The Creeps: Part I

THE GIFT (B+) - Jason Bateman to the rescue. Just when you think he might fall into a rut, the sly actor ups his game.

Here he carries a suspenseful drama that fellow actor Joel Edgerton (in his feature debut as a writer/director) molds as worthy homage to Hitchcock. Bateman plays Simon, an ambitious corporate player gunning for a big promotion. He and wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall) suffered through a miscarriage in the past year, and they are starting fresh by moving back near his hometown. They have all the trappings of privilege in their huge new house.

While getting settled in, they run into Gordo (Edgerton), a high school classmate of Simon's. Gordo quickly becomes clingy, leaving a a gift on their doorstep and soon ingratiating himself into their lives. Gordo is socially awkward and seems to be still nagged by his high school experience.

Is he a stalker or just a friendly lonely man. Robyn wants to give him the benefit of the doubt; Simon warns that Gordo is a nuisance. When Gordo invites Simon and Robyn to his own house, it's clear that something is off kilter. Whatever happened 25 years ago with "Gordo the Weirdo" has not been reconciled.

Edgerton has crafted a taut thriller. The balance among the three principals evolves over the course of two hours, and the filmmaker avoids a lot of common pitfalls. He plays with windows and reflections. He doesn't clutter the story but instead gradually leaks out revelations that build to a strong climax.

But while all three actors are on top of their game and Edgerton covers all the narrative bases, in the end the film lacks a bit of emotional payoff. The final twist is intended as a gut punch, but feels more like a convenient plot device than a natural resolution. This is an adroit technical achievement and a fun ride. But, like Gordo and Simon, something's not quite right.