BLIND DATING

US, 2006, 95 minutes, Colour.
Chris Pine, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Pooch Hall, Anjali Jay, Jane Seymour, Stephen Tobolowski.
Directed by James Keach.

The principal reason for the release of this serious comedy in 2009 is the success of Star Trek and Chris Pine's effective performance as the young Captain Kirk. He acquits himself reasonably in this film which has its moments (and has its other moments!).

Pine plays Danny, a young man who is blind – and has been teased by his older brother since they were children. He has a genial, large Italian father and a worrying mother. There is also a little sister.

There are moments of teen sex comedy, a touch raucous, especially as the older brother now owns a limousine service and getting extra money for allowing prostitutes to use it for their clients. Eddie Kaye Thomas plays Larry, the brother, in much the way he did in the American Pie films.

On the serious side, while Danny is looking for a deeper relationship and the dates that his brother arranges are disastrous, he has the opportunity to undergo some experimental surgery to insert a chip which could activate the brain to see, at least, black and white outlines. He is surly towards a receptionist at the doctor's but soon becomes friends with her – her family is from India and have arranged a marriage for her and she has not the heart to tell Danny.

The surgery and the aftermath are presented seriously and the film ends with touches of the romantic screwball comedy. Slightly better than the usual.

1.The blend of romance, sex comedy, serious focus on disability?

2.The background of the town, home, school, doctors’ offices, the hospital, restaurants? Realistic? Musical score?

3.The plausibility of the plot, the blind man, the operation – and his behaviour? Family and friends?

4.The family with the Italian Catholic background (though the second generation showing very little influence)? The large father, genial? The mother worrying? Larry and his mischief with his brother while young, nice sister? Danny and his blindness within this context?

5.The introduction to Danny, talking about his brother, running through the picnic plates, hitting the tree, the excrement in the bag? His ability to overcome these hardships and torments? With the psychiatrist, her clothes, his common sense? Wanting a relationship, wanting love?

6.The adult Larry, in the home, his limousine company, focus on sex, the girls, their clients, the Japanese wanting the photo taken? The set-ups for Danny, the girl weeping because he was blind, the tough woman, the woman who did not know he was blind and then reacted? The failure of the plans?

7.The operation issue, the possibility of such an operation, technology, the psychological risks, physical risks? The tests? The doctor, the interviews, Doctor Evans as giving psychological backup? Danny explaining it to the family, his carefree attitude, their reactions? His being upset with Leeza, the decision about the operation? Undergoing it, the success, his collapse, the media interviews, the failure of the experiment?

8.Leeza, at reception, Danny’s hostility, their clashes, a nice woman, Indian background, the parents’ restaurant, the arranged marriage, the fiancé and his approach, her resistance? The discussions about the wedding, pressure on her? Her not telling Danny?

9.Danny and Leeza, talking, the bonds, her listening, sharing, not telling him about her background? His falling in love? Larry seeing them? Danny and his love for Casablanca? The truth about Leeza, becoming morose? The celebration of the engagement? Danny’s arrival, the reactions, the in-laws walking out?

10.Danny regaining some vision, black and white, seeing the faces, the seeing of all his family? Seeing Casablanca? The headaches, going to the restaurant, the difficulties in crossing the street? His declaration to Leeza?

11.His friends, Jay and his support from schooldays, basketball hoops and getting the money? Hitting the baseball, Danny’s explanation of baseball to Leeza? Taking the woman out to dinner, the rehearsing in the restaurant – and the comedy of the failure?

12.The sex comedy, the usual stuff, in place or out of place in this story? In such a romantic comedy? The interracial themes?

13.Blindness and living with it? And the happy ending?