Sunday 9 July 2023

The Normal Heart (2014 Ryan Murphy)

An upsetting story of gay men's response to AIDS in early eighties NYC and struggle to get public and government support. Based on the stage play by Larry Kramer, who adapted it for the cinema - thus each of the main characters has a 'speech', which seems a bit playlike (could perhaps have been worked in more elegantly), though the acting by all concerned is first rate. The characters are based on real people. The actors are Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer (his BF), Jim Parsons (the only one to have appeared in the 2011 Broadway production), Jonathan Groff, Frank de Julio, William DeMerritt, Taylor Kitsch (the group leader), Joe Mantello (elder member of group), Alfred Molina, Julia Roberts. Parsons really is terrific, they all are.

"You don't look that Jewish."
"And you don't look that gay, so I guess we could both pass for white people."

The lengths they had to go to are beyond belief, making it an outrageous true story, originally for HBO, well produced. DP: Daniel Moder, editor: Adam Penn, music: Cliff Martinez. Quite long but wholly involving.



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