At First Sight (1999)

Director:

Irwin Winkler

Writers (WGA):

Oliver Sacks (story)
Steve Levitt (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Only Love Can Bring You To Your Senses.

Plot:

A blind man has an operation to regain his sight at the urging of his girlfriend and must deal with the changes to his life.

Plot Keywords:

Massage Therapist | Box Office Flop | Based On Article | Blindness | Based On True Story

Cast

Val Kilmer	...	Virgil Adamson
Mira Sorvino	...	Amy Benic
Kelly McGillis	...	Jennie Adamson
Steven Weber	...	Duncan Allanbrook
Bruce Davison	...	Dr. Charles Aaron
Nathan Lane	...	Phil Webster
Ken Howard	...	Virgil's Father
Laura Kirk	...	Betsy Ernst
Margo Winkler	...	Nancy Bender
Diana Krall	...	Singer
Brett Robbins	...	Ethan
Willie C. Carpenter	...	Jack Falk (as Willie Carpenter)
Charles Winkler	...	Health Instructor
Drena De Niro	...	Caroline
Kelly Chapman	...	Susan (as Kelly Chapman Meyer)

Also Known As:

Sight Unseen (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for scenes involving sexuality and nudity, and for brief strong language.

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White | Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Iceland:L | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #35785)

Filming Locations:

Bear Mountain, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

There have been several references to Val Kilmer in the hit sitcom "Friends" (1994) with the most notable being when Ross rented Val Kilmer's jacket that he wore to the ‘At First Sight’ premiere.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Amy first arrives at Bear Mountain, she is driving a silver Taurus. The whole rest of the movie, Amy is driving a red car, obviously not a Taurus.

Quotes:

Phil Webster: Limbo is like New Jersey. You can see all the good stuff, you just have to get there.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Nip/Tuck: Trudy Nye (#2.14)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

A Kiss to Build a Dream On

Only works because of the performances. *** out of ****

AT FIRST SIGHT (1999) ***

Starring: Val Kilmer, Mira Sorvino, Kelly McGillis, Steven Weber, Bruce Davison, Nathan Lane Director: Irwin Winkler 124 minutes PG-13 (for sexuality and nudity, and some language) ***

By Blake French, based on comment by Lynda French and Faye Blink:

In many ways "At First Sight," is not a good movie. For instance: It does not do a good job of explaining the inspiration for the plot, the blind man's optical surgery. That is unfortunate, because I really was interested in that concept.

The film, based on a novel called "To See and Not See," is centered on a man who has gotten used to being blind. He knows his entire way around New York. He then falls in love with an architect. Her name is Amy. Virgil, the blind man, is hired by complete coincidence to be her massager. The minutes he touches her, she knows that this man is different for other men she has formed relationships with in the past.

The plot is strong, but thin at the same time. For instance, the film takes heed in developing the characters, but never the conflict, or villain, or sub-plots. If the director would have decided to focus on those things a bit more, or a lot more in that matter, the film would have been wonderful. After all, it is well written and performed.

There is a sup-plot, however, that is detailed. The filmmakers throw in a false break up between two characters, and how Vigirl deals with the misguided presence of his distant father. This incidence is only in existence to create sappy melodrama to further the movie's running time.

My main recommendation comes only from the first rate performances from Kilmer and Sorvino. Val Kilmer ("The Saint" 1997, "Heat" 1994) delivers is outstanding as the blind man. He brings to life the confusion of lack of sight. Mira Sorvino ("Mimic," 1997, "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion," 1997) plays Amy with boldness and verve. She also captures the wonder and creativity of the audience's imagination. The sub-characters including Steven Weber ("Sour Grapes" 1998, "The Shinning," 1997) Bruce Davidson and Nathan Lane ("Mousehunt" 1997) are also very suburb in their roles.

That said, this film is not all that original. Think about it for a minute: two people fall in love, who have many differences and problems. Does this sound familiar? The truth: this is just another romance story with a gimmick. The film works, but only by the skin of its performances.