Written and directed by Paul Bunnell, co-written by John Falotico, a reimagining of the lost 1922 Lon Chaney silent film of the same name. A desperate young man strikes a dark deal with an unhinged doctor, offering his mother as a subject for the physician’s twisted experiments. Starring: Crispin Glover, Jake Horowitz, Sean Whalen, Rob Mayes, Annalisa Cochrane, Amy Wright and Lucy Loken.
Trying to pay homage to classic cinema, replicate its theatricality and add your own spin onto it is a relatively tall order but Paul Bunnell does a terrific job. One of the strongest elements of A Blind Bargain is its tone and atmosphere, the way that it taps into that quintessential noir feel, while blending the 1970s aesthetic. Using those elements to add a surreal edge, leaning into the mystery and bringing plenty of strangeness into the mix. It’s an entertaining combination which builds a fun, creative energy.
Something that’s well reflected by the performances, particularly Crispin Glover, which it will be of no surprise to anyone that he succeeds in a role described as an ‘unhinged doctor’. He’s an expert at creating odd, creepy yet charismatic characters, and Dr. Gruber is another good example. He doesn’t get as much screentime as hoped, but he does plenty with what he gets. While Jake Horowitz gives us the familiar role of someone who’s looking for the easy way out and doesn’t entirely think through the severe consequences of their actions. He leads the story well, doesn’t make the character outright likable which puts him in interesting territory. Leaving you not necessarily rooting for him, just along for the ride with him.
There’s then a great ensemble behind them, each creating wacky, weird characters who have plenty of intrigue and eccentricities to bring to the table. However, the story itself doesn’t make much of an impact. The initial concept of a young man selfishly giving up his mother for an experiment to get her off his back is a great one, but it never feels like the mystery or conspiracy goes far enough. It’s nice not to see it get caught up in itself and become convoluted or overly vague, but it also could have used a bit more development and a stronger ending to leave a more lasting impression.
A Blind Bargain creates a fantastic atmosphere and has a terrific energy which ticks all the right entertaining, quirky, enigmatic boxes. It’s shot well and filled with great performances, particularly from Crispin Glover and Jake Horowitz, and Amy Wright was a lovely addition, as was Rob Mayes to really nail that 1970s feel with his machismo and confidence. There’s a lot of enjoyable elements, it simply doesn’t create a strong enough adventure. The writing can’t quite match the energy, and really dive down the rabbit hole to create a memorable mystery.
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