Customer Reviews

Three Blind Mice

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3 star:		(1)
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When the Australian film "Three Blind Mice" began, I was sure I had uncovered a winner. The eternal premise--three men on leave the night before they're shipped into duty--is ripe with both comedic and dramatic possibilities. I know it's been done in countless different ways, but I thought this would be a fresh and engaging twist on things. As the three are introduced in a hotel room, the screenplay hits some comic highs as well as hints at a disturbing past the mates must overcome. Three distinct types--the soldier that just wants to party down, the one re-uniting with his fiance for his last night, and the troubled soldier looking to go AWOL--don't exactly break expected stereotypes, but the actors are game and appealing. But after the initial set-up, I was surprised to find myself becoming more and more disconnected from the central action.

Part of the issue may be that the concept is so familiar. To make this movie work, it needs to connect on some emotional level with the viewer. In truth, the more time I spent with the boys--the less I cared about their individual stories. The screenplay, with its overlapping dialogue and cold bluntness, doesn't really distinguish why we should invest in the increasingly obnoxious trio. I'm perfectly good with obnoxious as well--as long as it serves a specific character design or is played for humor. But three guys ripping up, in unfunny and unsurprising ways, held little appeal for me. And the fact that everyone is constantly talking over one another with superficial chatter just gave me a headache. Seriously, I contemplated the mute button in several scenes.

I know this sounds harsh, but I really thought the film and its actors had potential. Amazingly, though, just as I'd given up the ship so to speak--the movie finally connects with a plot device that works. The troubled sailor starts to rediscover himself through romance (a fairly uninvolving courtship based on nothing visibly discernable to the viewer) and when challenged with violence, the movie takes a lively step in the right direction. Combining absurd humor with a real pathos, a hotel fight scene and the resultant trip to the hospital are played with excellent precision! I loved the movie hinted at in these scenes--but they come very near the end of the picture. When all is said and done, the film also wraps in a satisfying way. I wanted to love this movie, but couldn't. Maybe you will identify with its leads and enjoy their antics--I never felt that the screenplay allowed the necessary closeness and connection. A good finale makes this three stars for me. KGHarris, 4/11.