[Tribeca ’21] ‘See for Me’ review: Tense thriller keeps audiences in the dark

See for Me is a home invasion thriller starring visually impaired actor Skyler Davenport as Sophie, a blind former skier. A seemingly simple job cat-sitting takes a turn for the worse when thieves break into the mansion they are watching. Using the See for Me phone app, Sophie connects with a woman named Kelly. What follows is a twisting cat and mouse that keeps the audience on their toes. 

Davenport is excellent as Sophie in their first leading role. (Davenport identifies as nonbinary.) It is established early that Sophie is fiercely independent. This is reinforced constantly throughout See for Me. Their being blind is a part of the character but never defines them. 

See for Me effectively uses tension. Things take a number of surprising turns and the plot never does the expected. Even then, the film never relies on twists and lets its story evolve naturally. This also the suspense to develop organically.

Things move at a rapid pace while remaining engaging. An argument can be made that the villains are stock characters and motivations are vague. Even Kelly is not given that much depth. That being said, it is Sophie’s arc that is the focus. 

Director Randall Okita uses angles and lighting to enhance his film. There is excellent use of the color red and the shadows add a layer of intrigue and suspense. See for Me makes maximum use of the film’s space. Though, events take place in a large home, there is a tight feel to everything that is going on.

The Tribeca Film Festival takes place from June 9 – June 20