Jenny Slate, Adam Scott, and Nick Kroll form a Dysfunctional Love Triangle in ‘My Blind Brother’ Trailer
Three of the funniest minds in modern comedy have teamed up to bring us My Blind Brother, a rom-com about a blind man and his brother both falling for the same woman. Adam Scott plays Robbie, a handsome professional swimmer who also happens to be blind, while Nick Kroll plays his brother Bill, an all-around normal dude who’s always lived in his sibling’s shadow. When they meet Rose, played by Jenny Slate, their sibling rivalry is ignited as they realize they both like her.
The trailer is charming and fun, and includes a pretty hilarious scene where Slate and Kroll are putting their clothes back on after (we can assume) some sort of romantic encounter, while Scott tells them how much he appreciates their support. Seeing a disabled character in a main role in a romantic comedy is refreshing, as is the film’s matter-of-fact treatment of disability. Robbie’s blindness is portrayed less as a tragic flaw and more as just another personality trait. He’s a competitive athlete! He can run marathons! He can swim! He can drive a car! Well, we’ll see about that last one.
As Hollywood works to get more inclusive, we’re seeing an upswing in the portrayal of minorities onscreen. In an interview on Wednesday with the Irish Examiner, R.J. Mitte, who played Walter “Flynn” White Jr. on Breaking Bad and who himself also has mild cerebral palsy, said that TV needs more disabled actors.
“We know lots of progress is being made but the industry must do more to help disabled people work both in front of and behind the camera,” he said. “During the Paralympics there will be more disabled people than ever before on TV but this shouldn’t be something that just happens every four years.”
My Blind Brother is directed by Sophie Goodhart and premiered at this year’s SXSW film festival, and will open in theaters and on demand September 23.