Title: Blind Dating
Year: 2006
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Director: James Keach
Writer: Christopher Theo
Runtime: 95min
Cast: Chris Pine, Anjali Jay, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Jane
Seymour, Stephen Tobolowski
Prod.: Samuel Goldwyn Films, Films Milcoz, Catfish
Productions, Blind Guy Films, Theta Films
Being born premature Andy (Chris Pine) is doomed not to
have a normal life. Lacking the faculty to see, with all of that it means,
makes him not to have yet been with a girl, when he´s reached 22.
Blind Dating is a romantic comedy where there has been
given more thought to its title (a very good pun, that gives clues about the
movie), than to the kind of humor included, sometimes very silly. When we see,
at first, Andy as a boy, running like a crazy through a park and crashing into
a tree, one wonders what the purpose was, exactly. Scenes like this were not
necessary. Where has there been children seen doing that?
Andy faces now a crucial stage, and where he must be brave
and take risks. The blindness that has forced him to see the world in a
different way could be reversed, according to doctors, although there is no
history to prove it.
Together, it has been opened to him the chance of going out
with girls, and where he has got on his side, to be a good-looking guy. Here
the risk is emotional, if ever he could get hurt, if his disability was to
scare them away. Let us also agree, and being realistic, that if other than being blind, he hadn´t been handsome, quite difficult he would have had it with this girls. So, in terms of casting Pine, they were great.
He sets then on finding candidates, while tests whether his
qualified or nor for surgery, which works as a sub plot. All this part of preparations
is dealt with delicacy, saving the comedy for his dates or for the sessions
with his therapist, Dr. Evans (Jane Seymour).
Andy has got the help of his well-meaning brother Larry
(Eddie Kaye Thomas). It´ll be him who introduces Andy to the lucky ones, as
well as putting his limo at his service. The downside is that every girl
brought by him is either very fast or very crazy, someone who will charge them
for her time, or someone hyper sensitive. Let´s add to this that Andy wants
something serious, while Larry only thinks with his dick. Luckily for Andy, he
won´t, however, need his help to find his soul mate, a young Indian woman who
works at the center where he is attended.
It is with this young girl, of different race and very
different culture, which Andy feels, for the first time that something
wonderful can happen. Another point of interest is precisely the culture shock
and its implications, since Indian marriages are arranged. But before he falls
in love or even goes out with Leeza (Anjali Jay), still await him dates that he
would prefer to forget.
While there are funny moments, others could have been
avoided for being so forced and unconvincing. The occurrence, for example, of
hiding his condition to a young woman results in a scenario that´s too absurd.
Anyone with half a brain would have started noticing in his eyes that peculiar
look, very different from those who can see. Instead it creates a lack of
balance between the two genres in Blind Dating.
As much as we can describe it as a comedy, I think, in
fact, is its dramatic component that deserves more attention. Although it´s got
the ingredients of every romantic title, not very often the main character is
unable to describe his loved one physical look, unless he uses the touch.
It also talks about the importance of self-acceptance,
however difficult it may be and even if we suffer from something irreversible
and extremely limiting.
My rating: 4/10
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