See for Me offers a fresh take on the home invasion genre

Released this past Friday by IFC Midnight, See for Me is a gripping new home invasion thriller that puts a fun, meta twist on the classic genre. The film from Randall Okita stars voiceover artist Skyler Davenport as Sophie, a former teen ski champion who had to stop due to the onset of blindness.

What helps set See for Me apart, to start, is that blind protagonist Sophie is played by the legally blind Davenport. When speaking to MovieWeb, they noted that the role was a “step in the right direction” for performers with disabilities.

The film introduces us to Sophie, who has an interesting hobby of stealing, specifically from the rich people she regularly pet-sits for. It’s a pretty nice gig for Sophie, mainly because it offers her respite from her mother and offers her some independence. But her stealing often becomes complicated when she enters new homes and expansive mansions where she doesn’t know the layout.

That’s where See for Me introduces an inventive element to the film, an app called “See for Me” (that is actually based on a real app) which allows Sophie to get help from military vet and avid gamer Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy). Via the app, Kelly is able to get access to Sophie’s camera and guide her through the house.

See for Me is anchored by a strong performance from lead Skyler Davenport

Well, the app becomes Sophie’s only lifeline when burglars break into the home eager to gain access to a safe containing valuables. Suddenly, Sophie has to depend on Kelly to guide her through the house and keep her alive, it’s not unlike an actual video game experience for Kelly and See for Me clearly has fun drawing on those parallels.

Kennedy and Davenport work very well off of one another, creating a compelling watch. I did feel like the movie went a little bit longer than it needed to but appreciated the tension and suspense cultivated by the usage of the in-universe app and the dynamic between the two leads.

That said, while I loved how the movie toyed with the app and the unique relationship, I felt like it could have gone further with its concept. At times it felt like the movie was holding back. The final climactic showdown was easily the tensest, but I wish I’d felt more of that earlier in the film.

Still, See for Me is a tight, savvy little thriller that should entertain genre fans and give them a refreshing change of pace from the average, run-of-the-mill home invasion thriller. There is plenty of genre entertainment here that fans will enjoy that really elevates the movie, and it’s anchored by an exceptional performance by Davenport.

See for Me is now available to rent or buy from digital retailers.