Tommy Edison, aka “The Blind Film Critic,” has been blind all his life. Living in Connecticut and working as a radio traffic reporter and movie reviewer on the side, Edison is not afraid to do anything a person with sight would do, with even more energy and enthusiasm.
His website hosts a collection of videos called “A Day in Life,” where Edison allows a camera crew to follow him going about his daily activities and he does it all. From taking a swing at baseball to paying for a beer at the bar, Edison shows the world that living in a world made for the sighted is not always easy.
Edison has a way of highlighting the areas of life so easily taken for granted by those who can see, for example, getting cash out of the ATM. Think of all the times you have gone through the drive at your bank, inserted your card, entered your pin and taken the cash. The actual process takes about three to five minutes, depending on the bank and the line of cars that inevitably pile up just as you arrive.
For Edison, his ATM experience can take upwards of ten minutes with each transaction. In order to use the machine, Edison must insert headphones to hear the voice over prompts, but just locating where to insert them can be a chore. Edison said that sometimes people are rude while waiting in line, huffing and puffing that he cannot go any faster. Talk about pressure. Despite the difficulties, Edison does not give up and has found ways to make the task a bit easier. To see how he does it, check out the video below.
In addition to letting the public peer into his private life, Edison has also found his way into the lives of others, via the role of movie critic. Yes, the blind man reviews movies. Creating a video of his opinions on the film, Edison critiques every part, from the acting to the music, he’s got it covered. Imagine only listening to a movie. Imagine how important the rest of the elements are to the film now that the visuals are gone. Edison can tell if the actors are good or bad, just by listening to them. Pretty impressive.
Here’s a little sampling of his insightful critiques:
By Ebert’s standard, I give his reviews “two thumbs up.”