BLIND
US, 2016, 98 minutes, Colour.
Alec Baldwin, Demi Moore, Dylan McDermott, Eden Epstein, Viva Bianca, Steven Prescott.
Directed by Michael Mailer.
Certainly a blunt title. One of the central characters is, in fact, blind, Bill (Alec Baldwin), a novelist involved in a car accident, the death of his wife and losing his sight.
The other central character is Suzanne, played by Demi Moore, the wife of an aggressive businessman, 19 years of marriage, his manipulating money deals using the family account. His partner is under suspicion from the authorities, arrested, gives testimony against the husband, Mark, a sinister Dylan McDermott. Because of the family account, Suzanne goes before the court and is sentenced to hundred days of community service.
Which is how the two central characters meet, she having to go to the centre for the Blind and read stories to Bill from students in his creative writing course.
And, depending on one’s interests and tastes, whether interested more in the thriller aspects or the dramatic aspects, the film delivers more and less.
On the thriller side, the development is ultimately minimal, some scenes of Mark brutal in prison, freed, aggressive treatment towards an employee whom he pays to spy on his wife. On the romance side, it goes more or less as expected, Bill and Suzanne sparring, mellowing, falling in love, Mark forbidding his wife to see Bill, Bill disappearing but ultimately being found, after the successful publication of his previously unfinished novel, in his favourite spot on the French coast. The ending goes for the full lush romantic treatment.
So, it will depend on interest and tastes.
- The title? Bill Oakland and his blindness, the accident, the consequences, his life and style, his needs?
- Symbolic blindness, Suzanne not seeing the truth about her husband?
- The New York settings, affluent business, homes? College, lectures? The Institute for the Blind, visitors? Bill and his apartment, the streets? And the finale on the Riviera?
- The blend of romance and thriller, with romance winning out, especially the all-stops-out ending?
- The thriller aspects, Mark Dutchman, business interests, socials, deals and pressure, illegal dealings? The encounter with Landry, employing him? The arrest, the charges? His wife’s visits? His behaviour in prison, the big prisoner, the bashing? Engineering his partner’s death by accident? Getting Landry to follow Suzanne? The lawyers, the hearings, no evidence against him, freedom? And the indication of his affair, the note, the revelation about Deanna?
- The romantic aspects: Suzanne, loving her husband, not knowing the truth, suspicions about the family account, his arrest, her reaction, visits, in court, community service? Going to the centre, Ella and her attitudes? Meeting Bill, antagonism, her reading the stories?
- Bill, his novel, the accident, his blindness, the flashbacks to his wife and her death? Teaching creative writing? The stories read to him? His comments, especially to Suzanne about how they should be read with meaning? At home, his manuscript in the drawer unfinished, the untidy house? His blunt manner, Gavin coming to him, challenging him, taking a liking to him, getting Gavin to clean the house, inviting him to come to classes?
- Bill, the growing relationship with Suzanne, the effect on her, resistance? The going for the walk in the park, his memories? The going to the restaurant, going home, the friendly super at the door? The night together, the consequences?
- Landry following Suzanne, her paying him off, Mark threatening him, extracting the information?
- Mark, obsessive with Suzanne, forbidding her to see Bill? Her reaction, the affair and the note, the past with Deanna, the gym together, friendship, Suzanne disillusioned with her?
- Bill, his disappearance, going back to France? Publishing his novel? Suzanne, his disappearance, her walking out on Mark, going to friends and the lush romantic ending?
