SEE FOR ME -- A Better Than Average Home Invasion Thriller

Review by Dan Skip Allen

Skyler Davenport as “Sophie” in Randall Okita’s SEE FOR ME. Courtesy of IFC Midnight, an IFC Midnight release.

There has been a fair share of home invasion films in the past — Home Alone, Panic Room, and Don't Breathe are some of the most notable examples. And while See For Me shares a blind character with the latter franchise, is a little different from a contextual aspect.

See For Me is about a girl who was an Olympic skier (Skylar Davenport) until she lost her eyesight. She has since resorted to house-sitting for rich people to make money. Her latest job is more than she bargained for as some thieves break into the house of a rich socialite and try to steal the contents of a safe. With the help of an Army veteran (Jessica Parker Kennedy), she tries to fend off these dangerous thieves.
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The director, Randall Okita, has an interesting style to his filmmaking. Most of the film is at night, so the camera work and lighting are key. The red lighting and dark atmosphere of the night scenes create a great mood for the action and fight scenes. They don't go overboard, either. Even the dispatcher helping the main character is in shadows and darkness. This plays along with the rest of the story perfectly.

Jessica Parker Kennedy as “Kelly” in Randall Okita’s SEE FOR ME. Courtesy of IFC Midnight, an IFC Midnight release.

These main actresses are relatively new to acting. I haven't seen them before in anything. That helped me focus more on their character and the story beats in the film. There were a couple of recognizable faces, though: Laura Vandervoort plays the house owner, and Kim Coates is the leader of the band of thieves. These two added a nice dichotomy with all the unrecognizable actors and actresses in the film.

Part of the mood of the film is the music, and the score definitely has a great effect. There are some electronic sounds going on in the score. The use of synth is certainly very noticeable. Joseph Murray and Lodewijk Vos create a very cool sound for the film. Once this score starts, the mood is set and the viewer is instantly invested in what's going on in the film.

See For Me uses some unique techniques in its filmmaking style. The cinematography and camera work are very good. The director knows the story and the atmosphere he's working with. Part of that is the sound, and in turn, the score. It plays a huge part in creating a mood. The actors are mostly new faces that are fine — not great, but not bad either. This film doesn't break any new ground in the home invasion genre, but it's entertaining enough.

See for Me hits theaters and VOD on January 7.

Rating: 3.5/5