Of Pain and Encyclopedia Sales

The Sensation of Sight (2006) – Faced with a tragedy that he cannot bear to confront, a struggling English teacher begins selling encyclopedias in his small New England town.

Directed by Aaron Wiederspahn

Starring David Strathairn, Ian Somerhalder, Jane Adams, Ann Cusack

Why I Liked It – A brilliant, character driven off the beaten track drama

There’s always something that catches my eye when I land on something away from the standard movie. In this case, it was David Strathairn, an actor whom I enjoy watching in everything. Whether he’s the shy intellectual (as he is here) or the corrupt intelligence director in the Bourne movies, he’s always worth watching. That’s what go me to tune in.

I’ll admit that I wondered for a while if I’d finally found something that didn’t engage me in his filmography. This move begins on a slow burn. A slooooooooowwwwwww burn. A character-driven story, director Aaron Wiederspahn gives his characters all the room they need. With each passing minute, more and more layers are revealed. There’s more happening in this little town than we know, and more relationship tangles to explore.

It’s worth it, trust me.

At the same time, it’s only fair to warn you-this movie isn’t for everyone. As already mentioned, this is a character-driven story. There’s not a lot of “action” here. Add that the storytelling style is non-linear. It jumps from the present to the past and back again, mixing dreams with reality. By then end, it’s a complex and intense movie that I really enjoyed.

Finn has seen his life go off the rails. His wife and son watch him collapse under the weight of some unspoken tragedy. Unable to cope with his burdens, he moves into a BnB with several other lost souls. His attempt to support himself selling an encyclopedia, a volume at a time. With the set in a strange wooden box on a child’s wagon, he goes door to door looking for…something. Along the way, he makes friends, mistakes, and slow progress in understanding what’s going on in his life. The story centers on Finn, but we see the struggles of other characters as well. A single mom struggling with relationship issues and her young daughter who befriends Finn. A sullen young man known only as Drifter, who is dealing with demons only hinted at in sullen silence.

There’s a lot going on, even when it seems like there’s nothing going on. There’s a lot of emotional pain that needs to be expressed so it can be exorcised. The final 30 minutes became a series of “Oh, I understand/see now” moments.

The overall movie was worth every moment.

You can stream “The Sensation of Sight” on Apple TV, Google TV, Fandango at Home, YouTube TV, YouTube, Tubi

Rating – **** Recommended