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Movies / On DVD / Blind Date
Blind Date

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Blind Date (2009)

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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.

Runtime: 80 mins

Genre: Dramas

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

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Reviews for Blind Date

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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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.

Full Review Source: Monsters and Critics | comment Comment
10/12/09
Ron Wilkinson
Ron Wilkinson
Monsters and Critics

A depressing tale of a couple whose relationship is running on empty.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
10/03/09
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

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.

Full Review Source: NYC Movie Guru | comment Comment
09/26/09
Avi Offer
Avi Offer
NYC Movie Guru

It's about watching two always-fine actors do a lot with very little.

Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
09/25/09
Joe Neumaier
Joe Neumaier
New York Daily News

The film never lifts itself above its origin as a well-meaning, underdeveloped exercise.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
09/25/09
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
09/25/09
Lou Lumenick
Lou Lumenick
New York Post

Ultimately, the joke goes on too long -- for the couple and for us -- and the film fades away before the final fade-out.

Full Review Source: Newark Star-Ledger | comment Comment
09/25/09
Stephen Whitty
Stephen Whitty
Newark Star-Ledger

[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.

Full Review Source: Metromix.com | comment Comment
09/24/09
Geoff Berkshire
Geoff Berkshire
Metromix.com

Merely a depressing curiosity.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
09/24/09
John P. McCarthy
John P. McCarthy
Boxoffice Magazine

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.

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
09/23/09
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve

It's overly faithful to the original and to Van Gogh's preferred three-camera setup.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
09/23/09
Aaron Hillis
Aaron Hillis
Village Voice

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.

Full Review Source: Time Out New York | comment Comment
09/23/09
David Fear
David Fear
Time Out New York

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.

Full Review Source: New York Observer | comment Comment
09/23/09
Rex Reed
Rex Reed
New York Observer

Behind all the role playing is a movie that feels uncertain in its tone and style, more exercise than drama.

Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
09/21/09
Michael Phillips
Michael Phillips
At the Movies

It does feel very stage bound, very formal.

Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
09/21/09
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
At the Movies
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A well-written and insightful drama built around two beautifully modulated performances by Tucci (who directed) and the always-marvelous Patricia Clarkson.

Full Review Source: Hollywood & Fine | comment Comment
09/21/09
Marshall Fine
Marshall Fine
Hollywood & Fine

As a theatrical filmic exercise, "Blind Date" is a fair experiment. Just don't go expecting to see a movie.

Full Review Source: Daily Radar | comment Comment
09/17/09
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
Daily Radar

The characters are barely introduced before we're plunked right into their angst-fest.

Full Review Source: Cinematical | comment Comment
01/28/08
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
Cinematical

Popularity of the two stars could make the film an arthouse hit; they're a joy to watch.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
01/25/08
John Anderson
John Anderson
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net | comment Comment
01/21/08
Edward Douglas
Edward Douglas
ComingSoon.net
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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