At First Sight *** (1998, Val Kilmer, Mira Sorvino, Kelly McGillis) – Classic Movie Review 1619

Producer-director Irwin Winkler’s sweetly sensitive 1998 drama stars Mira Sorvino as city woman Amy Benic, a Manhattan architect who meets and falls for a proud, self-sufficient blind bloke called Virgil Adamson (Val Kilmer). A massage therapist at a resort she attends, he has been blind since the age of three and is helped by his spinster sister Jenny (Kelly McGillis).

Later Amy discovers a new operation that he could have which will hopefully restore his vision and he decides to go ahead despite the sister’s opposition. But this is only the start of his problems. After undergoing the radical surgery that restores his sight, he’s disoriented and his attempts to adjust to the seeing world strain his relationship with Amy,

Trite and mushy as it may be, this is a really well meaning, unpretentious and sneakily engaging movie that tugs relentlessly and mercilessly at the heartstrings and has all the romantics in the audience reaching for their hankies.

Maybe the actors aren’t really 100% well cast, but they try extremely hard and appeal a great lot. In particular, this is an appealing showcase for the welcome, rarely seen softer side of Kilmer. He and Sorvino are very sweet together, with strong screen chemistry.

Steve Levitt writes a polished screenplay for this immensely civilised, quiet entertainment, from a real case story To See and Not See, as told by Dr Oliver (Awakenings) Sacks MD.

Steven Weber, Bruce Davison, Nathan Lane and Ken Howard are in the notable star support cast.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1619

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com/