The Normal Heart

2014 "To win a war, You have to start one"
7.9| 2h13m| NC-17| en| More Info
Released: 25 May 2014 Released
Producted By: Plan B Entertainment
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

The story of the onset of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s, taking an unflinching look at the nation's sexual politics as gay activists and their allies in the medical community fight to expose the truth about the burgeoning epidemic to a city and nation in denial.

... View More
Stream Online

Stream with Max

Director

Producted By

Plan B Entertainment

AD
AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime. Watch Now

Trailers & Images

Reviews

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.
Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!
FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
mark.waltz Fire Island was a free zone for the gay community for sex, drugs and disco, and continues to remain as a memorial to all who lost their life due to the AIDS virus. Back before it was known as HIV, "the gay cancer" brutally murdered innocent young men who only knew about sexually transmitted diseases discussed in their high school health classes, and many of them were barely in college, let alone grown up. Along with "And the Band Played On", this drama about the early years takes an unflinching, unapologetic look at those early years. Featuring Julia Roberts as a wheelchair bound doctor fighting to discover what is killing gay men, this also casts many actors, best known for their stage roles, a few who have moved onto the big or small screens, but put their hearts in contributing to this outstanding film version of the controversial play. Fighting against the bigotry and often closeted politicians of the early 198O's, this doesn't shirk in exposing the sexual freedoms of the times, featuring complete male nudity and obvious simulated sex that was obviously unsafe. This dramatizes the issues within the gay community itself as well as understandable prejudices that plagued them through heterosexual fear and even social outcasts within the community itself. Some of the gay men are presented as bitchy or overly effeminate, but that doesn't dilute the impact of their suffering. With an allegedly gay New York mayor and a president who had gay friends yet did nothing to solve this crisis, AIDS had no reason to infect as many people straight or gay, as long as it did.A scene in a disco where a fund-raiser is going on really hits the emotional cord by showing the determined ailing men covered in Kaposi's blotches, unable to dance to "I Will Survive" yet determined to go on as long as they can, even if it's just another couple of hours. Ghostly visions, pleading for one last moment with their beloved pet and pleading with family members for acceptance and compassion are dramatized with a plainly made up Roberts tough but filled with compassion. Young lovers watching their partner suffer and ultimately pass on. Sharing those few moments they have left, yet paranoid over being abandoned. This shows it all. Superb makeup artistry shows the deterioration of healthy, handsome men who turn into barely walking skeletons.Among the superb cast are Jim Parsons who makes a funeral speech that sums it up for hundreds of thousands, Danielle Ferland as a woman volunteer at the gay men's health crisis who lost her best friend just hours before, Alfred Molina as an attorney who promises to help his gay brother yet is filled with prejudices and fears that he can't escape from. One truly haunting moment shows a mother's reaction to her son's death, something I had to see at several memorial services For those of us old enough to remember this era and still suffering from the memory of losing a loved one, we sit nearby those empty chairs at empty tables, grateful to be alive yet longing to once again hug those we loved and lost. I came out after seeing the early AIDS drama "Parting Glances" and dealt with my share of loss with friends and lovers, some whose deaths I only found out about recently. 35 years later, I find that I am out of tears. Fortunately, that number is decreasing, but this shows some of the horrific experience experiences that the world suffered through. At times hard to take, like "Schindler's List", this shows what we must not go through again.
sophie-burkholder This movie is criminally underrated. The Normal Heart should not be ignored and is a standout among TV-movies. Featuring a top-tier cast and great writing, this artfully created film follows the story of Ned Weeks, a man at the forefront of AIDS activism in New York, focusing on the struggle to be taken seriously following the sexual revolution.The cast of The Normal Heart are extremely capable and fill out their roles perfectly; the characters come alive on screen and portray their 3-dimensional, flawed nature as well as the challenges of "gay politics". Development of these elements keeps the story progressing at a heart-wrenching pace as illness spreads through an entire generation of gay men in New York.
pedro-jl-pereira I really enjoyed this movie, it as good story line, lots of historical facts, great performances and a good rhythm. It tells you the story of the gay community in New York city, in the beginning of the 80's, when AIDS started to appear and nobody know how the transmission of the virus was possible, how to prevent and at the same time deal with the terrible anti-gay atmosphere in every street and place of the city. Mark Rufalo makes a wonderful job, great performance, the audience can actually feel the anger, the anxiety and despair of a man fighting for his partner who caught AIDS. I think its one of those films everyone should watch, besides every creed or religion, to remind us all that prejudice and ignorance are the main keys for a detached and sick society.8/10
jcnsoflorida Will there be a better summing-up of the early years of AIDS from a New York perspective? I'm pretty sure, No. I find this better than Angels in America, because AA tried awfully hard for poetry. My friends died young. It was not poetic. The Normal Heart is a tough movie, not real poetic. Not for everyone. The message is most vividly imparted by the main character (gay), his older brother and a doctor (both hetero): When your community is in crisis (especially!), don't wait to become perfect. Don't hope and wait for everyone's acceptance and approval. Do what needs to be done. Yes, this movie is flawed. It's also honest and important. If you're at all interested in the early 80s AIDS crisis you must see The Normal Heart.