Podtalk, Review: Greg Kinnear has in ‘Sight’ on His Latest Role

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CHICAGO – One of the most reliable and relatable character actors in film is Greg Kinnear. The actor, Oscar nominated for “As Good As It Gets,” has been working steadily in film and TV ever since he made a splash on the scene with “Talk Soup.” From there he was cast in the remake of “Sabrina,” and his roles ascended from there. His latest film role is in “Sight.”

Rating: 3.5/5.0

One of America’s great Eye Doctor/Scientists is Ming Wang (Terry Chen), a Chinese-American immigrant who came from nothing to become one of the world experts on curing blindness through breakthrough discoveries. When a case of a blind girl from India falls on his lap, it leads to one of this greatest sight reviving ideas, with help from his colleague Misha Bartnovsky (Greg Kinnear). In this incredible true story, Wang goes over his life in flashback, including his survival during China’s cultural uprising in the 1970s.

Greg Kinnear in ‘Sight’
Photo credit: Angel Studios

The film’s story, half of which takes place in Wang’s flashbacks, is the journey of the eye doctor/scientist who uses his past to aid his ideas in the present, and it was a notable way to tell an uplifting story. Kinnear’s supporting role make them an odd Batman and Robin of the eye world, and GK’s steady presence provides a grounding to Wang’s difficult work, visionary thinking and research obsession. This is a fine come-from-nothing and spiritual truth telling about an unlikely medical hero.

Greg Kinnear was born in small town Logansport, Indiana, He was the son of a career diplomat, which meant moving a lot and living overseas as a child. He came into prominence when he hosted the first version of “Talk Soup” on the E! Network in 1991. Four years later, he made a splashy film debut as David Larrabee in the 1995 remake of Billy Wilder’s “Sabrina,” directed by Sydney Pollack.

Three years later, he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his 1997 role in “As Good As it Gets.” Through his career, he has taken a variety of different character parts, including portraying the double life of sitcom star Bob Crane in “Auto Focus” (2002), but he’s also familiar from “You’ve Got Mail,” “Someone Like You” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” His latest roles include “Flash of Genius” (2010), as JFK in TV’s “The Kennedys” (2011) “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” (2013) and a notable part in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” in its last season.

In Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Greg Kinnear talks about “Sight” and his career adventures …

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Critic/Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com