Watch At First Sight
- PG-13
- 1999
- 2 hr 8 min
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6.0 (14,425)
At First Sight is a romantic drama film from 1999, directed by Irwin Winkler, starring Val Kilmer, Mira Sorvino, and Kelly McGillis. The movie tells the story of a man who regains his sight after a lifetime of blindness and must learn to navigate the world with his newfound abilities. The main character, Virgil Adamson (played by Val Kilmer), has been blind since the age of 3, having been born prematurely. Despite his blindness, he is highly intelligent and independent, with a successful career as a massage therapist. One day, he meets Amy Benic (played by Mira Sorvino), a New York architect, who is visiting a nearby town. They quickly fall in love and start a relationship.
A few weeks after they first meet, Virgil undergoes a groundbreaking surgery to restore his sight. The operation is successful, and Virgil's vision slowly begins to return. However, his newfound ability to see presents a number of challenges, as he struggles to interpret the visual information his brain is now processing.
As Virgil begins to learn more about the visual world, he becomes increasingly fascinated with it. He spends hours studying the shapes and colors of everyday objects, and discovers the beauty of sunsets and city skylines. However, he also experiences sensory overload, and often becomes overwhelmed by the flood of visual information streaming into his brain.
Meanwhile, his relationship with Amy becomes strained, as he starts to feel like an outsider in the world of the sighted. He becomes irritable and distant, struggling to reconcile his new visual experiences with his lifelong habits of relying on his other senses.
Throughout the movie, At First Sight touches on themes of self-discovery, the nature of perception, and the complexities of human relationships. The performance of the cast is exemplary, with Val Kilmer's portrayal of Virgil Adamson being particularly noteworthy. Through his performance, we see the character's journey from a man used to living in darkness to one gradually finding his way in the world of sight.
Mira Sorvino also gives a strong performance as Amy, who is initially drawn to Virgil because of his unique perspective on the world. As their relationship progresses, she becomes more and more invested in helping him adjust to his newfound vision, incorporating her career as an architect to help him learn to read blueprints and visual designs. Kelly McGillis plays Duncan, Virgil's sister, who initially is hesitant about Virgil's decision to undergo the surgery but becomes one of his main sources of support after the operation.
At First Sight is a thought-provoking film that explores the complexities of perception and the rewards and challenges of rediscovering the world after a lifetime of blindness. The story is emotional and meaningful, and the imagery is visually stunning. The film successfully captures the experience of someone living with blindness and the difficulties that come with adjusting to life with sight. It's an interesting movie that sheds light on what it's like to live with and without the gift of sight.
At First Sight is a 1999 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 8 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.0 and a MetaScore of 40.