Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The Normal Heart

The Gist: It's the early days of what will become the AIDS epidemic and no local, state, or federal government official seems to care about the sudden spike in death rates, since the deceased are only gay men. A few courageous activists decide to take on the system and fight back before they all succumb to this still unknown disease.

This TV adaptation of Larry Kramer's autobiographical play is shocking for its simple rawness even though I mostly knew all the facts described, like the lack of interest in the loss of life, the scarcity of funding, and the stigma that still accompanies this plague in many segments of society.

Ryan Murphy directs with a decisive touch and the cast is absolutely riveting, with incredible performances from Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, and Jim Parsons (fascinating in the first role I've seen him play).

The Bottom Line: It took decades to bring The Normal Heart to the screen, and now that it's here, it's a must-see for everyone. This disease affects us all, no matter one's sexual orientation or activities. While it may have affected gay men at the onset, it is now a global disease that has killed millions without an end in sight.

Grade: 9

No comments: