The Ultimate Gift ~ a reminder of what’s important in life

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

This past week, I caught The Ultimate Gift on TV.  It’s a movie that I loved the first time I saw it, but had not watched it in quite a while.  With the holiday season in full swing, this one made an appearance amid other films that are much more holiday focused. Yet, I think it fits beautifully for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

If you haven’t watched this one yet, here’s a brief synopsis for you.

 

Jason (played by Drew Fuller) arrives at the reading of the will for his recently deceased and very rich grandfather (played by James Garner) to discover that his inheritance requires he complete different tasks before he will be awarded the ‘ultimate gift.’    His life of leisure and having all that he desires just plopped in his lap is thrown put the window while he does what is given to him for tasks.

 

Along the way, Jason meets a young girl, Emily (played by Abigail Breslin), who suffers from leukemia.  It is through the blossoming relationship with Emily and her mother, Alexia (played by Ali Hillis), that he finds his true self and learns that giving can truly be better than receiving. 

 

I love this family friendly film for several reasons, the biggest being the powerful message of what is truly important in life ~ our relationships with other people.  All the money in the world will not buy you true happiness and you might discover that those friends you thought were friends only saw you for what you could provide them.  It also does not provide the typical ‘happy ending’ that so many seem to expect from Hollywood.  Instead, the harsh reality of life is interjected throughout the film. 

 

A bit more emphasis of faith and belief in God would have been wonderful.  Life after death is hinted at with use of a butterfly to symbolize Emily at the end of the film.  However, the film provides a great stepping stone for that discussion with family.

 

Check out the trailer for the movie:

 

 

Finally, if you want to expand upon this movie in a small discussion group or possibly incorporate it into your homeschool, then definitely check out The Ultimate Gift website for guides you can download.

 

 

This post has been submitted for inclusion in The Christian Home Issue 39 hosted here.

As the featured columnist for the Movies and Music category, you can be looking forward to weekly posts on what we are watching or music we’ve enjoyed. Feel free to leave suggestions for me as well that are family friendly or uplifting for adults.  While I have movies and some music selections in mind, I’m always on the lookout for other great choices.