Two people come together in a way neither one ever imagined in this romantic comedy that brings a very emotional level in terms of its performances by the cast.
Bess Krafft is a blind woman whose affliction comes from a traumatic event in her childhood. Her mother died in an accident years ago and her father, Murray, is stricken with Parkinson’s Disease. Her dream is to work as an optometrist, but she feels something is missing. She sees local therapist Farmer Smithson, who has a crush on her. Bess tries to get her life together but when her father experiences a complication in his diagnosis, she finds her world turned upside down.
Farmer introduces Bess to local construction worker Russell Hank, who has felt he has always been unnoticed and had even attempted suicide. At first, Bess thinks Farmer is pranking her. However, upon hearing his voice, Bess realizes that Russell is real and the two slowly form a bond. Russell finally learns that he is not is as invisible as it seems, and Bess slowly finds herself finding a love she is comfortable with for the first time. When obstacles threaten the two’s newfound bond, will Bess and Russell be able to overcome them and find true love with each other?
This romantic comedy is one whose title has a double meaning as it pertains to the two central characters of Bess and Russell. Screenwriter Jennifer Schuur and directors Monty Whitebloom and Andy Delaney crafted a beautiful romantic “dramedy” that shows that as the title indicates “love is blind” as it involves an actual blind woman and a man who feels the world is blind to him.
Shannon Tarbet is wonderful as Bess, who may seem like someone who would drive people away. However, one can’t help but sympathize with her because of everything she has had to endure. Flashbacks showed the events that led to her eventual blindness. Matthew Broderick makes the most of his screen time as Murray, Bess’s father, who is afflicted with Parkinson’s. He tries to support her as much as he can while Chloe Sevigny makes the most of her role as Bess’ mother Carolyn, who supposedly died in a car accident and is seen somewhat as a ghost until a twist involving her is revealed in the first act of the film.
Aidan Turner is the other “blind” character in Russell. However, where Bess is physically blind, Russell is more emotionally blind as he feels he cannot find love and feels invisible to everyone else. In terms of Russell, he doesn’t know what his purpose in life is besides his career of construction. Benjamin Walker plays the therapist who brings them together but is a bit of a neurotic himself. It is clear he has a crush on Bess but when he sets Russell up with Bess as a means of helping each other, he never would imagine the two would get close to a point that he feels threatened and attempts to end the bond for his own benefit. The final ten minutes bring a jaw-dropping twist that may seem predictable but still has that shocking feel to things.
Love is Blind is a wonderfully shot romantic comedy about being blind physically and emotionally, driven with excellent performances by Shannon Tarbet, Aidan Turner, and Benjamin Walker.
WFG RATING: A-
Uncork’d Entertainment presents a Locomotive production in association with Regency Enterprises. Directors: Monty Whitebloom and Andy Delaney. Producers: Alexis Alexanian, Lucy Barzun Donnelly, and Alexandra Kerry. Writer: Jennifer Schuur. Cinematography: Monty Whitebloom. Editing; Alex Kopit.
Cast: Shannon Tarbet, Aidan Turner, Benjamin Walker, Matthew Broderick, Chloe Sevigny, Mark Blum, Katrina Link, Jason Fuchs, Kabby Borders, Stormy Whitebloom.
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