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‘Look Into My Eyes’ Review: Psychics Shed the Mystique in a Funny, Compassionate Doc Portrait
In her documentary 'Look Into My Eyes,' director Lana Wilson meets and closely observes a diverse group of New York City psychics.
Of markedly more interest to Wilson — returning successfully to more low-key human portraiture after two glossy celebrity studies, “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” and the Taylor Swift-focused “Miss Americana” — is how these allegedly second-sighted folk function on an everyday basis, and what drives ordinary people of many different persuasions to seek out their services. Sherrie cheerfully cites the usefulness of her thespian training when doing readings, while queer psychic Per Erik Borja confesses, “I never fully believe in the things I say.” Still, their consultations with clients, many of whom are vulnerable and desperate to regain missing connections, are marked by sincere human engagement and eagerness to heal. Wilson is an unobtrusive but subtly penetrating interviewer: She gets disarming candor even from an outwardly anxious subject like Eugene Grygo, a trauma-burdened soul who isn’t the most confident of the psychics, but comes into his own when talking about movies (Walter Salles’ arthouse tearjerker “Central Station” is a favorite) or, somewhat surprisingly, crooning Billy Joel or The Beatles at open-mic nights.
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