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| “ | See you're done with the past.. but the past is not done with you. | „ |
| ~ Gordon Mosley threatening Simon. |
Gordon "Gordo" Mosley (also known as Gordo the Weirdo) is the main antagonist of the 2015 thriller film The Gift.
He was portrayed by Joel Edgerton, who also portrayed Metal Beak in Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, and Rameses II in Exodus: Gods and Kings.
Biography[]
Gordo was born on June 14, 1975 and went to high school at Fairmont Park High School in Los Angeles. During his time at high school, everyone called him "Gordo the Weirdo". While in high school in 1990, class president Simon Callum and his friend Greg Pierson spread a rumor that Gordo was gay and was molested by an older kid. This completely ruined Gordo's life and reputation, as not only was he transferred to another school, but Gordo's father attempted to kill his own son by almost burning him alive, as he believed Gordo was a homosexual, and was sent to prison for attempted murder. Gordo would never forget what Simon did to him.
After graduating, Gordo joined the military and served two tours in Iraq or Afghanistan. It was also said on Gordo's background check that he had even married and had a child. According to the background check, Gordo was discharged on August 14, 2004 and was sent to a rehabilitation facility via court order, and his wife presumably left and took their child. He later was accused of kidnapping his child in 2005. It's possible, however, that Simon could have fabricated much of the report in the event that one day his wife Robyn would try looking for proof of Gordo's insanity, much like he fabricated a false work experience of his work competitor Danny McDonald. So it's unknown if Gordo ever did have a family of his own, as he never mentioned ever having a child (perhaps it was too painful to talk about as he's probably never seen his child in years as his ex-wife probably got a restraining order against him) and that Robyn and her friend mentioned an attempted abduction of a minor rather than parental kidnapping as it said on the actual report; but it's likely that Gordo was at one point a husband and father, as he said he's not married anymore due to a "long story" and this is probably why he chose this form of revenge against Simon, to not only have Robyn leave him in the end and take their baby, just like what happened to Gordo, but if Gordo is the father of Robyn's baby, then it would be like filling the void of his oldest child that he's not allowed to see.
Simon meanwhile moved to Chicago and was employed at Orthus, a security firm, and where he met his wife Robyn. About a year before the events of the film, Robyn had a miscarriage due to stress and city life which fueled their decision to move to the suburbs of Los Angeles near where Simon grew up. Greg, meanwhile, became a successful chiropractor in Los Angeles.
The Gift[]
After moving back to California, Simon and Robyn ran into Gordo, as Gordo purposely intended. Gordo begins dropping by their new house unexpectedly, mostly when Robyn is home alone and usually leaving gifts, including a wine bottle and fish in the house pond. It was during this time that Simon was competing in a promotion against rival Danny McDonald, and had McDonald fired after he fabricated papers about Danny's last job. Simon and Robyn are invited to Gordo's luxurious house; he leaves for a few minutes claiming that he has work to take care of. During this time, Simon and Robyn search the house and find that Gordo is a father, as they find a child's bedroom. When Gordo returns, he admits to being a liar; that was his ex-wife he was talking to, and she left him a few days prior to his encounter with Simon at the mall and took their 2 children with her. It is actually his wife's house and he may be kicked out anytime. Simon tells Gordo not to visit them anymore until his situation is taken care of.
Shortly afterwards, Robyn finds the new fishes in the pond dead inexplicably, and their dog Bojangles missing. Simon immediately suspects Gordo and drives to his 'house', only to find that another family lives there and were on vacation to Cancun during Gordo's stay. The police cannot do much about it because they have no evidence that Gordo did do it; Bojangles returns shortly after, however, safe and unharmed. Gordo writes to Simon and Robyn once more, saying that he'll leave them alone, and that he was willing to let bygones be bygones with Simon after all these years. After this, Robyn passes out while home alone, and wakes up in her bed the next morning. Simon says he found the pills that Robyn has been sneaking from the neighbors' house, and wants them to start fresh and forget about Gordo.
