Dealt

Ha! Man, go into this knowing nothing! This is a spoiler free review, just because this is the type of film you should go into without any knowledge if you can help it. Because you want to get the biggest bang for your buck. I fold!

When I watched this guy's wife said that he treated her like his guide dog, every time he needed her he whistled. She said she felt that she was being used by him as a guide dog whenever he needed her. I felt sad for her at that moment. And I didn't believe that later when they prayed together and decided to be together no matter what was what really changed her hurt feelings or just recovered from his heartless use of her. I think that she had pointed out the way he treated her was wrong and unacceptable, and she might have said if you keep doing this kind of thing treating me like a dog, I'll leave you. I think that's the real alarming message to make him realize how heartless he was and finally recognized she was not his guide dog but his lifelong partner and companion. I also noticed when she mentioned it, she still showed a hurt feeling.

The other thing made me wonder is if both him and his sister got the same peculiar blind disease at the same young age. It means that there's some weird genes from their parents. The documentary didn't tell us whether their parents and among their ancestors got this disease. I also noticed that their adult son looked quite healthy and normal, but I just couldn't worry about whether that sort of weird genes still existed and hidden, it might skip his son's generation and transfer to his offspring. Or that cursed gene would skip couple of generations and reappear in the future. This possibility is there, and I think all of them might have the same fear, but just buried it deep in their minds. What a weird disease.....Is there any recorded statistics telling us how many people suffered the same early blindness? Is it a racial biased disease only happened to certain races? Lot of questions...

Greetings again from the darkness. One of the sub-genres of film documentaries involves profiling those folks who are doing extraordinary things in life. Sometimes these people are changing the world, sometimes they are sharing their talents, and other times they are overcoming challenges that most of us don't have. Richard Turner of San Antonio, Texas is one who checks all three boxes.

Mr. Turner is the world's best card mechanic … a magician, if you will – although he doesn't much like that word. Now you might be asking how a card trickster is changing the world, and it's a fair question. The answer becomes clear when we see him quietly bonding and sharing some card secrets with a young, similarly visually- impaired girl late in the film. That's correct, Mr. Turner is himself blind, and if you assume that a blind man cannot possibly execute highly complex and entertaining card tricks, you are encouraged to learn more about this remarkable man.

Mr. Turner is quick to recall what drew him to cards. He references the James Garner TV series "Maverick" as an inspiration, and soon decided that would make a pretty good way to earn a living. He has used his touch of hyper-activeness to relentlessly master his card skills, while also honing his stage presence. We hear others discuss his impact, and watch vintage clips of his TV appearances. "Blind" was a word he spurned for years, as he was driven to let his skills stand on their own against all others (skills that would be mind- blowing and world class even if he weren't blind). Turner's adamant refusal to admit his disability (no Braille, no cane, no dogs) was enabled by his dependence on his son, whose departure for college left a gaping hole in dad's life. We also meet Richard's sister Lori. She owns and runs her own construction company … and is also blind.

Director Luke Korem expertly provides the necessary background for us to understand how Turner has become the star he is. Rather than focus on the technical aspects of card "magic", he focuses on the man and his personal journey. It's fascinating how he delivers a personal profile of the family man – the flawed man – who has slowly, but surely come to accept his disability after a life of denial. So while we "ooh and ahh" and gape in amazement at his card skills, our hearts are touched by the relationships he has with his wife Kim, his son Asa (yes, Asa Spades Turner), and his self- reflective drive that allowed him to reach 5th degree black belt. Mr. Turner likely fine-tuned his card skills for nearly16 hours today … how was your day?

Sometimes its best to preserve the mystery. For anyone captivated by Richard Turner's art, this may sour it somewhat. Turner comes off as narcissistic and self-centred and the show features many uncomfortable interactions between him and his family. It seems like his wife and son (who both seem lovely) have sacrificed an awful lot for him yet don't really get much appreciation for it.

As for the documentary itself, there is far too much focus on Turner's blindness than his incredible abilities. This is especially annoying given that he describes people's obsessions with his sight as something he hates.

I came away from this feeling like I don't really like this guy very much. The muted reaction of his peers at the award ceremony suggests I might not be alone. An interesting documentary but probably would have been better left unmade.

This was a great documentary. What is emphasized throughout the whole film is that there's no sympathy needed for Richard Turner. He is brilliant at what he does and is severely disciplined in anything he focused his mind on. There are some struggles in being blind, but Richard doesn't let that affect his life. Truly inspiring and mind blowing that will leave you speechless. I recommend this to anyone who needs motivating or drive.