See No Evil, Hear No Evil
Directed by Arthur Hiller
- comedy
- crime
The story
A murder takes place in the shop of David Lyons, a deaf man who fails to hear the gunshot being fired. Outside, blind man Wally Karue hears the shot, but cannot see the perpetrator. Both are arrested, but escape to form an unlikely partnership. Being chased by both the law AND the original killers, can the pair work together to outwit them all?
What it’s like
Bright, flat daytime comedy lighting with an unfussy 1980s studio finish: sunlit city streets, a cluttered shop interior, bland motel rooms and a few well-lit chase set-pieces, all shot in plain medium framing rather than anything stylised. The palette is warm and sun-soaked, the sound a mix of jaunty synth-pop and easy-going background score, with plenty of banter and sound-driven gags that play on hearing and not hearing. The vibe is breezy, goofy and buddy-comedy easy, the sort of thing for a lazy weekend afternoon or an undemanding evening with friends. Pacing is brisk and scene-to-scene, with the comedy coming from quick reversals and physical bits rather than slow build. Its emotional register is light and warm, following two outsiders with opposite limitations who slowly learn to rely on each other. Violence is present but cartoonish: a murder happens offscreen-ish at the start, and there are chases, scuffles and gunfire played for laughs, with no gore and little real menace. It suits people who want a friendly, mildly silly crime caper with a warm partnership at its heart, and who are happy with broad, old-fashioned slapstick.
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