🎯 Quick Overview
Trailer
- Director: Cooper Karl
- Genre: Thriller, Drama, Mystery
- Release year: 2020
- Runtime (length): 1h 29min
- IMDb rating: 5.5/10 (11K votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained
A blind violinist gets kidnapped by her caretaker who has major daddy issues, so she fights back by weaponizing blindness… again.
🍿 Sightless: Detailed Plot Synopsis
The Attack and Aftermath
Ellen Ashland, a talented violinist, is brutally attacked and left blind. Reeling from the trauma, she withdraws from the world, struggling to adjust to her new reality. Her brother sets her up in a seemingly secure apartment and hires Clayton to be her caretaker, helping her navigate her daily life.

Suspicion and Paranoia
As Ellen tries to adapt, she begins to experience strange occurrences. She hears a woman in distress through the vent and suspects something is amiss with her neighbor, Lana. However, when she reports her concerns, they are dismissed, leading her to feel increasingly isolated and paranoid. She begins to question everyone around her.

The Descent into Madness
Ellen’s fears intensify when she is attacked in her apartment, further fueling her belief that she is not safe. With mounting evidence suggesting her friend Sasha is the prime suspect in her initial attack, Ellen feels completely alone and driven to the brink. Convinced she is in imminent danger, she attempts suicide.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained
🎬 Cast & Characters
- Ellen Ashland (Madelaine Petsch): A recently blinded violinist who must fight to survive after realizing she is being held captive and gaslit.
- Clayton (Alexander Koch): Ellen’s caretaker who is revealed to be her attacker and captor, driven by a twisted obsession.
- Nurse Omar (Deniz Akdeniz): A nurse who seems to genuinely care for Ellen’s well-being.
- Doctor Katsuro (Matthew Yang King): A doctor treating Ellen after she loses her sight.
- Lana (December Ensminger): Clayton’s sister who aids him in his plan to hold Ellen captive.
💬 Memorable Quotes
- Ellen: “Why are you lying to me?” – Ellen says this to Nurse Omar when she begins to suspect that things are not as they seem, sensing deception in his words.
- Lana: “Don’t trust anyone!” – Lana warns Ellen of the danger she is in, implying that no one around her is truly trustworthy.
💰Box Office
- Budget: N/A
- Domestic Gross: N/A
- Worldwide Gross: N/A
💥 Sightless Reviews
Personal Review
I was totally hooked! The movie really made me feel uneasy, especially during the scenes where Ellen’s perception of her surroundings shifts. Madelaine Petsch did an amazing job portraying a blind person. I also loved that they were able to trick me with the blue bird. The ending was satisfying, seeing her back on stage was empowering. Definitely a movie I’ll recommend to my friends!
- Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of psychological thrillers”
- “Viewers who enjoy suspenseful movies with twists”
- “People interested in films exploring perception and reality”
- Content warnings ⚠:
- “Violence”
- “Stalking”
- “Claustrophobia”
- “Attempted Suicide”
- “Gaslighting”
- “Themes of Trauma”
Professional Reviews
- IndieFilmCritic: “Sightless crafts a compelling, if predictable, psychological thriller. Madelaine Petsch delivers a committed performance as Ellen, selling the disorientation and fear of her character. The film’s exploration of perception versus reality is intriguing, but the script could have benefited from deeper character development.
- ThrillerFanatic: “While ‘Sightless’ keeps you guessing, the twists become apparent fairly early on. Madelaine Petsch shines, but the story’s reliance on familiar thriller tropes undermines its potential. Enjoyable enough for a rainy night, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.
Audience Reactions
The unsettling atmosphere and constant tension kept me on the edge of my seat!: Many viewers praised the film’s exploration of reality versus perception, highlighting its suspenseful nature.
Madelaine Petsch delivered a standout performance that made the movie great!: Viewers often mentioned the strong acting, especially Madelaine Petsch’s portrayal of a blind woman.
Overall Consensus: Sightless is a decent psychological thriller elevated by Madelaine Petsch’s performance but suffers from a predictable plot.
Awards
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
- “Sightless is based on a 2017 short film of the same name, also written and directed by Cooper Karl.”
- “The film explores the psychological impact of sudden blindness and the challenges of adapting to a new reality.”
- “Madelaine Petsch’s performance was praised for her portrayal of a woman grappling with fear and uncertainty.”
- “The movie uses sound design effectively to create a sense of disorientation and unease, reflecting Ellen’s experience.”
🖥️ How to Watch Sightless?
Sightless is currently available for streaming on various platforms. You can find it on Tubi for free with ads. It is also available for rent or purchase on platforms such as Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video. Check your local listings for availability.

🎥 Similar Movies
If you enjoyed Sightless, you might like these similar films:
- Wait Until Dark (1967): Features a blind woman terrorized in her apartment by criminals seeking something she unknowingly possesses, creating similar suspense.
- Rear Window (1954): Explores themes of paranoia and suspicion as a protagonist confined to their apartment observes disturbing events, mirroring Ellen’s isolation and growing unease.
- The Eye (2008): A remake of the Hong Kong film, it involves a woman who receives a cornea transplant and begins to see disturbing images, connecting to the theme of altered perception after sight impairment.
🛒 Sightless Related Products
- Echo Dot (5th Gen, 2022 release) | Smart speaker with Alexa | Charcoal: Control smart home devices, stream music, and more with Alexa. Essential for recreating Ellen’s reliance on sound.
- Professional Dark Blindfold: Experience the world without sight. Improve spatial awareness skills or use it as prop.
- Scented Candles Gift Set for Women, 4 Pack Soy Wax Aromatherapy Candle, Home Fragrance Candles for Stress Relief and Relaxation.: Create an immersive sensory experience in your home, enhancing the ambiance for watching similar thrillers.
- VIOLIN – Mendini MV300 Solid Wood Antique Violin – Outfit – Case, Bow, Rosin, Shoulder Rest – Size 4/4 (Full Size): Start your musical journey or simply appreciate the art form. Violin and accessories included.
🎧 Soundtrack
Sightless features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:
- “Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato” – performed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- “Clair de Lune, L. 32” – performed by Claude Debussy
You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.
🤨 FAQ
The bird, and its changing colors, are symbolic of Ellen’s distorted perception and the gaslighting she experiences. The bird’s presence and color shifts highlight the unreliability of her senses and the fabricated reality created by Clayton.
The major plot twist is that Ellen’s apartment isn’t real. It’s a simulated environment created by Clayton, her caretaker, who is obsessed with her. All the people she’s interacted with after her attack are actually Clayton in disguise, manipulating her reality.
The attacker is Clayton, Ellen’s caretaker. He blinded her and then created a false reality to keep her captive and control her, fueled by his obsessive love for her and stemming from a traumatic childhood experience.
🔥 Bonus Content
Blind Girl Discovers Her Realities Are Fake !! Movie Story Recapped
Ever felt lost trying to follow the twists in Sightless? This recap video breaks down the entire story, so you can finally understand what’s going on! I found it super helpful for piecing everything together, you will too!
Sightless (2020) Explained in 9 Minutes | Haunting Tube
Want a deeper dive into Sightless and all its hidden meanings? This explanation video breaks it down in just 9 minutes! It’s like having a movie discussion with a friend, totally worth checking out if you want to ‘get’ the film.
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