Kevin Coughlin
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FULL WATCHALONG ~ SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL
🕑 Added 2025-05-16 05:50:24 +0000 UTCSee No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) is peak late-‘80s high-concept buddy comedy, the kind of movie that starts with a ridiculous premise and doubles down on it like it's trying to win a bet. Richard Pryor plays a man who’s blind. Gene Wilder plays a man who’s deaf. They meet. They witness a murder. One literally sees nothing, the other hears nothing, and somehow they’re now both suspects in a crime they couldn’t identify if they tried. It's the kind of setup that practically screams, “We’re gonna milk this for every single gag we can.” And they do.
What elevates the movie from “eh, cute gimmick” to “actually hilarious” is the sheer chemistry between Pryor and Wilder, who could make a Denny’s menu sound like a comedy routine. Pryor brings his usual chaotic, razor-sharp energy, while Wilder plays the straight man with just enough neurotic sweetness to keep you rooting for him. Their timing is so tight it feels like the script was written around their rhythm—not the other way around.
Let’s be honest: the plot is nonsense. There’s a briefcase, a murder, a setup, and a pair of cartoonishly over-the-top villains (including Joan Severance doing full 80s femme fatale with a silencer and a black wardrobe to match). But nobody came here for a tight thriller. This is all about watching two comedy legends stumble, scream, and bicker their way through danger, with physical comedy that walks the perfect line between slapstick and brilliant timing.
Is it dated? Sure. Is it subtle? Not even a little. But See No Evil, Hear No Evil thrives on its commitment to the bit—and the fact that Wilder and Pryor can make even the dumbest scenes land with charm, wit, and a total lack of shame. It’s silly, it’s loud, and it’s got heart, thanks to two guys who knew exactly how to turn a gimmick into gold.
Comments
Jacob Colson
"I learnt this at the Braille Institute." Richard Pryor really did go to the Braille Institute for a couple weeks to prepare for the role. And Gene went to the New York League for the Hard of Hearing and studied speech reading for six weeks. He even had an appliance for both ears made that blocked out a lot of sound.
