasting and an entourage in tow that any rock star would envy. He is the proverbial black sheep, or so it seems.

The entire family has apparently been waiting for the old man to croak in order to get their hands on his fortune and at the reading of the will we see them all making calculations with each bequest trying to learn who has the biggest piece of the pie. Once again a nonchalant Jason arrives late. As far as he is concerned his grandfather hated him and since the feeling is mutual his presence is a waste of time as Red (actor James Garner) wouldn't have left him anything. Jason also blames Red for the loss of his father, something Red himself never quite got over.

It turns out what his grandfather bequeathed is far more valuable than Jason himself could ever have imagined. Via video, Red tells Jason he wants to give him a number of gifts and that his attorney has been instructed on what these gifts are and how Jason is to receive them. In order to receive his inheritance Jason must perform a series of tasks, one of which is to find one true friend. Enter, Emily (portrayed by Abigail Breslin), an exceptionally bright and perceptive little girl who sees her own opportunity in Jason's dilemma. Emily agrees to be Jason's friend and accompanies him to the lawyer's office where she emphatically declares the validity of their relationship.

Of course Jason has never known a true friend and doesn't know how to be one and as soon as he thinks the task is completed he ditches Emily and her mother. Fate brings them all back together in a way Jason could never have imagined and slowly his life begins to change.

The Ultimate Gift is a wonderful cinematic journey full of heart. The incomparably charismatic Bill Cobbs is Mr. Theophilus Hamilton, the executor of Red's estate and Jason's personal tormentor. Brian Dennehy, is Red's friend Gus and Jason's first guide to the gift his grandfather has in store for him. Lee Meriweather appears as Miss Hastings, Hamilton's secretary and Jason's secret cheerleader and Ali Hillis rounds out the stellar cast as Emily's mother Alexia.