At First Sight MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: -2

Virgil Adamson (Val Kilmer) seems to have it all. He's young, handsome, single and a professional masseur at an upscale mountain resort in upper New York State. The fact that he's been blind since early childhood is insignificant until he falls in love with Amy (Mira Sorvino). She's a successful architect from New York City who comes to the resort for a vacation.Amy convinces a reluctant Virgil that he should have surgery that might restore his eyesight. He goes with her to New York City and the surgery is successful medically, but the glaring city lights and dangerous traffic are frightening. But even worse, Virgil can't read and can only identify objects by touching them. Now he's really handicapped and dependent. Amy struggles to help Virgil through the difficult transition, but their relationship becomes strained. AT FIRST SIGHT is a good date movie that combines a love story with a perceptive look at how difficult change can be.

This PG-13 movie is handicapped by several unfortunate elements. Virgil's massage of Amy as she lies nude on the table face down is sensual, and another client leaves his salon swooning over his gentle touch. Just a few days after meeting, Virgil and Amy are having sex, seen from the shoulders up. He moves into her New York apartment after his surgery, and asks her to remove her clothes so he can see all of her. The camera focuses on his face as she does, then briefly on her as she falls into bed with him and they later shower together. For some unexplained reason, a therapist (Nathan Lane) trying to help Virgil takes him to a bar featuring topless dancers. Five s words and several regular profanities are also disappointing. AT FIRST SIGHT deals with well-meaning but misguided attempts of Amy trying to change someone who doesn't want to change. Virgil's spinster sister (Kelly McGillis) becomes very jealous of Amy because her brother has always been the center of her life. Virgil too has deep resentment against a father who abandoned him. These character flaws make the story more meaningful and believable, but the foul language, nudity and neutral treatment of premarital sex are gratuitous.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor: MGM, 2500 Broadway St., Suite 4127, Santa Monica, CA, 90404-3061