Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘See for Me’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘See for Me’.

One thing that we can all agree upon, is that the universe can be quite the rough place for certain. To the point where it outright breaks people and leaves them desolate and we are often so stunned by the savage nature of the universe, that a great deal of us have tried to figure out why the universe treats us in such a rough manner, and that has led to some supremely philosophical thoughts about life. Such as the possibility that bad things happen to test our mettle and show us what we are capable of, or they are in fact… punishment for poor acts on our part, and that doing good to offset our mistake or asking for forgiveness to a God above, will put us back on a fruitful path. 
​
Or there is the most terrifying prospect of all. In that, we really do live in a random collection of galaxies where things just happen without rhyme or reason, and we are at the mercy of whatever waves of chaos are sent our way. But regardless of which line of thinking or belief you subscribe to… one way or another, that constant chaos is going to find its way into our lives and how we deal with it is paramount. Since our response will determine if we lead our lives, post-incident with clarity… or with darkness in our souls and well, the cruelty of the universe and the importance of responding to it in the right manner is top of mind today, because both of those themes are present in the latest Shudder release, See for Me.

Now in this particular film we are introduced to a young woman named Sophie, who has been dealt quite the rough hand. For this once brilliant skier, was forced to retire from the sport because of a degenerative sight condition. Which cost her more than her sight, it also robbed her of her dream of skiing at the Olympics and well… it has definitely left Sophie in a bitter place. To the point where she refuses help when it is available to her, and she’s also eager to stick it to the rich since she feels undermined and looked down upon by them. Despite the fact that she often helps them with pet setting duties on short notice. But her latest pet sitting detail is going to force Sophie to rethink a great deal when it comes to how she lives her life, since strangers are on their way to break into the home, she is watching… to get their hands on a special prize.

---

Which is, at first glance, a plot that appears to be nothing more than a home invasion story with a stunning twist. But as this movie rolls along, it quickly becomes clear that this is a story that really fits in line with the overall theme of how we respond to the hands we’ve been dealt, and it wastes little time in informing us of how a pair snake eyes on the table that is life… can make us savagely angry and eager to lash out at the world. As evidenced by the fact that Sophie spends a lot of time pondering upon helping these criminals out… just to get a taste of what it means to stick it to someone else for a change and that is quite the fascinating twist to inject into this movie, since it really does hammer home the point… before getting into the more positive stuff.
​
Since an assist from an app that helps blind people, connects Sophie with a friend that cares about her safety and is willing to guide her in conquering evil, and this is what allows for the film to explore how we come back from genuinely tough moments in our life. Since Kelly and her desire to really help, inspires Sophie to realize that her life isn’t over because of what happened to her sight and that in this instance, if she opened up her mind and soul to the possibility of accepting help… she can accomplish wonders and that of course leads to a triumphant ending where Sophie is empowered to finally stand up and make her own calls as to what comes next for her in life, with just a hint of sticking it to the rich... thrown in for good measure.

A move that some might say is counterintuitive to what we’ve just discussed, but let’s be honest… Sophie earned the right for a bonus from her employer since battling angry thugs wasn’t in her contract. But all humor aside, make no mistake about it… this is a highly intelligent horror film. One that really does offer up a fresh and original plot that also takes the time to do something pertinent and inclusive regarding its lead. Since you so rarely see blind individuals be the lead of a story, and having that here is a huge deal and makes this a progressive story as well, since it properly handles representation and well, all of these elements make this a worthwhile watch for certain. One that you can check out right now, just by logging into Shudder.     

---