Touch of the Light

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Year of release: 2012

Genre: drama

Director: Chang Rong-Ji

Producers: Jacky Pang, Cheung Hong-Tat, Wong Kar-Wai

Writer: Li Nian-Hsiu

Cinematography: Dylan Doyle

Editing: Li Nian-Hsiu

Music: Huang Yu-Hsiang, Wen Tzu-Chieh

Stars: Sandrine Pinna, Huang Yu-Hsiang, Lee Lieh, Sheu Fang-Yi, Ke Shu-Qin, Na-Do, Simon Hsueh, Harry Chang

Not rated; contains I-level mild language

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Touch of the Light  Touch of the Light

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Based upon this site's unusually high ratings for a plethora of what many might consider bottom of the barrel cinema -- i.e., most of Wong Jing's filmography -- you would be right in thinking that normally a touching drama about a blind pianist finding friendship with a ballerina might not be this battered reviewer's cup of tea, or glass of beer, as the case may be. But Touch of the Light, which has recently been released stateside by Well Go USA, is a finely crafted film that treats its audience as intelligent beings and doesn't beat them over the head with cheeseball melodramatic antics.

Based on the fact that Touch of the Light was executive produced by noted auteur Wong Kar-Wai and released through his production company, Jet Tone Films, and that the director, Chan Rong-Ji, has won awards for the short film that became the basis for this release -- not to mention that this was Taiwan's entry into the Foreign Language category at the Oscars -- Touch of the Light movie definitely has "arthouse darling" written all over it.

But, not to fret though, this isn't a movie that is self-righteous and preoccupied with itself. At its core, the story it tells is universally human and appealing, cemented via naturalistic performances that make the viewer believe the characters are real people acting on real emotions istead of a screenwriter's telegraphed playbook.

It does help that the story is based on true events, and that the central character, blind piano prodigy Huang Yu-Hsiang, plays himself. Huang's blindness, of course, plays into the story, but it is at many times, not the core element. Huang is as much a fish out of water as most college freshmen, sighted or not, and his adjustment to campus life, though certainly influence by his blidness, is never defined by it.

Touch of the Light's greatest strength is that the film deftly evades the "woe is me" sappy approach many stories of this type take, and in the end, creates characters that are flawed, yet still overarchingly likeable; even the most jaded audience members (like yours truly) will find enjoyment in this affirming story.

RATING: 7

This movie is available on DVD and VOD from Amazon.