Rating: 
 

The Info

Directed by: Irwin Winkler
Written by: Steve Levitt, Irwin Winkler, Rob Cowan
Starring: Val Kilmer, Mira Sorvino, Kelly McGillis, Steven Weber, Bruce Davison, Nathan Lane
Produced by: Rob Cowan, Irwin Winkler

The Nutshell

An architect falls in love with a blind man and convinces him to undergo experimental eye surgery so that he can see. The surgery is a success and he goes through the many problems of seeing for the first time.

The Review

    As the film opens, we are introduced to Amy Benic (Sorvino). Amy designs buildings for an architectural design firm and is a bit stressed. After Amy has been on the screen for 5 minutes, we can already tell that a) she has a great deal of stress b) she has no lovelife and c) all she cares about is her work. Naturally, Amy needs a break. And off to Aspen we go! In Aspen, we are introduced to Virgil (Kilmer), a blind massage therapist at the ritzy club where Amy is spending the weekend to relax. Before you can cry out "I could've written a more inspiring script in my sleep!" Amy and Virgil have a relationship started.

    Upon hearing the news, Amy's co-workers are happily stunned, and Virgil's domineering, overbearing sister Jennie (McGillis) hates it. She has cared for Virgil (read: babied him) for years and resents Amy's intrusion into their monotonous life. The tension between Virgil's two gals is surprisingly intense in places, with McGillis doing a great job as Jennie. Amy discovers a possible cure for Virgil's blindness and convinces him to undergo experimental surgery. At first sceptical, he eventually agrees, and the operation is a success. This is where the film gets interesting. Virgil's trials in trying to get through the seeing process for the first time ever are well-done and inspired. The different stages he goes through before achieving full comprehension of what he sees are dealt with intelligently. The appearance of Nathan Lane as a therapist to help him figure sight out really does nothing to help move things along, but rather adds an unneeded extra sub-plot.

    Where At First Sight works is in its treatment of blindness. There are a few too many obvious jokes about Ray Charles etc but overall Kilmer seems to do a good job of being blind. His reactions to newfound sight aren't overdone and tend to keep from straying into sap country. The main problem with the film, and it's a big one, is the romance. It's boring, it's unemotional and it doesn't make sense. There is nothing in Amy for Virgil to like and Amy is not the type of character who could handle "seeing" a blind guy (forgive the pun). Their romance never has any real heat or passion to it, and with truly dreadful lines like "So this is what beautiful looks like." (said by Virgil upon seeing Amy naked for the first time after getting his sight), you just want to gag. Since the romance is half of the film, At First Sight never gets beyond mediocre, and a great opportunity for a unique screen romance is killed rather handily.

Copyright - Tim Chandler

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