It's interesting to read the user comments after you have seen a movie. I think for Philadelphia, it was important to see the decline in health in Tom Hanks. In this movie, it's not unusual for someone with 2 (or even no) t-cells to be able to bike ride, work, etc. In fact, it's not uncommon. This is true today and this was true a decade ago, in 1996-97, when the film would have been in production and release. I myself knew someone with no cd-4 cells, who worked, worked out, etc.
Yes, this movie clearly takes some liberties with real life - however, all films do. Otherwise, they would be documentaries! The key is how well written and how well performed is the film - and are these liberties necessary to the plot or are the simply plot devices and short cuts taken by lazy and sloppy (or inexperience and inartful) filmmakers. In this case, the one real liberty that the filmmakers have taken -- that the character of Martin could fall genuinely in love (as opposed to lust) with the character of Lucas within the first five minutes of the film, or that Lucas would eventually discover - not so much his true nature but that he could care for and be genuinely in a romantic love to Martin, are the liberties taken. But these are crucial to the entire movie and, in my opinion, well written and -- more importantly -- well performed by the two leads.
The movie features excellent performances all around, including the supporting characters. I would have given it a higher score if they had fleshed some scenes and developed some things more clearly. As finished, the film went through some things too rapidly that could have been more fully developed and that could have benefit by more time and exposition (for example, Martin's friends, the hospitalization towards the end of the film, etc.)
However, a recommended rental and if you are the type of person who likes to ad films to your permanent home collection, this is one that bears more than one watching, so it can be a welcome addition to said collection.
Yes, this movie clearly takes some liberties with real life - however, all films do. Otherwise, they would be documentaries! The key is how well written and how well performed is the film - and are these liberties necessary to the plot or are the simply plot devices and short cuts taken by lazy and sloppy (or inexperience and inartful) filmmakers. In this case, the one real liberty that the filmmakers have taken -- that the character of Martin could fall genuinely in love (as opposed to lust) with the character of Lucas within the first five minutes of the film, or that Lucas would eventually discover - not so much his true nature but that he could care for and be genuinely in a romantic love to Martin, are the liberties taken. But these are crucial to the entire movie and, in my opinion, well written and -- more importantly -- well performed by the two leads.
The movie features excellent performances all around, including the supporting characters. I would have given it a higher score if they had fleshed some scenes and developed some things more clearly. As finished, the film went through some things too rapidly that could have been more fully developed and that could have benefit by more time and exposition (for example, Martin's friends, the hospitalization towards the end of the film, etc.)
However, a recommended rental and if you are the type of person who likes to ad films to your permanent home collection, this is one that bears more than one watching, so it can be a welcome addition to said collection.