The Ultimate Gift
When his wealthy grandfather dies, trust fund baby Jason Stevens inherits his grandfather's crash course on life: 12 tasks-or gifts-designed to challenge Jason in improbable ways. The "course" sends Jason on a journey of self-discovery that forces him to reevaluate his priorities and determine what he thinks the most important things in life really are.
The Ultimate Gift is a tale of one man's tumultuous journey toward personal growth and fulfillment. Surrounded in life, and death, by avaricious family members fueled by a sense of entitlement, billionaire Red Stevens (James Garner) wants to bequeath at least one member of his extended family "the ultimate gift": something he perceives as immensely more valuable than material wealth. Red's arrogant grandson Jason (Drew Fuller) holds a deep-seated hatred for his newly-deceased grandfather, so he's surprised to learn from his grandfather's friend and lawyer Mr. Hamilton (Bill Cobbs) and assistant Miss Hastings (Lee Meriwether) that he's been mentioned in his late grandfather's will. Far from a straightforward gift of cash, land, or stock, Red's bequest comes in the form of a series of mysterious recorded instructions, the first of which requires Jason to hop on a plane for Texas the very next morning without a hint of the trip's purpose or the nature of the gift that awaits him. Dropped into a life of hard physical labor on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, Jason's bad-tempered fury eventually turns to resignation and he finds himself engaged in, and even taking pride in, the first real manual labor he's ever done in his life. Unbeknownst to him, his journey toward claiming the ultimate gift has only just begun. When he returns from Texas, Jason finds his home cleared out, his car confiscated, and instructions to produce one true friend. While Jason is reduced to sleeping in the park, a young child name Emily (Abigail Breslin) and her mother Alexia (Ali Hillis) make his acquaintance and lead him to re-examine his personal prejudices and perceptions of what's truly important in life. Jason's journey of self-discovery continues throughout a series of other trying experiences and, in the end, Grandpa Red's "ultimate gift" of life lessons profoundly and permanently improves the quality of Jason's life. What's more, Jason's new perspective of his place in society has a very positive affect on the larger community. This very powerful film is funny, heartbreaking, and intensely thought-provoking. --Tami Horiuchi
Stills from The Ultimate Gift (click for larger image)
The Ultimate Gift Accessories
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The Ultimate Gift Reviews
It is a movie that EVERYONE should definitely see. I bought this movie to pass around to my friends and family.
The main character was quite real and his adventures were insightful and provoked some good discussion. Our family really enjoyed this movie together. It was perfect to watch at Christmas time when the topic of "gifts" was being discussed.
I loved the book and I loved the movie as well. I wish they would show it in all middle schools and high schools because the message is so important: Life has non-monetary gifts for us to learn daily, or as in the movie monthly. I have purchased several copies of this DVD to give to family and friends as gifts. I am planning to purchase more copies of this DVD to give as gifts. All of them have totally enjoyed it.
I have purchased it as a gift for others as well. This movie is incredibly inspiring by providing such important life lessons most people forget the value of. I have also purchased products they talk about to help bring those lessons to your own family. A must see regardless of your religious background.
This movie is OUR "gift". The "gifts" slowly turn Jason from a pampered snob to a loving philanthropist. This movie can inspire us deeply to look at the world in new way. This heart-wrenching movie is our appropriate wake-up call. It is a wonderful film that the whole family can enjoy, with well-cast actors that make the movie subtle in atmosphere, and humor spread perfectly across the movie(love the part when Gus electrifies him with that cattle stick).
With some persuading of his greedy girlfriend, the start of Jason's journey begins, at first toward his only goal-the money. Jason meets Emily, a leukemia-stricken girl with a big heart and a smart mouth, and slowly becomes friends with her. He makes a disrespectful entrance to Red's funeral and lazily shows up at the reading of the will expecting to get nothing. He believes that his grandfather (Red Stevens) has destroyed his life and has a serious grudge upon him. Jason Stevens has lived all his life pampered, with money as available to him as water or air.
Too many people in this world need some unraveling of their twisted, money-lusting souls by gifts such as Jason's. She intuitively helps him through the increasingly difficult challenges. However, he is presented with a video of Red telling him that he will have to go through a series of {12} "gifts" to get "The Ultimate Gift".
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