Color Me Perfect

Color Me Perfect is a captivating drama released in 1996 which stars celebrated performers Michele Lee, Susan Blakely, and Robin Thomas. The heartwarming film explores intricate themes of intellect, individuality, science, ethics, and love, making for an engaging and thought-provoking cinematic experience.

Michele Lee delivers an unforgettable performance as Dina Blake, the central character of the film. Dina is portrayed as a woman who, despite having a lower IQ, is vibrant, bubbly, and full of life, with an aspiration to chase dreams just like everybody else. The fact that her intellectual capacity is lower than average does not stop her from aiming for more in her life. However, this desire is often dampened by the constraints of her reality. Her world primarily revolves around menial work and small favors for her neighbors in an amicable small town.

Transitioning Dina's life from normal to extraordinary is Susan Blakely's character Dr. Victoria Peak, a geneticist on the fringe boundary of extraordinary scientific innovations which have been yet untested. Dr. Peak, constantly pushing boundaries in the field of genetics, has created a serum she believes can dramatically increase intelligence. Determined to prove her creation's effectiveness, she seeks a subject willing to undergo treatment. Dina, yearning for more independence and options in her life, willingly agrees to be the test subject of this groundbreaking experiment. This unprecedented opportunity pushes the boundaries of her life in ways no one, including herself, could have predicted.

Color Me Perfect sees the likes of Robin Thomas, who plays Max Thomas, a caring and insightful man who operates a local child care center. Bound together by a chain of events, leading him into Dina's life, Max forms a profound and tender bond with Dina. Their evolving bond provides the emotional undertones throughout the inevitable transformation brought about by Dr. Peak's experiment.

As Dina undertakes this new journey, she experiences changes she hitherto deemed impossible. The film takes you on an emotional rollercoaster as you witness her evolving - from struggling to read simple sentences to astonishing everyone with her profound intelligence. This transformation does not come without perils. The ripple of effects from Dr. Peak's experiment hint at unintended deeper implications.

Color Me Perfect utilizes carefully crafted narrative and character development as a medium to explore complex ethical and societal questions around intelligence and individual identity. The film thoughtfully considers what it means to be intelligent, and more importantly, what it means to be human. Can the essence of an individual be measured just by their intellectual capacity or their ability to comprehend things better? The storyline also delves into critical debates about genetic engineering and the ethical ramifications of tampering with human intelligence.

These profound themes are wonderfully embedded within a backdrop of varying relationships. Dina's relationships with Dr. Peak - her savior turned manipulator, and Max - whom she's grown to love, brings to the forefront different facets of her transformation. Apart from that, Dina's evolving relationship with herself, her own identity, and her perception of the world around her forms the crux of the narrative.

Color Me Perfect is also a testament of Michele Lee's acting prowess as she effortlessly shifts between the emotionally burdened and the intellectually superior versions of Dina. The rest of the cast, including Susan Blakely and Robin Thomas, provide powerful performances, contributing to a film that inherently captures the viewer's attention while simultaneously pulling at their heartstrings.

Undeniably, this film is not a mere on-screen representation of a scientific breakthrough; instead, it's a beautifully woven tale of human transformation, the quest for identity, and the moral quandaries posed by theoretical scientific advancements. The core narrative documents the tale of an underdog who, with a shot at a life quite unprecedented, must decide if the intellectual advancements and the associated complexities are worth the loss of her original self.

Directed by Michael Schultz, Color Me Perfect is a compelling drama that masterfully walks the tight line between science fiction and emotional reality. Its unique storyline, combined with stellar performances from the ensemble cast, makes it an intriguing cinematic offering from the mid-90s that continues to offer food for thought to its viewers, even decades after its initial release.