Hey gang, Valkor here. It's been a while since I've tackled a Nathan Hill picture; last round I took a chance on “Revenge of the Gweilo”. And while it doesn't rank high as one of my favorites, it does have a slew of hot women that makes it worth multiple viewing. Ahem! Well, the man who took Epic-1 to his limits with Tomboys is back with Colourblind”. And while it isn't a horror film, it's still a solid effort that I definitively enjoyed.
Colourblind centers on private detective Jaffy (Nathan Hill – Jasper), who is sucked back into the life of a private detective for one more job – to follow his client's sister Sia (Anne Gauthier) in case she does something rather dramatic. At the same time, the mom of the family also hires a private detective to do the same job as Jaffy. Needless to say that the bunch women aren't playing with a full deck. But I give them a slight pass as they don't want anything to happen to Sia that happened to her sister (she killed herself). However, Jaffy discovers something remarkable about Sia. You see, Jaffy is colorblind. But when he sees Sia, he can see her in full color. Eventually, the two become a couple, until their world gets flipped, turn upside down by Sia's mom's interference as well as Jaffy having to reveal to Sia that he was hired to spy on her. That doesn't sit well with her and she up and leaves, leaving Jaffy behind to deal with the loss of true love. Jaffy does what he can to make things right, but can he truly make things right now that Sia's gone and will he ever get her back? For that, you'll have to get a hold of this one to find out.
My initial thought when I started watching “Colourblind” was that it was another chapter involving “Jasper”; hell, the sister, Trix (Celeste Wilson), actually calls him by that name, which Jaffy quickly corrects her. Bummer. I was excited thinking that it was a new Jasper film. But I assume the two films are connected? Either way, let's find out how well Hill's latest film fares in the TOV Breakdown.
The Good:
Colourblind is a simple tale, but it's also a sweet blend of drama, mystery, and romance with a bit of classic noir tossed in, which you can get a taste of it from the jump. The story is easy to grasp and wastes no time drawing you in as you follow the misadventures of Jaffy and is finding and losing love, while wrapped in a bit of mystery. The pacing has a nice flow, making this 80 minute instant classic a breeze to watch. It was a little rough in the beginning because the audio was a touch low, but there's still time to patch things up before a larger DVD and/or digital launch takes place. I really enjoyed the story, but what truly sucked me was the film's jazzy soundtrack. And it's pretty snazzy, with some of the sexiest horns I've heard in a good while, which it fits the film so well. I'll admit, I watched the flick a second time just to soak in the beats! Lastly, Hill tosses in some sweet, sweet eye candy in a scene where Jaffy tries to forget about Sia by hiring a hooker. I took this rather personal, thinking maybe Hill knew I'd watch this one and gave me three something extras to enjoy. I know that's not the case, but that's what I'm sticking to my guns with this one! Regardless, if you're all about a film with a solid story, fine acting, and sweet beats, then you'll want to get your hands on “Colourblind”.
The (not so) Bad:
This isn't a negative towards the film, but Colourblind should have been a “Jasper” film. The two characters are way too similar, not only because they're played by the same actor. But they have the worst luck as they're both always getting beat up. Plus, do we know if Jasper is colorblind? And could Hill pull off a film starring both characters? hmmm...
The Ugly: Damn Jaffy! The dude took quite the pounding and that eye! GOT DAMN!
Colourblind isn't quite ready for prime time, but I'll update this page when a release is announced. Or if you've stumbled on this review and you feel like you might be interested in checking out this film and more, then simply click that logo to the right. Either way, the film is one that I recommend checking out when it becomes available. So, out of TOV 5 stars, I'm giving Colourblind a 4!