Before Bruce Willis was the world-weary John McClane crawling through air ducts in Die Hard, he was Walter Davis—a buttoned-up, hair-having, corporate drone who just wanted to impress his boss. If you haven't revisited the 1987 flick Blind Date recently, you're missing out on a very specific flavor of 80s chaos. It’s a movie that sits at a weird crossroads in Hollywood history. It’s the bridge between Willis the TV star and Willis the global icon, and it features Kim Basinger in a role that actively tries (and fails) to hide her "it girl" status under a brown wig and some truly frantic physical comedy.
The premise is basically every social introvert’s nightmare. Walter needs a date for a high-stakes business dinner with a traditional Japanese tycoon. His brother Ted—played by the legendary Phil Hartman in full "Troy McClure" energy—sets him up with Nadia Gates (Basinger). There is one catch, though. One rule. One tiny little instruction that Walter, naturally, ignores within the first twenty minutes.
Don't give Nadia alcohol.
The Night Everything Went Sideways
Blake Edwards, the guy who gave us The Pink Panther and Breakfast at Tiffany's, directed this thing. He was a master of the "everything that can go wrong, will go wrong" school of filmmaking. In Blind Date, Kim Basinger’s character doesn't just get a little tipsy; she becomes a human wrecking ball.
She insults the boss. She ruins the deal. She basically torches Walter's entire professional existence before the salad course is over. But honestly? The movie isn't really about the dinner. It’s about the escalating insanity of the night that follows, involving a car that gets stripped to its chassis in minutes and a truly unhinged John Larroquette as Nadia’s jealous ex-boyfriend, David.
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David is a trip. He spends most of the movie ramming his car into things or stalking them through the streets of Los Angeles. Larroquette plays him with this sweaty, bulging-eye intensity that makes you realize why 80s comedies were just different. Everything was dialed up to eleven.
Bruce Willis: From Moonlighting to the Big Screen
At the time, Bruce Willis was the king of Tuesday nights thanks to Moonlighting. People loved his smarmy, fast-talking David Addison. But Hollywood wasn't sure if he could carry a movie. Blind Date was the test.
Interestingly, the lead roles were originally meant for Sean Penn and Madonna. Can you imagine that movie? It would have been a completely different vibe—probably way darker and less slapstick. When they dropped out, Edwards took a chance on Willis.
If you watch closely during the office scenes, you can actually see the Fox Plaza building under construction in the background. That's the same building that would become Nakatomi Plaza just a year later. It’s like watching a "before" and "after" photo of a career. In Blind Date, he’s the "straight man" to the chaos. He’s the one getting humiliated, arrested, and shot at (metaphorically, mostly). By the time he gets to Die Hard, he’s the one causing the chaos.
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Why the Critics Hated It (and Why Audiences Didn't)
If you look at the reviews from 1987, they were... not great. Many critics felt the "drunk woman" trope was a bit mean-spirited or just plain unfunny. Roger Ebert famously gave it a lukewarm review, noting that Willis played a "nerd" so well he almost faded into the background.
But here’s the thing: the movie was a hit. It opened at number one and made nearly $40 million against a $16 million budget. People liked the chemistry between Willis and Basinger. They liked the slapstick. There’s a scene where Walter finally snaps and starts acting crazier than everyone else—doing the moonwalk while holding David at gunpoint—that remains a high point of 80s comedy.
Key Facts About Blind Date (1987)
- Director: Blake Edwards
- Writer: Dale Launer (who also wrote My Cousin Vinny)
- Leading Lady: Kim Basinger (as Nadia Gates)
- Breakout Star: Bruce Willis (in his first lead film role)
- Supporting Cast: Phil Hartman, John Larroquette, William Daniels
- Box Office: Over $39 million domestic
Basinger is actually the secret weapon here. We're used to seeing her in roles where she’s the "femme fatale" or the serious romantic lead (think 9 1/2 Weeks or L.A. Confidential). In Blind Date, she’s goofy. She’s messy. She has this "country" accent that gets thicker as she gets more inebriated. It’s a rare chance to see her do physical comedy, and she’s surprisingly good at it.
The Legacy of the "Worst Date Ever"
So, does Blind Date still hold up? It depends on what you're looking for. If you want a sophisticated rom-com, look elsewhere. This is a farce. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, and it relies heavily on 80s tropes that haven't all aged perfectly.
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However, as a piece of pop culture history, it’s fascinating. You’re seeing the birth of a movie star. You’re seeing a master director (Edwards) play with the "night from hell" genre that was popularized by films like After Hours.
Plus, the soundtrack by Henry Mancini adds a layer of class that the movie probably doesn't deserve but benefits from immensely. It’s a snapshot of a time when you could build an entire movie around a single bad night and a couple of charismatic leads.
How to Revisit the Film Today
If you’re looking to watch Blind Date for a hit of nostalgia or to see where Bruce Willis started, keep these things in mind:
- Look for the Fox Plaza: Keep an eye out for the Nakatomi Plaza cameo in the background of the L.A. skyline.
- Appreciate Phil Hartman: He doesn't have a huge role, but every second he’s on screen is gold.
- Check out the Physical Comedy: Notice the timing of the car chases and the bar brawls—it’s classic Blake Edwards choreography.
- Streaming: It often pops up on platforms like Amazon Prime or Pluto TV, or you can find the 25th-anniversary Blu-ray for a surprisingly sharp transfer.
Next time you're having a rough first date, just remember Walter Davis. At least your car probably didn't get towed while being stripped, and you (hopefully) haven't been forced to do the moonwalk at gunpoint.