You may recognize Edgerton as Owen Lars from the Star Wars prequel trilogy or from his role in the divisive It Comes At Night, but the actor is also a notable screenwriter. In addition to a number of thrillers, he co-wrote Netflix's recent Shakespeare-inspired war drama The King and the radical western Jane Got a Gun. The Gift marked his directorial debut, and according to the critics, he's a natural talent.
Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Kevin P. Sullivan heaped praise on Edgerton's choices as a director: "From start to finish, The Gift is impeccably structured — everything from the sound design to the framing works toward a singular, unsettling goal. And if there has to be one takeaway, it's that Hollywood needs more from Joel Edgerton, who's making his feature directorial debut."
Jake Wilson of The Syndey Morning Herald agreed. While he didn't think Edgerton had quite reached the heights of master of the genre David Fincher (but then again, who has?), he said the new director "has a strong grasp of the mechanics of the thriller form: how to shift the mood with music and lighting, or get us worrying about what might be happening just off-screen."
What did critics think was one of Edgerton's best decisions as a director? Casting Bateman for the complicated role of Simon. J.R. Jones wrote in Chicago Reader, "Edgerton... exploits Bateman's smarty-pants persona to chilling effect; he's the rare triple threat who's more valuable behind the camera than in front of it."
The Gift is further proof that — especially when working with the right director — Jason Bateman is one funnyman who excels at drama.
