The Normal Heart **** (2014, Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Joe Mantello, Jonathan Groff, Julia Roberts) – Classic Movie Review 12,853

Director Ryan Murphy’s 2014 American TV drama film The Normal Heart is written by Larry Kramer, based on his 1985 play, and stars Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Joe Mantello, Jonathan Groff, and Julia Roberts.

The film is set at the time of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City between 1981 and 1984, and seen through the eyes of writer/ gay activist Ned Weeks (Mark Ruffalo), the founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group called Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC). Weeks clashes with his GMHC associates, friends and closeted newspaper reporter lover Felix Turner (Matt Bomer) over how to handle their cause, preferring loud public confrontations to subtler, calmer behind-the-scenes strategies.

There’s not a dry eye throughout this emotional rollercoaster drama that is potent, passionate and still relevant. It mixes tear-jerking personal and intimate moments with intelligent analysis and ragingly vigorous recollection of vitally important facts and ideas and a heart-felt rallying-cry for its much-denied but rightful cause. There are a lot of tears, there is a lot of anger, and rightly so.

A lot of time has gone by, and it is important that the facts and lessons of this awful story are told and retold in the present. The fight is not over. It is only at the end of the film that the story’s main villain President Reagan is mentioned by name, just like he avoided mentioning AIDS by name for so long, and doing nothing for so long while so many people died.

Mark Ruffalo is a very good choice and gives a standout performance in the main role: he won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor for playing Ned Weeks. Jim Parsons is the outstanding actor in the supporting cast.

It is produced by HBO and Plan B, Brad Pitt’s company.

The Normal Heart premiered at the Inside Out Film and Video Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 23 May 2014 and debuted on HBO on 25 May 2014. It was then released on DVD and Blu-ray on 26 August 2014.

The cast are Mark Ruffalo as Ned Weeks (based on Larry Kramer), Matt Bomer as Felix Turner (based on John Duka), Taylor Kitsch as Bruce Niles (based on Paul Popham), Jim Parsons as Tommy Boatwright (based on Rodger McFarlane), Alfred Molina as Ben Weeks (based on Arthur Kramer), Julia Roberts as Dr. Emma Brookner (based on Dr. Linda Laubenstein), Joe Mantello as Mickey Marcus, B D Wong as Buzzy, Jonathan Groff as Craig Donner, Stephen Spinella as Sanford, Finn Wittrock as Albert, Denis O’Hare as Hiram Keebler, Corey Stoll as John Bruno, Danielle Ferland as Estelle, Frank De Julio as Nick, and Adam B. Shapiro as Bella.

Ruffalo, who had a childhood friend who struggled with his homosexuality, first saw the play in 1986. Ruffalo initially argued that a gay actor should have the role of Ned, but Murphy persuaded him to change his mind.

Both Jim Parsons and Joe Mantello starred in the 2011 Broadway revival of the play, although Parsons is the only one to reprise his role as Mantello played Ned on stage).

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,853

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