
Jason thought his inheritance was going to be the gift of money and lots of it. Was he ever in for a big surprise. Based on the best-selling book "The Ultimate Gift" by Jim Stovall, the story sends trust fund baby Jason Stevens on an improbable journey of discovery, having to answer the ultimate question: "What is the relationship between wealth and happiness?" Jason had a very simple relationship with his impossibly wealthy Grandfather, Howard "Red" Stevens. He hated him. No... (Full plot summary below)
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Jason thought his inheritance was going to be the gift of money and lots of it. Was he ever in for a big surprise. Based on the best-selling book "The Ultimate Gift" by Jim Stovall, the story sends trust fund baby Jason Stevens on an improbable journey of discovery, having to answer the ultimate question: "What is the relationship between wealth and happiness?" Jason had a very simple relationship with his impossibly wealthy Grandfather, Howard "Red" Stevens. He hated him. No heart-to-heart talks, no warm fuzzies, just cold hard cash. So of course he figured that when Red died, the whole "reading of the will" thing would be another simple cash transaction, that his Grandfather's money would allow him to continue living in the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed. But what Red left him was anything but simple. Red instead devised a plan for Jason to experience a crash course on life. Twelve tasks, which Red calls "gifts," each challenging Jason in an improbable way, the accumulation of which would change him forever.
Leave your thoughts about The Ultimate Gift.
| EURWebKam WilliamsPerhaps predictable, sentimental and sappy, but who cares, when it also oh so effectively delivers the salient message that much is expected of those fortunate enough to have been born blessed with so much. |
| CompuserveHarvey S. KartenDespite a cop-out finale, there is much to rejoice in a young man's redemption. |
| Arkansas Democrat-GazettePhilip Martin... hardly great, but tries so hard to be good that it's probably due a break. |
| ReelTalk Movie ReviewsBetty Jo TuckerAbigail Breslin matches her Oscar-nominated work in Little Miss Sunshine with another brilliant performance in The Ultimate Gift. |
| Baltimore SunChris KaltenbachThings may work out predictably, but The Ultimate Gift does not yank on the heartstrings so much as pluck them gently. |
| Washington PostAnn HornadayThere'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. Still, Breslin's captivating performance reminds you why she was recently nominated for an Oscar. |
| Hollywood ReporterFrank Scheck"Gift" comes across as a television-ready effort that would work perfectly for Hallmark. |
| Entertainment WeeklyGregory KirschlingKind of like a feel-good "Saw" for churchgoers, minus the sadistic games of death. |
| Seattle TimesJeff ShannonIf The Ultimate Gift really wanted to embrace a powerful Christian message, it would've made Jason's ordeal truly threatening and genuinely transformative. |
| Los Angeles TimesMark OlsenThe film constantly teeters on the fulcrum of its own treacly good intentions and simplistic parable-like storytelling, and the extent that it stays balanced is largely thanks to its agile cast. |