Months go by, during which time Robyn discovers that she is pregnant. Towards the end of the pregnancy, Robyn and her friend are shopping for baby accessories when they see Gordo looking at them from outside the store. During the baby shower, Simon's mother and sister visit. While walking, Robyn asks Simon's sister what happened between Simon and Gordo what happened with them in high school; she says that she was 12 at the time and that Simon and Greg said they 'saved' Gordo from being molested. Robyn wonders why Gordo would want vengeance on him if he saved him, so she pays a visit to Greg, who says that Simon was a bully who spread that rumor and ruined Gordo's life. While Greg reveals he was truly sorry for what happened and that he and Gordo have made peace with each other, Robyn wants Simon to track down Gordo and apologize to him, but when he tries, Gordo says it's too late for that and that the past isn't done with Simon. This angers Simon who beats him to the ground and says he will destroy him if he comes near his family again.
Simon is promoted at a dinner party at his house, when an unknown assailant throws a rock through the window. Simon chases him and discovers it's not Gordo, but Danny McDonald, Simon's business rival who wanted revenge because Simon slandered him out of his job and as such has fallen victim to Simon's lies just like Gordo. Due to the excitement, Robyn goes into labor and soon at the hospital gives birth to a healthy baby boy. Simon is fired from his job over the phone because of him lying about Danny; even worse, Robyn wants to separate from him. Simon goes back to the house only to find a large gift left by Gordo on the front porch. Gordo meanwhile visits Robyn in the hospital. Inside the gift box is a baby casket which contains three boxes numbered in sequential order. The first contains a house key which unlocks the front door; the second is an audio disc of Simon and Robyn making fun of Gordo at his 'house' while he's gone followed by 'Flight of the Valkyries'; the third contains a video disc. The video shows Gordo filming Simon and Robyn eating, sleeping, etc. before switching to Robyn passing out after her Gatorade had been poisoned. Gordo then filmed himself in a monkey mask (symbolic because Simon has a fear of monkeys) taking the unconscious Robyn to her bed and stroking her, implying he's about to rape her, before the video cuts off. To Simon's horror, it could be Gordo's baby and not his. He rushes back to the hospital to find that Robyn is gone and Gordo gets away on an elevator.
Simon runs outside and is called by Gordo, who taunts him over the phone. He says that maybe he touched Robyn, but maybe he did not, and that it's all in the baby's eyes. Simon goes to the nursery and sees Robyn holding their newborn son, but Robyn stops smiling when she sees Simon before the nurse closes the curtains. Simon sits against the wall, as karma has come to haunt him now that his life is in shambles; he is left wondering if it's his baby or not as Gordo walks away down the hall, satisfied at his long-awaited revenge.
Villainous Acts[]
The movie stays ambiguous when it comes to just about every villainous act that Gordo supposedly committed, not just the ending, and leaves viewers wondering if he did do those things. For example:
- When the fish were found dead, it could have been because of the untested chemicals in the pond that were never accounted for.
- Mr. Jobangles the dog could have run off on his own as his environment changed.
- Mike, who has the luxurious house that Gordo stayed in while the former and his family were on vacation, knew Gordo and employed him as his limousine driver. He could've told Gordo to watch after the place.
- Simon very well could have fabricated much of Gordo's criminal record, wrote the information in his handwriting, and wrote the Bible verse post-it notes himself. He also probably lied to his wife about getting a restraining order against Gordo.
- Maybe Gordo did not touch Robyn, but maybe he did.
Trivia[]
- Gordo's actor, Joel Edgerton, also write and directed the film, which was also his directional debut.
- An alternate ending confirmed that Gordo didn't rape Robyn after drugging her, but it's deliberately left ambiguous in the theatrical ending.
- Gordo shares similarities to the characters Laura Barns, Carrie White, Rachel Lang and Ma, all 4 people were bullied in high school and got even with them in their own ways.