The Ultimate Gift

Jason Stevens is a wealthy young man who has never had to work for anything. When his grandfather Howard "Red" Stevens dies, Jason expects to collect a large inheritance along with the rest of the family. Instead, the will sets him a condition: before he receives anything, he must complete twelve tasks his grandfather designed for him. What looks like an obstacle turns into an education in the things Red believed mattered more than money.

The film is based on Jim Stovall's novel of the same name. Michael O. Sajbel directed it, between One Night with the King (2006) and The Mulligan (2022), from a screenplay by Cheryl McKay, with John Shepherd and Cleve Landsberg producing. Drew Fuller plays Jason, James Garner plays his grandfather, and Abigail Breslin, Bill Cobbs, Ali Hillis and Lee Meriwether appear among a credited cast of 58.

Made for about 9 million dollars, the film took in roughly 3 million worldwide on its March 2007 release. Audiences have received it warmly: it holds 7.3 out of 10 on IMDb from around 23,000 votes and 7.7 out of 10 on TMDB from 553 votes. Critics were less convinced, giving it a rating of 5.2 out of 10 across 59 reviews, well below the audience scores. Running 114 minutes, the film mixes family drama with romance.