10 Best Whodunit Films From Unusual Genres

7. The Gift (2000) (Supernatural Thriller)

Director Sam Raimi’s 2000 whodunit is an innovative twist on the genre: Cate Blanchett plays a fortune teller in a small town in the American South who is reluctantly pulled into an investigation when she begins having visions of a woman who has gone missing (played by Katie Holmes).

Blanchett, a widowed working class mother, is haunted by her gift, but tries to carve a living out of it regardless. When she becomes involved with the investigation, many of the locals in the small community deny her abilities, harass her and her family, and even name her as the prime suspect.

The Gift marks the shift in Raimi’s career when he went from goofy horror/comedy hybrids, such as Army of Darkness and Darkman, into more mature filmmaking. He’s able to craft a fine mystery tale while still utilizing his talents for shocking moments of horror when Blanchett’s character has her psychic visions—but it also has a lot of heart.

The film boasts an impressive cast with the likes of Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank, Giovanni Ribisi, and Keanu Reeves. Think of The Gift as Raimi’s stepping stone into mainstream cinema. If it wasn’t for this film, we may never have gotten his beloved take on Spider-Man.