Today’s quick review: Blind Detective. Johnston (Andy Lau) is a blind detective who makes his living solving cold cases the police won’t touch. After seeing him in action, Ho (Sammi Cheng), a fine police officer but a poor detective, recognizes his skill and asks to apprentice with him. The pair tackle case after case and soon develop a rapport. But the one case they can’t crack is a personal one: tracking down Ho’s missing childhood friend.
Blind Detective is a crime comedy about a crafty detective and his eager apprentice. The movie follows the two as they work through Johnston’s backlog of cases, with the ultimate goals of getting paid and finding a long-lost friend, respectively. Light comedy, a pair of charming leads, and a unique dynamic between them all make Blind Detective an enjoyable watch. However, the movie’s odd tone and insubstantial plot may hurt it for some viewers.
The heart of Blind Detective is the comedy duo of Johnston and Ho. Johnston is a keen detective but an opportunistic, irritable person. He takes full advantage of Ho’s hospitality and eagerness to please. For her part, Ho is tenacious, earnest, and a good sport about Johnston’s impositions. The two settle into a peculiar but amusing rhythm as they act out murders, track down thin leads, and gradually come to depend on one another.
One byproduct of this setup is an odd balance between levity and gravity. The crimes Johnston and Ho investigate are often gruesome, and their manic reenactments of them skirt the line between farcical and serious. Yet the tone of the movie as a whole is light, even flippant. The result is a movie that occasionally borders on the macabre where its comedic presentation and dramatic subject matter clash.
Watch Blind Detective when you’re in the mood for an inventive comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The offbeat, energetic relationship between Johnston and Ho gives it just enough comedy to work with, while its array of cold cases lets the film drop them into a variety of puzzling situations. Steer clear if you’re looking for a comedy that has a more focused plot.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for fun, character-driven comedy without much substance.