Blind Dating (2006)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

James Keach

Writer:

Christopher Theo (writer)

Release Date:

26 April 2007 (Malaysia)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Date at your own risk.

Plot:

A blind young man (Pine) thinks he finds love with an Indian woman (Jay), though their relationship is fraught with cultural differences.

Plot Keywords:

Blind | Brain Surgery | Brother | Female To Male Footsie Playing | Limousine

Cast

Chris Pine	...	Danny
Steve Wellington	...	Young Danny (as Steven Wellington)
Frank Gerrish	...	Angelo
Dee Macaluso	...	Lucia
Austin Rogers	...	Young Larry
Ashlyn Yates	...	Young Marie
Megan Umberger	...	Girl in Park #1
Olivia Garvey	...	Girl in Park #2
Gabriella Helmstetler	...	Girl in Park #3
John Keach	...	Boy in Park #1
Kris Keach	...	Boy in Park #2
Jenni Flynn	...	Kids' Mom
Susan Dolan	...	Mrs. Luciano
Robert Conder	...	Mr. Luciano (as Bob Conder)
Sean Hammond	...	Dumbass Friend #1

Also Known As:

Blind Guy Dating (USA) (working title)
Blind Guy Driving (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

USA:95 min | Argentina:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-11 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Ogden, Utah, USA

Company:

Catfish Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When Danny is giving Larry a gift for being a great brother and friend, Larry comes forward and takes the bag from Danny and gives him a hug. After the hug, the next shot is of Larry taking the bag from Danny again. So, he takes the bag twice.

Quotes:

Danny: You remember when you tried to tell me what your family thought about love? Well, let me tell you what I think love is. Love is how you speak to me. You have a softness in your voice that- And love is how you touch me... and guide me showing me the way to go. And when we kiss-when we kiss... it moves me to my soul.

Interesting conceptually, blindly executed

There are several good, interesting ideas that could have been explored in this movie - one is a blind young man, interested in a serious relationship and wanting to have sex with meaning -- who doesn't view himself as attractive -- and how he goes about pursuing that relationship and what happens along the way. This movie could play as a drama with comedy or a comedy with drama. Another way it could have gone is the experience of a blind young man who undergoes experimental surgery and the outcome and difficulties encountered along the way. More than likely this would be mostly a drama. Finally, there's the relationship between a blind man and a sighted woman, a romance based movie, either drama or comedy, or the relationship between a Caucasian American male and an female of Indian descent from a very traditional Indian family, and the difficulties they would encounter along the way, again a drama with some comedy more than likely.

Unfortunately, this movie overreached it grasp. There were some very good moments: the basketball game with the friend, the parents at the hospital while they await the outcome of the surgery, etc. But the whole isn't even a sum of these parts -- it's a combination of movies that do not cohere in a way that one can call a success.

Its unfortunate: the idea of a romance comedy that isn't simplistic, Boy meets Girl, Boy and Girl find love, encounter hindrance, break-up, but Love Wins Out, is a trite, tired formula. This movie had the promise to be a bit more than that, as DEFINITELY, MAYBE attempted and succeeded earlier this year. A longer running time would have helped and a better screenplay.

The performances was reasonably solid for the budget. Technically, the film is fine, location wise and situation some interesting choices. The biggest weakness is the plot, story and script.

Chris Pine deserves some better roles, to see what he can actually make with something more complex and intelligent. Some excellent character actors are wasted, although their performances are fine. There are some unfortunate and unnecessary stereotypes with both the Indian characters and the females set-ups that the Larry character attempts to hook up with Chris Pine's role as Danny.