A self-described 'funny magician' and his wife, a retired dancer, indulge in role-playing games to keep their minds off their recent misfortune in losing their daughter. Freely-adapted from Theo van Gogh's 1996 Dutch-language film of the same name, this talky effort from director/co-writer/lead actor Stanley Tucci is a smoothly-paced yet internally-mercurial drama which is alternately thoughtful and boring. Tucci and Patricia Clarkson (not surprisingly) match up well together on-screen--but of all their many character incarnations here, I never felt I was seeing living, breathing human beings. The film is a high-wire act, all show and circumstance. Tucci's opening sequence, performing his joshing act in an intimate-yet-ornate nightclub, is a highlight; yet the modern-day mood is nearly destroyed by a child's narration, speaking pretentiously as if she were just retrieved from a 1950s film noir. *1/2 from ****

I discovered the this movie on On Demand and was delighted. Yes, it deals with potentially depressing content, but its beauty is a testament to the depths of human emotion. I think this is a stunning film. Tucci's character is complex. He engenders pathos as well as being a bit off-putting at times. Patricia Clarkson does a grand job of portraying the subtleties in each of the personae her character takes on. Both actors area achingly beautiful in this movie. I liked the mise en scene created by the shabbily elegant club that evokes the early decades of the 20th century. The score/music is haunting. The movie is rather like a play, but with the bonus of close-ups add immeasurably to the experience. Tucci knows tragedy, and it certainly shows here. I feel fortunate to have found this gem.

Don, a magician, is seen practicing his art in a club that has probably seen better days. Through a personal ad in a local newspaper, he meets Janna, a woman of a certain age, that has an aura of mystery about herself and the way she interacts with Don. It is clear these two like one another because they keep meeting at the same place on different occasions. Throughout the story, a girl's voice comes on to tell us something about her parents.As this tale unfolds, we realize the real identity of the two people that are presented to us, who go through different emotions; they are, after all, well acquainted with one another. The thing that binds them is a tragedy that has left them wounded individuals because the terrible loss they have suffered. By pretending they are just meeting in casual ways, they seem to be re-igniting a passion that has died between them and have terribly changed them forever.This is an American tribute to the late Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, who was murdered by an Islamic extremist in his native country. Stanley Tucci, an actor who has tried his hand at directing before, adapted the original material with David Schecter. The result is a film that tends to disorient the viewer not paying close attention to all that develops between Don and Janna.Patricia Clarkson, one of the best screen actresses working today, offers an insight to the suffering Janna. Ms. Clarkson and Mr. Tucci, who plays Don, do wonders with the material and prove they are at the top of their craft.

Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to watch the first version of this film, the one that was made by Theo Van Gogh. Therefore, I'm not very sure that the summary I used is true for I don't know how much this "Blind Date" is different from Theo Van Gogh's "Blind Date." Anyway, I liked the way the film is made. It is very simple, yet deep and clever. The narrator is used in a very good way.For a moment I was about to hate the ending, but the last camera movement fixed things. It was a clever and touching evening.Performances are very, very good. And Tucci has done a good job as a director, making the film looks as simple as it should be.On the other hand, the film could use a faster pace in some places, and closer shots in many cases would have done the film much better. But it is still a very good film and a very original one too.