ALL I SEE IS YOU
US, 2016, 109 minutes, Colour.
Blake Lively, Jason Clark, Ahna O' Reilly, Miguel Fernandez, Yvonne Strahovski, Wes Chatham, Danny Huston.
Directed by Marc Forster.
There is sweetness and bitterness in this film about a woman who was involved in a car accident with her parents and was blinded. She has grown up, supported by her sister who lives in Spain, has married, is living in Thailand with her husband and they have a desire to conceive a child.
Having established this, the film moves to the possibilities of the woman recovering her site, interviews with the doctor, promise, surgery, recovery, the exhilaration of recovery and the changing perspectives of her life.
She has not seen her husband and he is not as she expected. He is devoted, buys tickets for flights to Spain where she sees her sister and brother-in-law, discovers a more open way of life, some exhilaration in sensuality and sexuality. Her husband also buys a house by the river which she has expressed interest in.
However, her husband is not all that she sees, especially with an encounter in the park walking her dog, meeting a young man with his dog, kiss, sexual encounter – and an irony that her husband has visited the doctor who advises him that his sperm count is low and the couple will not conceive.
There are ambiguities with the ending, the husband walking out of the concert where his wife is performing with a little girl, driving away, and a scene with the woman giving birth to a child.
The film is directed by Marc Forster who had quite an elaborate career with many kinds of genre films including Monster’s Ball, The Kite Runner, Stranger than Fiction, James Bond and Quantum of Solace, Christopher Robin.
1. The title, blindness, sight, the consequences of recovery of sight? Physical, psychological?
2. The visuals and the style for indicating blindness, blur, colours and blend, intimations of gradual recovery?
3. The Thai setting, the American couple, James and his work, their home, the visits to the doctor, the possibilities for recovery, the surgery, the details of the recovery?
4. The title locations, atmosphere of the city? The transition to Spain, the Villa? Barcelona? The musical score?
5. The relationship between Gina and James? Their wanting to have a child? The varied attempts? His visit to the doctor, his low sperm count? The consequences? His being supportive of her and her blindness, her never having seen him, the consequences of seeing him? The flashbacks to the car driving, the accident?
6. Interviews with the doctor, his concern, reassurances, the surgery? The later visit, the deterioration of the sight, the checking on the medication, his support?
7. James, ordinary, his work, in love with his wife, supporting her? The ticket for Spain?
8. The visit to Spain, her sister, brother-in-law, nephew? Life at home, Gina coming out of herself, the visit to the club, erotic atmosphere, its effect on her? The return home?
9. The effect of the recovery, Gina looking at her face, becoming different, the effect of the visit to Spain, the change of clothes, sexuality and sensuality, possibilities?
10. The dog, a bond with the dog, going walking, the encounters with Daniel? The kiss, her allowing him to respond? His reaction? The later encounter and cover-up?
11. James, suspicions, the death of the dog, the buying of the house that Gina wanted, the gift, turning sour?
12. Gina, the rehearsals was a little girl, going to the concert, the performance, James walking out, driving?
13. The finale of the film, Gina and the birth of the baby – and the future?
