This is without any doubt the best (semi-)biopic I've seen in years. Maybe because it felt like a very personal movie, but that's not the only reason. Mark Ruffalo is probably one of my favorite actors and for some reason it took Hollywood years to give the man the acting jobs he deserves. As Ned Weeks (who's actually a fictitious Larry Kramer - written by Larry Kramer) Ruffalo finally proves himself an actor who manages to get under your skin. While this movie reminded me of the miniseries Angels in America and the documentary Sex Positive, it certainly comes out as one of the best films concerning gay topics in a long time (apart from Pride, which is probably one of my favorite pictures about homosexuals ever). With incredibly strong speeches from Ruffalo, but also Taylor Kitsch, Joe Mantello (goosebumps!), Julia Roberts and Jim Parsons, this is a very actor-driven feature. Probably because it originally is a theater play. Although The Normal Heart sometimes is a bit too sentimental, it never bothered me due to the fantastic writing and dialogue. In a time that was emotionally devastating, everyone tried to cope with the new situation in their own way. Some people are more sanguineous than others and that makes social relations hard, even impossible in some cases. On the other hand everyone tries to find love, tries to be appreciated and cared for, even the most spirited and loud of all. The Normal Heart is a film with a heart, a lot of pathos, layered characters, top notch acting and superior dialogue-writing. HBO did it again.
Review of The Normal Heart
