In a world where money and material possessions seem to be the end goal, this interesting documentary dares to ask an important question.

Is life about giving or getting? Director-writer Robin McKenna shares the stories from different cultures and background to find out what’s important to people all around the world.

Her film Gift is done in creative essay format, and is inspired by the Lewis Hyde best-seller of the same name.

The film is certainly interesting and keeps things moving along with a brisk run-time.

It’s a neat meditation on the central premise, but one wishes the whole affair would have been more engaging.

Gift is a documentary that does a good job of exploring its subject, but given the plethora of ways it could of gone, one wishes it was a little longer and had pushed further.

I suppose there are certainly worse things than wishing a film had a longer run-time, and it’s a benefit to Gift that it kept my attention enough for me to want to keep watching.

Overall, this is a solid effort and a worthwhile study of human culture.

3.5/5 Stars