Too psychological and "film school" for some but a fine homage to Theo Van Gogh's integrity and courage as a filmmaker and student of the human condition.
Blind Date (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:20
Fresh:7
Rotten:13
Average Rating:4.9/10
Consensus: Despite the chemistry of stars Patricia Clarkson and Stanely Tucci, Blind Date's stagey direction and underdeveloped story make it feel more like a rehearsal than a performance.
Synopsis:
Don and Janna are a married couple struggling to reconnect after the death of their daughter. They answer each other’s phony classified ads and begin an elaborate game of pretend on a series of...
Don and Janna are a married couple struggling to reconnect after the death of their daughter. They answer each other’s phony classified ads and begin an elaborate game of pretend on a series of blind dates, hoping that this ruse will allow them finally to talk openly about the demise of their relationship in the wake of tragedy. In playing out their various roles—such as a blind man in search of a sighted woman, a woman in search of a dance partner, and a reporter in search of an aggressive female interviewee—Don and Janna feel free to ask each other probing questions, explore the meaning of humor after calamity, and nearly fall in love. However, when their conversations can’t seem to break out of a circular pattern, never transcending the wall between them, they face the reality that perhaps overcoming heartbreak is not in the cards for them.
Although the material is sometimes dark, Stanley Tucci’s filmmaking is infused with humor, and Tucci and Patricia Clarkson are a pleasure to watch as Don and Janna. They give shaded, compelling performances as real, tragic characters attempting to fake their way through unfamiliar emotional territory.--© Sundance Film Festival
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Starring: Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson
Starring: Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson
Director: Stanley Tucci
Director: Stanley Tucci
Screenwriter: Stanley Tucci, David Schechter
Studio: Variance Films
Reviews for Blind Date
A depressing tale of a couple whose relationship is running on empty.
Boasts natural, well-nuanced performances by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson, but it's often an awkward blend of romance, drama, comedy and tragedy that eventually becomes tedious and dull while leaving you underwhelmed and unmoved.
It's about watching two always-fine actors do a lot with very little.
The film never lifts itself above its origin as a well-meaning, underdeveloped exercise.
A remake of a film by murdered Dutch director Theo van Gogh, it fails to captivate despite -- or perhaps because of -- the frantic acting efforts of Tucci and the normally reliable Patricia Clarkson.
Ultimately, the joke goes on too long -- for the couple and for us -- and the film fades away before the final fade-out.
[Patricia] Clarkson has the ability to make any character interesting, but if there's ever been a test of how enjoyable it is to watch a film just because she's in it, this is it.
Far more than an actors' exercise, this theatrical piece conveys the heartbreak of a married couple who have lost their 5-year-old daughter in an auto accident.
It's overly faithful to the original and to Van Gogh's preferred three-camera setup.
It’s the kind of two-hander that relies solely on the chemistry of the actors, both of whom banter, parry and bum rush their way through various left turns with grace. Their pas de deux almost makes up for this threadbare tragedy’s no-win endgame. Almost.
Since neither character is ever explained or examined with any real insight, the viewer ceases to care early on. The overriding effect is paralyzing tedium.
Behind all the role playing is a movie that feels uncertain in its tone and style, more exercise than drama.
A well-written and insightful drama built around two beautifully modulated performances by Tucci (who directed) and the always-marvelous Patricia Clarkson.
As a theatrical filmic exercise, "Blind Date" is a fair experiment. Just don't go expecting to see a movie.
The characters are barely introduced before we're plunked right into their angst-fest.
Popularity of the two stars could make the film an arthouse hit; they're a joy to watch.
Aside from a few amusing scenes, it mostly comes across as a dry exercise, and the ending is so grim that much of the earlier charm might be forgotten.
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September 28, 2009:
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