‘The Blind’ Presents a Raw Look at Phil and Kay Robertson’s Marriage and How Jesus Saved It

Editor’s note: The following article contains spoilers for “The Blind” movie.

Viewers who go to theaters this weekend to see “The Blind,” a new film based on the life of Phil and Kay Robertson of “Duck Dynasty,” will witness the impact of the devil on a man’s life, Phil Robertson says. Releasing on Thursday, Sept. 28, “The Blind” offers a raw look at the early stages of the Robertsons’ marriage and is explicit about the fact that only Jesus saved it.

“Y’all have just witnessed what happens when Satan controls a man,” said Phil Robertson, who appears, seated, onscreen after the story of the movie concludes. “You’ve seen it in living color. It’s embarrassing and shocking. Y’all saw the initial me.”

“‘The acts of the sinful nature are obvious,’” Robertson continued, reading from a Bible on his lap. “Ya’ll just saw the acts of the sinful nature. They’re obvious. Jesus beat death for us! Removed our sin, cleans us up, and guarantees he’ll raise you from the dead.”

The “Duck Dynasty” patriarch then quoted from 1 Corinthians 15. “‘I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received,’” he said, pausing to state, “I did [receive it], 50 years ago.”

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‘The Blind’ Shows Who Phil Robertson ‘Used To Be’

Phil Robertson is the creator of the Duck Commander, a patented duck call and the name of his multimillion dollar company. He and his family rose to fame through the reality show, “Duck Dynasty,” which aired on A&E from 2012 to 2017 and spawned several spin-offs. “Duck Dynasty” featured Phil and Kay, their sons Alan, Willie, Jase and Jep, and Phil’s brother, Si, among others. The episodes showed the family’s Christian faith and typically ended with them praying over meals. 

While “The Blind” is a fictional account of Phil and Kay Robertsons’ lives, it is striking in that it does not gloss over the deep brokenness in Phil’s life and its impact on his marriage.

The title is a play on words and refers both to a lack of sight and to a shelter that conceals hunters. The movie opens with a middle-aged Phil sitting behind a hunting blind, recounting the story of his life to a friend, whom we later learn is named Big Al. 

“It’s hard to talk about who I used to be,” Phil tells Al. “Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful…I mean to my bones, about how my life turned around.”

Phil’s story begins with him growing up in poverty with a difficult family life in rural Louisiana. His mother is mentally unwell and had violent mood swings. His father is often gone working in oil fields, leaving Phil to be the man of the house. As a boy, Phil learns how to hunt to provide for his family and relies on the woods as a “refuge” amid the turmoils of his life.