At First Sight
by Irwin Winkler
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bruce Davison, Kelly McGillis, Mira Sorvino, Steven Weber, Val KilmerDirector: Irwin Winkler
Brand: Sony
Cinematographer: John Seale
Producer: Irwin Winkler
Editor: Julie Monroe
Producer: Rob Cowan
Producer: Roger Paradiso
Writer: Oliver Sacks
Writer: Steve Levitt
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 128 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1999-04-27
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Movie Reviews of At First Sight
Movie Review: The miracle of sight...but what if you've never seen before?
Summary: 5 Stars
My husband of 12 years is blind from diabete's and dwindling health. We watched a movie about a blind man on our first date. So when this one came out we watched (actually I watched he listened and I explain any parts that needed explaining) it together. Unlike my husband, Virgil (Val Kilmer) has been blind since he was a very young toddler. Whose only memory of sight is a fluffy pink cloud. I have always wondered what it would be like for someone with no memories of sight to have their sight fully restored. When Virgil meets Amy (Mira Sorvino) they fall in love. He shows her his world and teaches her to ice skate on a frozen pond. She meets his family and guide dog. Then she, wanting to help him get more out of life tells him of a doctor (Bruce Davison)who can hopefully restore his sight. So after much encouragement he goes to her world in the city and agrees to see this doctor. But to Amy's shock, when his sight is restored he is not happy with his new world and sight is not what he had imagined it would be. It was very interesting that he could not identify an object as simple as a can of coke until he felt it with his hands, then understood the connection between the two. Living with a blind man for 12 years, that made perfect sense. After adjusting somewhat to this he comes to enjoy his newly found sight, and takes in all that he can. But has trouble coping with the new trials it brings. Though very educated, he can not read and doesn't have his blindness to explain why. I found it to be a very accurate movie dealing with blindness and sight restored. It ends well. And Val Kilmer did well portraying a blind man in this movie. I enjoyed this movie and learned a little more about what different blind people go through. I have known many through my husband over the last several years and admire them for their strength, courage and abilities to do just about anything. I don't know if I could be so strong. This is a very nice story I would enjoy seeing again.
Summary of At First Sight
Witness the extraordinary transformation of seeing the world for the first time and fall in love with life all over again. Directed by OscarÂ(r) winner* Irwin Winkler (GoodFellas) and based on a true story by Dr. Oliver Sacks (Awakenings), At First Sight is an exhilarating adventure and the visual experience of a lifetime! Starring Val Kilmer (The Doors, Batman Forever) and Academy AwardÂ(r)-winner** Mira Sorvino (Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion), this "poignant, uplifting drama" (New York Daily News) explores the remarkable journey of a man whose world was darkened by blindness but enlightened by the miracle of science and the wonder of love. Blind since childhood, Virgil Adamson (Kilmer) is working as a masseur in an upstate New York spa when he meets and falls in love with Amy Benic (Sorvino), a stressed-out, career-driven architect. Certain that Virgil's simple world will be greatly enhanced by an operation to restore his sight, Amy ultimately realizes that Virgil's new vision puts a fresh focus onboth their lives.The tagline states, "Only love can bring you to your senses." Well, your senses have to be pretty dulled to love At First Sight. On paper the story--based on the writings of medical writer extraordinaire Oliver Sacks (Awakenings)--is intriguing: a blind man regains sight after surgery yet can never connect with what he sees, including a lovely new girlfriend. Indeed, maybe blind was better. From such interesting stuff (and a talented cast) comes a tepid love story and an unconvincing drama.
Val Kilmer plays Virgil, a serene resort worker who plays hockey in the dark and is the best masseur this side of the Catskills. Onto his table comes Amy, a bone-weary NYC architect (Mira Sorvino) who cries the first time Virgil does his magic. Instead of a voyage into the world of blindness, Amy's first instinct is to take Virgil to an eye doctor who can restore sight (Bruce Davison). Virgil receives sight, crumbling the trust between him and Amy. The clichés start building up and by the time Amy is wooed by her ex-husband (Steven Weber), her boss no less, one's patience wears thin.
The medical curiosities of the story--Virgil can see an item but can't grasp what it is until he touches it--do not translate well on screen. The film's liveliest character is Nathan Lane as a teacher of the blind. A scene with Virgil that gets to the heart of his ailment is so filled with spontaneity, one wonders if it was scripted or simply Lane's own extemporaneous dialogue. After an admirable start as a director (Guilty by Suspicion), Oscar-winning producer Irwin Winkler has not been able to put cinematic highs or believable angst into his films (The Net, Night in the City). At First Sight may look good, but it is blind where it counts. --Doug Thomas
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