A BLIND BARGAIN (2025) took me by surprise, in the best possible way. The story concerns a mysterious physician's unconventional attempts at reversing the aging process, and how an unassuming young man gets his mother get caught up in the experiment. As with other films from director Paul Bunnell, you can never predict where the next scene will take you. It is by turns weird when weird is called for, and unsettling when necessary, but always intriguing - a morality fable wrapped in a waking dream. Not only does A BLIND BARGAIN hold the viewer's attention, it benefits from repeat screenings, even after you know where things are headed, because these wonderfully realized characters are more important than the secrets they keep.
The cast is ideally suited for this story and the strange world in which it takes place. Crispin Glover as Dr. Gruder is letter perfect in a role that is serious and sometimes menacing, but never played for laughs. Lucy Loken walks a fine line as Ellie Bannister, the doctor's beguiling assistant, not immediately identifiable as one of the good guys or one of the bad. The positively charming Amy Wright is warm and relatable as the long-suffering mother, Joy Fontaine, while Jake Horowitz is her son Dominic, who is suffering from post-war drug addiction. Horowitz's performance is convincing and grounded in reality, making Dom deeply flawed yet sympathetic. You can't help but root for him, even as you wince at some of the choices he makes. Annalisa Cochrane appears later in the movie, playing a pivotal role with grace and an almost otherworldly presence. All of the leads portray their characters seriously without any winks to the camera, while other actors, including Rob Mayes, Jed Rowen and Sean Whalen, get to add a lighter touch for occasional moments of humor, which helps balance things out.
Set in 1970, A BLIND BARGAIN is a stylized time capsule, from the locations to the vehicles, the sets, and - of course - the wardrobe. Top marks to everyone in charge of props and set dressing, for their nostalgia inducing contributions! Visually, the movie looks exactly like something released in that era, infused with a pleasing grain that lends depth to the image, but doesn't overwhelm. Director of photography Francisco Bulgarelli incorporates some old school techniques, including rear screen projection work, scene swipes and cutaways, and even a split screen at one point. There are also a couple of trippy, colorful sequences depicting the mind state of characters under the influence of hallucinogens. Such edits & special effects are sparingly employed, though, never becoming gimmicky or over indulged.
The music and main theme are composed by Ego Plum, who really fired up the creativity engine to produce an evocative, memorable score. I was hooked instantly, thanks to a suspenseful, driving piece that plays throughout the opening scene and continues right into the main titles. Backward tracking is incorporated here and there, subtly mirroring the concept of turning back time. Even more satisfying is a sweet, melancholy ballad (!), sung during a party sequence. This song sneaks up on you and then stays with you, part of a surreal scene that is over all too quickly. I was mesmerized watching this the first time, caught up in the dreamlike performance as if I were right there experiencing it in person. On a second watch, I realized the same melody had been briefly, quietly introduced much earlier (but I won't spoil where!). Music by other artists is used in a few spots very effectively, but Bunnell resisted any urge to pepper this project with well-known pop tunes from start to finish, which might have been the obvious move for a lot of directors.
I mentioned the dreamlike qualities of the movie, and that really does describe A BLIND BARGAIN overall. It's sometimes sad, sometimes wistful, other times nightmarish, but always plays out like the fantasy you experience deep in slumber, which you cannot resist. From the very first scene, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. When the movie ended, I couldn't wait to watch it again! Now that I had a handle on the relationships of the characters, their predicaments became more - not less - interesting to me. At one point, we are introduced to The Scrivener (played by Max Lawrence), someone with a hinted at supernatural presence. On my first watch the character added a new layer of mystery, though I wasn't certain the scene was entirely necessary. On my second viewing, I understood that what transpires here - an exchange of artifacts - wasn't what was important. The Scrivener takes that opportunity to gently impart words of wisdom about aging and living that speak to the heart of the story. I was not expecting to be philosophically challenged at any point during the movie, yet I now think about his simple, direct monologue often.
A lot of talent has come together on and off screen to bring A BLIND BARGAIN to life. Paul Bunnell has assembled a brilliant combination for a most unusual and entertaining piece of storytelling. This love letter to the filmmaking of yesteryear also acts as a respectful nod to classic mystery/fantasy anthologies such as THE TWILIGHT ZONE and especially THE NIGHT GALLERY. You'll know what I mean when you see it. A BLIND BARGAIN is not a cookie-cutter, by-the-numbers studio feature, but it IS a fine contribution to the world of cinema, and it actually has something to say. "Go on living."
