Film Review: "All I See Is You" (2016).

"An Obsessive Love Story." This is All I See Is You. This psychological romantic drama film directed by Marc Forster, and written by Forster and Sean Conway. Gina is a beautiful young woman who's still haunted by the accident that took her sight years earlier. Living in Bangkok with her husband, James, she undergoes a cutting-edge operation that restores the vision to her right eye. Now that Gina can see again, she slowly starts to realize that her newfound independence makes James feel jealous, threatened and insecure.

By early June 2015, Blake Lively, Jason Clarke, Ahna O'Reilly, Yvonne Strahovski, Wes Chatham, and Danny Huston were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and took place throughout Bangkok, Thailand, and Barcelona, Spain.

The film stars Lively, Clarke, O'Reilly, Strahovski, Chatham, and Huston. The film subdued performances from the cast, especially from Lively and Clarke that somehow contributes mightily to its serious, dramatic affect. With Lively's stunning performance at the centre, the film packs a strong wallop. Lively's performances was less glamours, and was more grounded and intimate.

All I See Is You is a dark, serious tale about a woman who regains her sight and independence, and her jealous and insecure husband. Despite some fine performances, the film was just shy of the dramatic impact that was needed for the film on the big screen. Perhaps Forester might have been tougher but that might have rendered the film less digestible. However, the film serves as a reminder that jealousy, insecurity, and obsessive love are universal; that, regardless of our cultural differences, humanity will always find common ground in devastation. Such an uncommonly unnerving film does not often get made, which requires us to enter the lives of these specifically quiet and mundane people. A riveting that chronicles a woman who regains her sight, but also tests her marriage, the film lacks sharp narrative but has emotional immediacy and intensity and displays the voice of a gifted director. It aims for genuine discomfort, and it hits the mark with effective drama and intimacy. The subject matter is queasy, but Lively and Clarke's performances are pitch perfect. Despite an evocatively serious-toned atmosphere, the film is too responsible to erupt into the kind of restrained obsessive romantic drama it keeps threatening the audience with. Instead of finishing with a bang it peters out, but this existential yarn is still fresh and dramatic enough to justify taking an hour and fifty minutes out of your life. The actors and the filmmakers all take a more restrained approach than you might expect, keeping the drama and conflict as bare minimum as Clarke's character keeping his jealousy and insecurity bottled within. The film takes a couple of curious turns that you will either applaud or hiss at, depending on the type of film you are looking for. This serious drama is heavy; it won't interest most people. While pockmarked by some flaws and blemishes, it remains an intriguing effort, continuing to mark the directorial stamp of Forester.

Simon says All I See Is You receives:

Also, see my review for World War Z.