The Gift of Life

Author(s): Ryan

Location: N/A

"The Gift of Life"

Directed by Todd Field
Written by Todd Field
Music by Mark Isham and Craig Armstrong

Main Cast

Susan Sarandon (Carrie Blanchard)
James McAvoy (Kyle “Rusty” Blanchard)
Hilary Swank (Rae Conchord)
Nick Cannon (Aaron Brown)
Aaron Stanton (Mike Conchord)
Alfre Woodard (Sharon Brown)
Steve Zahn (Carson Dueler)
Jennifer Tilly (Chris “Bella” Haggerty)
Kelly Macdonald (Jodie Ganesmen)

Tagline: "If you could give the gift of life…would you take it away…?"

Synopsis: Inspired by the true stories of Organ donors, The Gift of Life is based off some incredible ones. Carrie Blanchard (Susan Sarandon) is a lonely widowed mother. Though she has plenty of money to retire, she works at Wal-Mart to pass the time and for some human interaction. It is December when her son Kyle “Rusty” Blanchard (James McAvoy) comes home from the Iraq war. Nicknamed Rusty for his red hair and full of personality it is one night when he and his mother go to a football game. But it is after the game when a brawl breaks out in the parking lot. A drunken fan, Carson Dueler (Steve Zahn) is about to beat-up his crying girlfriend Jodie Ganesman (Kelly Macdonald). By nature but to his mother’s disapproval Kyle is determined to break up the fight until Carson remorselessly punches Kyle in the head, hitting the hard cement pavement below all in front of Carrie’s eyes.

Brain-dead and his vital organs failing one by one after a few days on life support Kyle is declared dead.

Honoring Kyle’s final wishes Carrie reluctantly donates his organs. His lungs go to a woman Rae Conchord (Hilary Swank) who got into a car accident puncturing her left lung. Rae is recently married to Mike (Aaron Stanton). Mike has seemed to become distant after her accident and especially after the organ transplant. Carrie writes to Rae through a program offered to donators and Rae quickly responds with thanks. It is to her surprise though when Carrie shows up to her front door following the return to address. Awkward but grateful, Rae lets Carrie in and they slowly form a relationship. But Carrie’s frequent visits and phone calls anger Mike to threatening a divorce with Rae. Mike does this, regretting the marriage in the first place and feeling second-string and jealous from all of Rae’s congratulations for going through with the difficult surgery and car accident. Mike uses this as an excuse to get the divorce he wants or to at least feel know he has power of his wife.

A week later, Kyle’s liver gets donated to a college football player Aaron Brown (Nick Cannon) who hurt his liver, abdomen, and broke his spine in a horrendous football game accident. Meeting him the same way as Rae, Carrie forms an instant relationship with the bed-ridden Aaron who has spent the last month in a hospital bed. Aaron desperate for interaction, his friends and girlfriend seemingly abandoning him, he is happy for her daily visits. Carrie feels closer to Aaron, the same age as her son, feeling as if Kyle is inside Aaron by the liver. But when Aaron’s mother, Sharon (Alfre Woodard) has a heated argument with Carrie over her intrusions, Sharon slaps her and files a restraining order when Carrie refers to Aaron as her son.

Now relying more on Rae, who wants Carrie to do the opposite, Rae refuses to open the door.

With nowhere to turn Carrie focuses her efforts on putting Carson on death row.

It is later that Carrie receives information on the whereabouts of Kyle’s heart. It is going to a woman, Chris Haggerty (Jennifer Tilly), better known as ‘Bella’, a stripper and “escort”; dying from heart cancer with a small child in foster care.

It is two days before the operation when Carrie visits Chris in the hospital and finding out about her profession and lifestyle. Not having her son’s heart in a stripper Carrie is prepared to go to world’s end to stop the operation. Chris is quick to attack jabbing at her with an air-filled needle. Carrie escaping tells the tale and Chris is let out of the hospital and apprehended by the police for murder attempt. This leaves the local media, blow up the incident into a national scandal on who deserves and who needs transplants.

But when Jodie breaks into Carrie’s house with a knife, she threatens her to give Chris the heart. Not to ruin another family, like she did with Jodie. Jodie revealing that she is pregnant with Carson’s child. What makes Carrie better than Chris, putting a to-be-husband and father in jail?

In a drama where people realize the importance of family and friendship, with a heartbreaking climax and uplifting message The Gift of Life is definitely the gift of the movie season.

MEMORABLE SCENE: (closing voice-over by Carrie)

CARRIE (V.O.): Every time at the airport when Rusty was boarding his plane to go back to war I would say, ‘This is your time to leave and your mother’s time to cry’. It would be a segway to the next time we meet. It also turned out to be the last thing I said. But I realized it was a segway. A segway to a different world. It was his time to go, and my time to cry. But it will be a segway until the next time we meet….

What the Press would say:

“Two thumbs ALL THE WAY up!”-Ebert & Roeper

“An Emotional story that is sure to win and break the hearts of all.”- People

“A+! An original inspiration story with a message to be heard and an important cause to be learned about.”-Entertainment Weekly

“A holiday film that is sure to be a classic!”-Rolling Stone Magazine

The Gift of Life is an Oscar winner for sure. A heartbreaking yet heartwarming tale of an important cause.

Todd Field sets a perfect tone against his superb screenplay to Mark Isham and Craig Armstrong’s riveting score. Field has an eye for suburban-life cinematography and the dialogue of it too. Realistic and artistic at the same time add to the moving element of the film. Field’s consistency of greatness continues here for sure.

James McAvory creates a character that can be cared about in a sheer amount of minutes that you will cry when he dies early on. For acting Aaron Stanton is hated as Rae’s stone cold husband and Nick Cannon shines as a popular turned lonely football player that had it all going for him but shows how quickly life can change it. From Drumline to Bobby to Even Money to this Cannon has certainly proven himself as an actor.

Kelly Macdonald gets another fantastic role; from No Country for Old Men, she certainly has her acting chops in an amazing climatic scene. Alfre Woodard is unstoppable as the mother who feels as if another woman is taking her soon away from her. Hilary Swank too may get her third Academy Award in a silent yet heart-breaking scene where she will not open up the door that will not leave a dry eye in the house. However Jennifer Tilly makes a roaring comeback in an important role that will definitely leave something to talk about, whether the subject or her outstanding performance.

However the show stopper and Academy Award winner is Susan Sarandon. In a busy year Sarandon tops herself yet again as a lonely mother whose world comes crashing down. While she appears independent she is unwilling to face the harsh reality of her son’s death in many breakdown scenes that are more spellbinding than the next having the audience cry and care with her and smile and laugh when those times come too.

Heart-breaking yet uplifting The Gift of Life has the makings of a classic.

Best Picture
Best Director: Todd Field
Best Screenplay: Paul Haggis and Todd Field
Best Original Score: Mark Isham and Craig Armstrong
Best Supporting Actor: James McAvoy, Aaron Stanton, Nick Cannon
Best Actress: Susan Sarandon
Best Supporting Actress: Hilary Swank, Alfre Woodard, Jennifer Tilly