THE ULTIMATE GIFT — ** — Drew Fuller, James Garner, Ali Hillis; rated PG (violence, vulgarity, mild profanity).

It's not really spoiling anything to reveal that "The Ultimate Gift" kills off James Garner right at the start.

As it turns out, that's not as big a mistake as you might think. His character shows up in scattered moments throughout the film (thanks to a videotaped will).

The still-lively septuagenarian is the most interesting part of this almost painfully earnest drama, which takes a really saccharine turn toward the end.

Garner plays Howard "Red" Stevens, a Texan loathe to give too much of his wealth to his spoiled-rotten children and grandchildren, including Jason (Drew Fuller), a hard-partying rich kid who expects nothing, as he is estranged from his grandfather.

To Jason's surprise, however, Red has left him a dozen gifts, which are actually a series of lessons and challenges designed to teach him to overcome adversity by learning the value of work, friends, family and love, among other things.

Jason begrudgingly agrees to take on these challenges, which is how he meets Alexia (Ali Hillis), a single mother with a sickly but big-hearted daughter named Emily (Abigail Breslin, from "Little Miss Sunshine"). Yes, this subplot goes exactly where you'd expect.

Director Michael O. Sajbel and screenwriter Cheryl McKay try to stuff so much of Jim Stovall's novel in that it feels a bit rushed. Also, Fuller (TV's "Charmed") doesn't seem that committed to his role. His rather unsympathetic character's transformation from selfish to selfless isn't very convincing. (He goes from jerk to sort-of jerk.)

Still, it's hard to hate a film that gives screen time to veterans like Garner, Lee Meriwether, Bill Cobbs and Brian Dennehy, who steal every scene they're in.

If only the movie was about them instead.

"The Ultimate Gift" is rated PG for scenes of violence (shootings and gunplay, mostly overheard), and use of some vulgar slang terms and mild profanities (religiously based). Running time: 117 minutes.

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E-mail: jeff@desnews.com