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• Thought-Provoking Story with Good Cast and Overlong Script posted on 03 Aug 2009

  "At First Sight" delivers the basics of romantic story, but takes too long time to tell its story, so you might want to cut the tape of your own copy to make its running time much shorter. Fortunately, the two leads are very likable characters (and the film credits tell us it is based on a true story), and the chances are you never feel wasted your time.

  It's about blind Virgil (Val Kilmer), who loves hockey-playing, and New Yorker Amy (Mira Sorvino), who meets Vigil at a hotel, and falls in love with him. As she found an article on the possibility of restoring sight, she suggests he take the chance (actually, the film tells that very few people had ragained their sight after long time of blindness). The operation succeeds, but it turns out much harder than he expected for Virgil to handle the situation with the newly given power of sight. For example, he cannot tell an real apple from a picture of an apple; or he cannot feel the distance between him and what he sees, so things coming in his direction would inevitably hit him in the head. Now he had to learn "seeing." The story is very good.

  However, the script is too uneven. We don't need any episodes about Amy's ex-husband; though as Virgil's sister Kelly McGillis shows good performance, she sometimes delays the speed of the film, and seems to tell us too obvious things about Virgil's life. And most of all, the film is making a potentially tragic nature of the original story too sentimental. But as I said before, Kilmer and Sorvino both make such an amiable couple that you may forgive these shortcomings as the film goes on. And wait for always reliable Nethan Lane as a slightly eccentric therapist. He never fails to deliver the good moment though this time a little short. "At First Sight" is an agreeable (though overlong) film.

  If you're interested in the medical aspect of the film. read Dr. Oliver Sachs's book "An Anthoropologist on Mars." The film's material originally comes from one of its seven tales called 'To See and Not See.'

• What's real about yourself posted on 24 Jul 2009

  Superbly acted by Kilmer ("Real Genius" et al.), Sorvino, and McGillis, the principle detraction is the sometimes slow-moving drama which derives from the nature of the story itself. Almost worth seeing just for Virgil's observations at the end: "It wasn't that seeing was so bad- I saw a lot of things. Some were really beautiful; others were scary. Some things I'm already forgetting- a particular look in a pair of eyes... clouds... those images will stay with me long after the light fades. As a blind man, I think that I see better than I did while I was sighted. Because I don't really think we see with our eyes. I think we live in darkness when we don't look at what's real about ourselves, about others, or about life. I think no operation can do that. And when you see what's real about yourself, you've seen alot, and you don't need eyes for that."

• Nice story, good execution, way too long. posted on 30 Jun 2009

  While this movie is full of the little things needed to create a well-crafted romantic movie, and the actors are stupendous and play their parts to the fullest, the plot is just too long to sustain any understanding of the storyline. The movie starts out nicely at a good pace, with Kilmer and Sorvino falling in love at a mountain retreat. The romance looks as though it will make it through anything, until Sorvino introduces the idea of seeing again to Kilmer. This is the point at which the movie takes a long, droning turn, as Kilmer moves to New York with his new love to regain his sight. The plot jumps back and forth between the emotions of the lovers, which may confuse people with smaller brain capacities. There are too many break-ups and make-ups between the two leads, and while this movie is based on an actual story, there could've been one or two of these instances left out to sustain a steady flow. This movie is a good one, don't get me wrong, but the extended length of it makes for a bit of unpleasantness when watching it. My recommendation: rent it before buying it, so you know what you're in for.

• A memorable portrait ! posted on 20 Jun 2009

  Based on a real story , this film is real artistic triumph . I do not agree with many people and even critics who state this picture is a soap opera . It contains many dramatic issues that invite you to think .
  How can we adapt to the real world inmersed in a dark world where the blindness imposses us its own roles ?
  This medical repport works out as a perpetuum mobile through the film , it is supported by a good script and a special chemistry generated for Mira Sorvino (I love her) and Val Kilmer in a very credible role as the blind man .
  The brief process in which he recovers the sight sense is a life lesson .
  Irwin Winkler caught the insights , and the inner conflicts of any man in a situation like this .
  Excellent photography and edition .

