See For Me Review

See For Me review.

See For Me wrings everything it can out of its concept. Slightly changing scenarios allow the movie to remain fresh throughout. It overstays its welcome a bit…and makes an odd choice or two with its main character. For the most part, however, See For Me is an engaging, fun watch.

Classic movie reviews will contain spoilers.

See For Me

Directed by Randall Okita

Written by Adam Yorke and Tommy Gushue

Starring Skyler Davenport, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Laura Vandervoort and Kim Coates

See For Me Review

Largely placed in one setting, See For Me keeps its story fresh by slightly changing the dynamic as it goes on. It does run out of a little steam by the end and makes choices that leave us a little at odds with the main character. For the most part, however, See For Me works.

A degenerative condition leaves Sophie (Skyler Davenport), a former Olympic level skier, rendered blind. She makes her money house sitting for wealthy people…and stealing things they won’t miss to sell for profit. While on her latest job a small group of armed men break into the house intent on robbing a hidden safe. Sophie must rely on the help of Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy), an army veteran who provides help for the blind via an app.

Sophie’s background as a thief is a complicated part of See For Me. It leads to an interesting, if brief, twist in the story midway through. It also compromises a character we are meant to root for in ways that the movie never makes peace with. Sophie’s character arc is about being hesitant to get back on the mountain. She could train for the Paralympics. That involves trusting the person talking you through the course. She will learn that trust in her current predicament.

That aspect works…and the payoff of Sophie putting the skis back on in the end is a fine one. Her penchant for thieving, however, is not reasoned out or given any growth throughout See For Me. The ordeal actually ends with her pocketing a large sum of the hidden money for herself. One scene we are shown she is a thief…the next we are meant to be happy for her. It’s an odd character choice.

There is a reason for the choice. The character trait is in service of a mid-act twist. Sophie convinces the intruders that she is no threat because she can’t see their faces…and shows that she has a desire to steal as well. Then she offers a deal that is too good to pass up. She had previously called the police when she became aware of the break-in. She offers to tell the police that she was mistaken and allow the criminals to empty the safe if they cut her in on the take.

The problem is that Kelly was watching the situation through the app earlier and placed her own call to the authorities that counters Sophie’s new statement. Sophie’s decision to go along with the criminals instead of being honest ends with the murder of an officer. That’s Sophie’s fault. She acknowledges as much later in the film. We’re supposed accept that she steals a bundle of money and then be happy that she finds the trust to ski again.

Switching the break-in to a story of trying to work together is an interesting twist. It doesn’t last long. See For Me eventually switches to scenes with Kelly trying to guide a now armed Sophie in hunting down the thieves. Later, we meet the head of the gang (Kim Coates) and watch Sophie deal with him without Kelly serving as her eyes. These constant changes in the situation are the key to See For Me’s success as a thriller. It doesn’t stay with one idea long enough to wear it out. I’m not certain that corrupting the main character to the degree they do is worth the brief interest of one twist making sense…but it works while you watch it.

As mentioned, See For Me does run out of steam despite its best efforts to change things up. It’s not too bad…it just reaches a point where you’ve seen enough hide and seek scenarios and are ready to move on. As a home invasion movie, however, it gets enough high marks for cleverness early to withstand the slight slowdown late. Full marks for having Davenport, legally blind themselves, playing the part of Sophie. They’re great in the lead role despite a strange script choice.

Scare Value

There are a couple interesting twists in See For Me. Done in service of keeping the story fresh. They work well for that purpose, but don’t work too well in the overall character development department. The trade makes for a good watch as the movie is playing out. It leaves you feeling a little too cold when it’s over.

3/5