Described by critics as Blake Lively’s best film performance yet in “All I See is You.”
Credit:@AISIYMovie
Originally released at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, “All I See Is You” hit theaters on Friday, Oct. 27. It was directed by Marc Forster (“World War Z”) and written by Sean Conway (“Shameless.”) “All I See Is You” is an indie psychological drama that focuses on Gina, played by Blake Lively (“Gossip Girl”) and her marriage with James, played by Jason Clark (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”)
Gina’s mother and father were killed in a car accident when she was ten, which left her blind, though her sister seemed to have no physical impairments following the crash. The flashbacks to the crash and the clarity of the world melting away into Gina’s blurry perspective, giving the audience a sense of her world. The cinematography is creative and intriguing.
Gina and James seem to have a wonderful marriage as the movie begins, with healthy chemistry, and James says taking care of Gina makes him feel special rather than considering it to be strenuous. Their marriage seems fun and passionate, though James is shown early on as impatient and insecure, which is heightened throughout the movie. After Gina regains her sight, James takes her to Barcelona to see her sister. In Spain, Gina and James’ relationship is tested when compared to her sister’s.
Free-spirited Gina becomes more selfish when she gains her vision because she is focused on taking in as much of the world and the colors in it as she can. She wants to see and experience everything she couldn’t before, right away. James is supportive at first but becomes more apprehensive as Gina’s choices feed his insecurities. In gaining her sense of sight, Gina becomes selfish in her quest to find as much passion in life as she had when she was blind.
Gina’s journey is believable, and there is a smooth advancement from her personality and relationships before and after regaining her vision. She maintains the same fears and desires throughout the story, though they come more to life with the additional aspect of sight. As Gina changes following her operation, her choices are surprising and give valuable insight into her character. Her husband’s choices and reactions are also telling and necessary to the heart of his character.
“All I See Is You” does not seem to be faring too well, with poor reviews due to the lengthy film leading to an empty ending, according to Rotten Tomatoes, where the film has a thirty percent professional and forty percent audience rating. It has been compared to Hitchcock’s movies due to some of the visual aspects of the darker scenes. The film has a decent premise, but it fails to go in depth enough to connect the audience with the characters. Along with this, the premise is intended to be a nearly perfect marriage going awry when Gina undergoes a corneal transplant. However, the issues in the marriage are prevalent before the operation. Their relationship certainly becomes worse following the surgery, but it is not a complete transformation.
This was an emotionally disturbing film with no sense of closure. The dramatic ending was confusing and left me with questions. Audiences may have hope for a sequel since the ending was so confusing; however, it seemed to be done dramatically to leave the audience wondering, rather than to add to the point or impact of the story. The film may leave audiences examining their relationships. It is a gut-wrenching story, but without the needed closure at the end, it was not very effective in making a point. Even so, Gina was a relatable character in that she is free-spirited and searching for passion in her life. This film is not necessarily a must-see, but it is entertaining and emotional as long as you are not expecting a gratifying ending.
