ReviewMy Blind Date with Life film review: German romantic comedy on disability is good-natured but implausible
My Blind Date with Life, about a blind man who hides his condition, could be written off as wholly unbelievable were it not based on a true story, but star Kostka Ulmann does well in holding things together
2.5/5 stars
My Blind Date with Life is a good-natured, if rather formulaic, romantic comedy about Saliya (Kostja Ulmann) who, determined not to let his blindness undermine his dream of working in a luxury hotel, lies about his disability and applies for an apprenticeship at Munich’s most prestigious hotel.
Born to a Sri Lankan father and German mother, Saliya enjoyed a normal and promising childhood, until he was struck down by a rare hereditary condition aged 15. Now his intellect and skill sets mean nothing to potential employers, and only by hiding his condition is he able to secure a job.
Saliya finds a willing conspirator in fellow apprentice Max (Jacob Matschenz) and a potential love interest in a local supplier (Anna Maria Mühe), but how long can their relationship survive when it’s built on a lie?
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Director Marc Rothemund (Sophie Scholl: The Final Days) keeps the tone light and humorous and Ulmann does well in holding things together, but were it not based on a true story, My Blind Date with Life could be written off as wholly implausible. Saliya faces a myriad different challenges in his daily life, while pursuing intimate relationships with a number of different individuals. Yet his blindness is never discovered, and only becomes a problem when the script demands it.