BLIND DATING
(PG-13)
MOVIE: ** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5)
STARRING
Chris Pine as DANNY
Eddie Kaye Thomas as LARRY
Anjali Jay as LEEZA
Stephen Tobolowsky as DR. PERKINS
Jane Seymour as DR. EVANS
Directed by: James Keach
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films
BY KEVIN CARR
I think puns are cute. I’ll admit that they are often the lowest forms of humor, but they do make me laugh. However, I do get a little nervous when a movie seems to hinge on the clever pun title. It makes me worry that the funny ended with the concept (much like the failed television pilot “Blind Men” about guys who sell blinds for windows, which I was fortunate enough to see a few years back as part of a focus group).
In this respect, I didn’t think that “Blind Dating” was that bad, but it wasn’t the greatest cinematic experience to come to DVD. But then again, was anyone expecting this?
The film stars Chris Pine as Danny, a guy who has been blind all his life. However, Danny has never come to terms with his problem, and he doesn’t like to be labeled “blind.” Trying to live a normal life without letting on that he can’t see has given him challenges through life, especially the dating world. Soon, his older brother Larry (Eddie Kaye Thomas) makes it his mission to get Danny a girlfriend.
Chris Pine has flirted with success before, starring in the sequel to “The Princess Diaries” as well as a Lindsay Lohan rom-com before her career spiraled into Jerry Springer-esque oblivion. He hasn’t had his break, although that might be coming with the “Star Trek” adaptation in which he plays a young Kirk.
By as it stands, at this point, Pine is struggling. He seems better than this film, which plays out as a typical independent movie striving to be a mainstream hit. The biggest problem with the movie, though, is that it tries to tackle too many issues in an attempt to differentiate itself.
The film could live as a movie about a blind guy trying to find love without letting his dates know he’s blind. But it mixes too many issues when he falls in love with an Indian girl (Anjali Jay). The movie then tries to deal with her problems of breaking away from traditional Indian marriage practices. In the end, the movie muddles the plot even more with Danny going through experimental surgery to solve his blindness, which erupts into a media frenzy.
“Blind Dating” could have been three different movies, but it tries to cram everything into one package, making a mess of things. It works to a degree as a small-budget film, but it tries to hard to be mainstream without following the rules of that genre.
The DVD comes with deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes featurette that covers the making of the film.