The Normal Heart (2014)

A gay activist attempts to raise H.I.V. and A.I.D.S. awareness during the early 1980s.

Director:

Ryan Murphy

Writers:

Larry Kramer (screenplay), Larry Kramer (play)

Stars:

Mark Ruffalo, Jonathan Groff, Frank De Julio

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 28 wins & 55 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Ruffalo	...	Ned Weeks
Jonathan Groff	...	Craig
Frank De Julio	...	Nick
William DeMeritt	...	Nino
Taylor Kitsch	...	Bruce Niles
Joe Mantello	...	Mickey Marcus
Sean Meehan	...	Morton
Stephen Spinella	...	Sanford
Jill Melanie Wirth	...	Receptionist
BD Wong	...	Buzzy
Julia Roberts	...	Dr. Emma Brookner
Jim Parsons	...	Tommy Boatwright
Adam B. Shapiro	...	Bella (as Adam Shapiro)
John Mainieri	...	John
Matt Bomer	...	Felix Turner

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

gay | gay men's health crisis | hiv | aids epidemic | new york city | 

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Taglines:

To win a war, you have to start one.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Did You Know?

Trivia

Features American Horror Story (2011) alumni Denis O'Hare, Matt Bomer, and Finn Wittrock. Ryan Murphy is one of the Creators of the show.

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Goofs

When Ned and his friends are trying to collect money for "Gay Cancer" in the park, the 3 quarters one donor throws down are all from the State Quarter Series, which was begun by the US Mint in 1999.

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Quotes

Ned Weeks: Ben, you mean more to me than anyone in the whole world. You always have. Ben, you've gotta say it!
Ben Weeks: Say what?
Ned Weeks: I am the same as you! Just say it! Say it!
Ben Weeks: [after a pause] No. You're not. I'm not gonna say it.
Ned Weeks: Every time I loose this fight it hurts more.

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Connections

Featured in 72nd Golden Globe Awards (2015)

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Soundtracks

Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
Written by Mikey Craig (as Michael Emile Craig), Roy Hay (as Roy Ernest Hay), Jon Moss (as Jonathan Aubrey Moss), Boy George (as George Alan O'Dowd)
Performed by Culture Club
Courtesy of Virgin Records Ltd.
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

"We are all walking time-bombs..."

Heart-rending, gut-wrenching adaptation by Larry Kramer of his own successful play about the foundation and formation in 1982 of the Gay Men's Health Crisis in New York City in the wake of what was then-called the Gay Cancer (now HIV/AIDS). Dramatization of events, with Mark Ruffalo's screenwriter Ned Weeks substituting for Kramer, is necessarily a no-holds-barred examination of gay sex in the '80s and its consequences, with the gay community themselves their own worst enemy (by being asked to abstain in the wake of more information on the disease, they felt oppressed as a modern culture and rebelled). In spite of an agonizingly long gestation period for this material (which Barbra Streisand optioned years ago, but was unable to finance), director Ryan Murphy has crafted an immediate and powerful document, alternately angry, sexy, tough, moving and thoughtful. Though "Longtime Companion" and the cable-film "And The Band Played On" have covered the AIDS epidemic (and done it extremely well), that does not lessen the impact of this HBO film, which packs an emotional wallop. Performances from Ruffalo, Julia Roberts, Alfred Molina, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons and the entire cast are superlative.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Normal Heart

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films, Plan B Entertainment, Blumhouse Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White (archive material)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1