• Cheesy and melodramatic but not altogether worthless posted on 28 May 2009

  I won't say I hated it or even regret having spent two hours watching it, but it was definitely one of the cheesiest scripts I've ever seen. In the process of trying to convey to the audience what it is like to be blind, Val Kilmer completely sacrifices his manhood and Mira Sorvino eats it up. Virgil, the blind guy, seems to have a little something more than blindness wrong with him. He breathes heavily, speaks with the vocabulary of a child, and acts like a complete baby every time things don't go his way. The only redeeming part of the movie for his masculinity is a steamy sex scene with his girlfriend (Sorvino). Crucial bits of the story are left underdeveloped and sadly, Nathan Lane is only featured for a few short minutes. This film just oozes with melodrama, but if you're in the mood for a chuckle and a new perspective on blindness then give it a shot.

• Not good posted on 03 May 2009

  I normally like Val Kilmer, but this movie stunk, big time! The only interesting part is the concept dealing with a man who has been blind all his life and how he cannot understand things like shadow, depth perception, reflections, etc. The romantic interlude with Mira Sorvino just doesn't work. Don't waste your money! Even if it's a rental.

• See it to Believe it posted on 18 Feb 2009

  "At First Sight" a movie about "unconditional love and reality". A must see. People aren't stupid to rate it with 5 stars. See it to believe it.

• NOT a glowing review. posted on 01 Feb 2009

  At First Sight is a movie full of pat dialog, telegraphed actions and motivations, and is a good example of mediocre movie making. A passable story, and though miscast, the leads do a good job despite some directional faux pas. Obvious ad libs are left in, ostensibly to give the movie some spontaneity that it lacks otherwise, and you can almost hear the director telling Val Kilmer to drop the Stevie Wonder affectations. The best scene is in the first quarter of the film when Mira Sorvino and Val Kilmer find themselves in an empty old building during a rainstorm and he describes how the rain helps him to "see" his surroundings by giving him audible dimension clues. There are no surprises, no suspense, no plot twists; in short a flat film.

• Love is the best guide ! posted on 26 Jan 2009

  I've truly enjoyed watching this movie ! "At First Sight"is a wonderful tender movie that gives a different perspective on the idea that blind people are completely helpless. Virgil Adamson is a man able to take care of himself in a controlled environment and not only. He's capable of taking chances, such as his trip to New York. My belief is that Val has displayed one of his most inspired performances and the movie is not only a wonderful romance but also a living proof of his talent. Adam existed before falling in love but only afterwards he began living. His love guided him places that sight alone wouldn't do the job. I advise everybody to "go see what they see" for themselves i don't think they'll be disappointed.

• A love story posted on 08 Jan 2009

  An almost perfect date movie, AT FIRST SIGHT tells the largely true tale of a man, blind from an early age, who risks one last operation in an attempt to restore his sight. Val Kilmer, always an acquired taste, plays the blind guy. Mira Sorvino, looking an awful lot like the older daughter on FAMILY TIES, plays his newest love interest who encourages him to try the tricky operation. The film is long, but the romance leading up to Sorvino's determination to get Kilmer onto the operating table one more time, is strongly compelling. The film has a sensuous side, as Kilmer is a professional masseuse and has a very erotic massage scene involving a nearly naked Sorvino. Veteran actress Kelly McGillis of TOP GUN fame is aboard as Kilmer's overly protective older sister. If you can stand frequent closeups of Kilmer's flabby lips and googly eyes, AT FIRST SIGHT is hardly the worst chick flick ever made.

• Don't Look Twice posted on 27 Dec 2008

  This movie would have been greatly helped by more focus on its medical issues, a la "Awakenings." Instead we sit through a contrived melodrama, with two romantic leads who lack any hope of chemistry. None of the doctors seemed credible either. "At First Sight" constantly wavers between romance and medical drama, providing little satisfaction in either category.

• Remake the second half... posted on 11 Dec 2008

  This movie was rolling along beautifully, right up until some point during the second half. Then, suddenly, it began to let me down. The pacing became uneven, too much was happening at once, and I lost the ability to suspend disbelief which is so critical to the enjoyment of most movies.
  Then Val Kilmer lost his sight again, and the movie turned to pure formula.
  What a letdown! It seemed so promising in the first half; new vistas were being explored. Somebody please put this movie back in the cutting room, clip off the entire second half, and re-film it! There was so much promise, and then it went off the deep end. 6/10.

