Directed by Andrew Hyatt, and written by Hyatt, John Duigan and Buzz McLaughlin, “Sight” is based on Dr. Ming Wang’s memoir “From Darkness to Sight: A Journey from Hardship to Healing.” Since “Sight” is from Angel Studios, which recently released Sound of Freedom” and “Cabrini,” we know to expect an easy to digest, inspirational story with emotion that can be heavy-handed but effective as it delivers themes of personal triumph over adversity, forgiveness and compassion.
“Sight” opens in 2007 as Dr. Ming Wang (Terry Chen), a prominent eye surgeon with a practice in Nashville, Tennessee, struggles with a difficult case. A young orphan girl Kajal (Mia SwamiNathan) who was deliberately blinded by a stepmother to elicit more sympathy while begging on streets of Calcutta, has traveled with the nun (Fionnula Flanagan) who rescued her to Wang’s clinic in the hopes that he can restore her vision. Despite the odds, Wang, assisted by friend and colleague Dr. Misha Bartnovsky (Greg Kinnear), performs innovative surgery on Kajal.
The girl’s struggles trigger flashbacks to Wang's traumatic childhood in Hangzhou, China during the early 1970s Cultural Revolution. Played as a boy by Ben Wang and Jayden Zhang, Wang is forced to leave school, abandoning hope of becoming a doctor like his father grandfather. Wang and his first love, artist and dancer Lili (Sara Ye), are harassed by Red Guards and Wang witnesses Lili’s kidnapping and disappearance. This harrowing event continues to haunt him even after Wang escapes China, endures prejudice even at prestigious medical schools in the US, and strives to be a model son as his family later joins him.
The backstory is meant to explain Wang’s demons as well as his drive and stoicism. Like “Cabrini,” it’s an immigrant story that depicts success as entwined with trauma. The straightforward narrative doesn’t delve into religious themes until the very end. The credits feature a “pay it forward” code like other Angel releases and an appearance by the real Dr. Wang (one of the film's producers) who credits “God’s grace” for his success.
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