Blind Dating (2006)

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

Director:

James Keach

Writer:

Christopher Theo

Stars:

Chris Pine, Anjali Jay, Eddie Kaye Thomas

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Alden	...	Jasmine (as Jenny Alden)
Chris Pine	...	Danny
Eddie Kaye Thomas	...	Larry
Steve Wellington	...	Young Danny (as Steven Wellington)
Anjali Jay	...	Leeza Raja
Jane Seymour	...	Dr. Evans
Austin Rogers	...	Young Larry
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Dr. Perkins
Ashlyn Yates	...	Young Marie
Pooch Hall	...	Jay
Megan Umberger	...	Girl in Park #1
Olivia Garvey	...	Girl in Park #2
Frank Gerrish	...	Angelo
Gabriella Helmstetler	...	Girl in Park #3
Dee Macaluso	...	Lucia

Storyline

A charming young blind man signs up for a dangerous experimental procedure: brain surgery that may give him partial vision. While taking tests he falls hard for the lovely East Indian nurse, but she has been promised in an arranged marriage - a promise she feels she cannot break without dishonoring her family. But when the man's brain surgery goes unexpectedly awry, the crisis effects a reunion between the two young lovers.

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Plot Keywords:

surgery | blind man | regaining sight | basketball court | two on a bicycle | 

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Taglines:

Date at your own risk.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Samuel Goldwyn Films LLC [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 April 2007 (Malaysia)

Also Known As:

Blind Guy Driving

Filming Locations:

Ogden, Utah, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$61,877, 11 May 2007, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$87,416, 20 May 2007

Company Credits

Production Co:

Samuel Goldwyn Films, Milcoz Films, Catfish Productions

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Sensitive Date: So you're really blind?
Danny: Yes.
Sensitive Date: [sobs uncontrollably]

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Connections

Features Casablanca (1942)

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Soundtracks

Harbour
Performed by Moby featuring Sinéad O'Connor (as Sinead O'Connor)

User Reviews

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.