See for Me

A home invasion thriller with a unique twist, See for Me stars Skyler Davenport as blind former skier Sophie who takes on a cat-sitting job for a wealthy client in a secluded mansion. When a group of thieves break in, the protagonist must rely on “See for Me”, a mobile app that connects her to gamer Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy), who acts as her eyes in this perilous situation.

It’s an interesting premise and Randall Okita’s feature makes great use of it in its storytelling. The script is intelligent and funny, weaving a narrative that explores disability as a theme in a comprehensive and nuanced manner. As well as representing the physical effects of blindness, the movie also spends a great deal of time on the social effects, with Sophie constantly having to deal with sighted people infantilising and coddling her. The film actively challenges abled perceptions of disability and invites its audience to consider the attitudes they have to conditions such as blindness.

While the protagonist’s blindness is integral to the plot she is also allowed and encouraged to be a character with agency, and is a thoroughly engaging one too. Rude, stubborn and impulsive, Sophie rejects preconceived notions of how a disabled person should act and takes her own narrative by the horns. It’s very refreshing and this intelligent presentation helps her develop as a character in some very interesting ways. Davenport also does a fantastic job in the lead role, delivering a strong and multi-faceted performance that holds the piece together.

The film also works with its premise through its cinematography and sound design, emphasising sounds and textures over visuals in the mixing and camera work to represent Sophie’s unique perspective on the world and elevate the tension. The feature also plays with lighting in a lot of very fun ways, making for a striking and dynamic visual experience that is sure to keep audiences on the edges of their seats.

See for Me is a phenomenal piece, smartly written and beautifully shot to create a complex story that is challenging and thrilling in the best of ways. It’s a great and inventive thriller with some very fun characters but it also has a lot to say about disability, actively encouraging its viewers to reconsider the ways in which they engage with disability as a concept.

Umar Ali

See for Me will be released on digital platforms on 24^th January 2022.

For further information about the festival visit the official BFI website here.

Watch the trailer for See for Me here: