SEE FOR ME
Canada, 2021, 92 minutes, Colour.
Skyler Davenport, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Natalie Brown, Kim Coates, Laura Vandevoort.
Directed by Randall Okita.
There have been a number of thrillers where a blind woman is menaced by intruders. Perhaps the best known is Alan Arkin stalking Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark. There was Mia Farrow in See No Evil/Blind Terror. There was Madeline Stowe as a blind witness in Blink.
Some audiences have declared they have seen it all before – but, does that matter? We might enjoy seeing it again in a varied form.
Legally blind actress, Skyler Davenport, is quite unsympathetic in the central role, Sophie, a champion skier in her teens, her blindness coming on, her wanting to do everything herself, clashing with her mother trying to help, house sitting for a millionaire going through a divorce. The film uses the first half hour to establish Sophie’s blindness, dependence on others, and her fears attempts at independence, her boyfriend Cam guiding her with her phone to see all the details of the mansion. When she inadvertently locks herself out, she connects a company, See for Me, and talks with the representative, Kelly, Jessica Parker Kennedy. She is very sympathetic, has a military background in Iraq, she advises how to get the door open.
After 30 minutes, the intruders arrive, to drill open the safe in the house. There are three, guided by a mastermind on the phone. Sophie hears them and then begins a cat and mouse interaction, her calling the police, and with the help of Kelly. Sophie asks for a cut of the take and this is agreed to, but the police arrive, the officer is killed, Sophie reassesses, gets the gun and, with the guidance of Kelly, shoots the intruders. There is a final twist when the mastermind on the phone is revealed as the millionaire’s husband wanting to get back his cash. Sophie uses her wits, finds the mastermind’s phone, rings it and so he becomes a target for her to shoot.
The lead actress, Skyler Davenport, is legally blind.
There is a positive ending – Sophie wounded, in a wheelchair, wanting to go to the Paralympics, and phoning Kelly!
- Films of blind women being terrorised? Variations on the plot?
- Canadian film, upper New York State settings, homes, the mansion, remote, the wintry countryside? The musical score?
- Sophie, the actress legally blind, her performance? An unsympathetic character? Alienating many audiences? Her determination to do everything herself, her treatment of others trying to help? The consequences for her, locked out, dependent on See for Me help, the police, the intruders? Her stealing the bottle of wine? Her relationship with Cam, his guiding her through the details of the house, his disapproving of taking the wine? Her agreeing to side with the intruders, wanting a share of the money?
- The situation, Sophie, her background, ski champion, eyes, with her mother, clashing with her mother? The contact with Debra, arriving at the mansion, sitting the house, sitting the cat? Cam and his help with the phone camera guiding her through the house? Being locked out? The contact with Kelly, Kelly and her help? Yet wanting to do everything herself?
- The intruders, the safe, Sophie hearing noise, the intruders hearing the noise, Sophie ringing the police, contacting Kelly? The confrontation, her saying she wanted to help, a cut of the money? Phoning the police, telling not to come, the regulations that they should come? The officer, Sophie trying to put her off, coming into the house, almost going, Kelly and her contacting the police, the officers returned, the confrontation, her death?
- Sophie, the intruder from outside, the murder, the effect on the group, Dave the safe, the time for the police to arrive, the phone calls continually from the control, the control and his attitude towards Sophie?
- The cat and mouse, Sophie with the gun, Kelly guiding her, shooting the menacing man? Outside, being chased, Kelly resuming, the menace, the shooting? With Dave, the money, his wanting to take some, Sophie shooting him?
- Rico arriving, the menace, the revelation that he was Debra’s husband, the divorce, wanting the money in the safe? Sophie turning off the lights, the fighting, getting his phone, bringing it, identifying where he was, her shooting him? His rising up, strangling her, the broken bottle?
- The end, Kelly wounded, in the wheelchair, the para Olympics, cam helping her, and the phone call to Kelly?
