The 2016 thriller “Hush” upended the home invasion picture.
Our heroine, tasked with surviving a mortal threat, couldn’t hear the attacker’s footfalls, or anything else. She was deaf, which gave the thriller a decided advantage over the competition.
Originality matters. Always.
The thriller still left a little room for company. What if the person fending off the intruder was blind, not deaf?
“See For Me” grabs that “Hush” baton, and while the thrills aren’t as sharp it reminds us the central conceit is a stone-cold winner.
A former skiing star named Sophie (Skyler Davenport) gave up the sport after an illness robbed her of her vision. Now, she cobbles an income from various odd jobs in between squabbling with her well-intentioned mom.
Her latest gig? Cat-sitting for a wealthy divorcee. The gig seems innocent enough until a trio of hoodlums break into the house, eager to plunder its riches.
Sophie has an ace up her sleeve. Her phone’s new app, dubbed See For Me, connects the visually disabled with virtual assistants who can “see” for them. It’s a slick gimmick that lends itself to more depth than meets the eye.
The screenplay can’t fully tap into that potential, though, settling for a snazzy plot device that gives Sophie a fighting chance against the intruders.
“See for Me” offers another, less obvious wrinkle.
Our sweet and sour Sophie bears a grudge after losing her sight. It’s hard to blame her, but it manifests itself in ways that enhance the genre in play.
What if our heroine had a dark side?
To say more veers into spoiler territory. Just know the assistant who connects with Sophie (Jessica Parker Kennedy) brings another complicated back story to the mix.
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Another flaw?
The invaders themselves aren’t as menacing, or layered, as necessary. A late appearance by “Sons of Anarchy” alum Kim Coates strains a story already teetering on absurdity.
The third act delivers what audiences crave, but the plot contrivances start stacking up in irritating fashion. We’re left with a tidy ending, one that betrays the moral shadings flashed earlier in the film.
HiT or Miss: “See for Me” runs with a killer premise despite not taking full advantage of its curiously complex heroine.
The post ‘See For Me’ Shares Bold Approach to Exhausted Genre appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
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