Hysterical Blindness

views updated

Hysterical Blindness ★★½ 2002

It's 1987 in Bayonne, New Jersey where Debby (Thurman) and her best friend Beth (Lewis) like to hang out at the local bar and pick up guys. Despite her looks, Debby, who lives with her waitress mom Virginia (Rowlands), comes off as so needy that she can't find anything more stable than a one-night stand. Meanwhile, Beth neglects her young daughter for noncommittal barender Bobby (de Sando) and Viriginia gets a second chance with nice-guy customer Nick (Gazzara). Overly familiar and somewhat shrill; the best reason to watch are veterans Rowlands and Gazzara. Cahill adapted from her play. 99m/C VHS, DVD . Uma Thurman, Juliette Lewis, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Justin Chambers, Anthony De Sando, Jolie Peters; D: Mira Nair; W: Laura Cahill; C: Declan Quinn; M: Lesley Barber. CABLE