• Not a great movie. posted on 03 Dec 2008

  This is a run of the mill romance. Very average. I will forget about it in less than a week.

• dumb dumb dumb posted on 10 Nov 2008

  This is the dumbest movie I ever saw. If anyone wants a lesson on making a dumb film, watch this one. I thought Mills & Boon turned out trashy romances, but this film makes all those romances seem brilliant. I cannot imagine what made Kilmer and Sovarino decide to act in this extremely unfeeling film. Didn't they read the script before agreeing to act in it? It is a film that appears to have been made by completely unfeeling robots - everything about it: the script, the direction, the editing. I watched it a few hours after watching the Jessica Tandy-Kathy Bates starrer "Fried Green Tomatoes" where every frame was full of depth, meaning, feeling, brilliance. I have never been so disappointed as I have watching "At First Sight". A completely unconvincing meeting together of the main characters, Val Kilmer acts the part very clumsily and keeps grinning right through like he had his mouth split open with a baseball bat. And Mira Sovarino, the less said the better. Pathetic. I want my money back. Even the dumb Indian films I read about must have their redeeming moments compared to "At First Sight". Yuk. This film doesn't even rate one star, but I am forced to give one star because Amazon.com does not have "no star" or "Sick" in its grading system.

• it was good and a relaxing movie posted on 02 Nov 2008

  it was a good movie, showed that ones without eyesight are just as good as ones with eyesight,because massage is known as touch therapy and helps those who wants help.

• The movie is excellent. I really was not able to sleep until I inish watching it posted on 10 Oct 2008

  I enjoyed the movie. it is so touching. Val Kilmer and Mira portrayed the characters very well. I become an instant fan of them. They should be given more films like this. I was surprised to know that it was a true story. It made me even more satisfied. I also enjoyed the way Val massaged MIra. It was so realistic. He really an excellent role of being a blind masseur. And also, Mira is so beautiful. I was mesmerized by her smiles. She is gorgeous. She acts so well that she could be nominated to the Oscars. I would love to watch her other films. Finally, I believe if this movie will be shown in my native country, the Philippines, it will be a big hit.

• Keep Your Eyes Shut With This One posted on 10 Oct 2008

  There are probably few people who are bigger fans of Mira Sorvino and Val Kilmer than I am. That is why "At First Sight" was such an utter disappointment. The film is somewhat based on a true story and deals with a blind man (Kilmer) who falls in love and learns about an experimental surgery that can cure his blindness. Of course he decides to have the surgery, but life proves to be more difficult for him as a seer than as a blind man. "At First Sight" is just not a very smart film. The screenplay is too simple at times and tries to do too many things at other times. Both performers just do not seem like themselves here and that is a real shame as they are both fine actors. 2 stars out of 5.

• A Wonderful film, warm and realistic. posted on 13 Sep 2008

  I loved Val Kilmer in this movie; his physical portrayal of blindness was accurate - unlike many actors in the past, who just look off into the distance to portray blindness - he seemed to be able imitate the mannerisms of the blind. I thought the story was intriguing, and the difficulty faced by someone using a "new" sense was very powerfully conveyed - how would you interpret people's facial expressions, if you had never seen them before? Val Kilmer is sexy and his girlfriend in the film is lovely. Not a profound film, not a brilliant film, but a sweet one.

• I used too many tissues to like this... posted on 22 Aug 2008

  "At First Sight" is a miserably sappy film about a blind man who gains his sight and falls in love with a woman. I believe it was based on a true story, and congratulations for that man, but no congratulations for this movie. It's an obvious tearjerker, but there are too many scenes where you just want to bawl your eyes out to make it a feel-good movie. There's nothing redeeming about this film at all! My only compliments go to Val Kilmer and Mira Sorvino, who do fine jobs with their characters. But other than that, "At First Sight" was terrible.

• Music saves the thing posted on 24 Jul 2008

  I was attracted by the info that Diana Krall appears (and sings!) in the film. It seems this remained the main advantage of the story. I liked the soundtrack (not only Diana, but some more oldtimers like Armstrong). Otherwise the film was very naive. Some dialogs even irritating.