It was with some trepidation that I watched this show, for it seemed at first to be something made for impression rather than expression. Any doubts were blown away in the first few minutes. This is drama par excellence (very different drama - but something that will stay with me forever) I am still reeling from its impact. My only regret is that I never had the opportunity to see the original play.
The cast is impeccable - I am not a fan of either Streep or Pacino, but each turned in restrained performances (if anything could be called restrained in a film such as this). Six hours can be offputting - but I can honestly say that there was not a moment when the plot lagged, offering horror, pathos, humour, social and political comment all failtlessly tied together by masters in their field. Many would have been put off by the content - and this is their loss - for there is much more in this movie than an overview of AIDS and gay life in New York in the 80s. This is also an overview of how people, families, lovers, relate to each other and to the world in which they live.
Occasionally television comes up with something remarkable - this was one of those occasions.
The cast is impeccable - I am not a fan of either Streep or Pacino, but each turned in restrained performances (if anything could be called restrained in a film such as this). Six hours can be offputting - but I can honestly say that there was not a moment when the plot lagged, offering horror, pathos, humour, social and political comment all failtlessly tied together by masters in their field. Many would have been put off by the content - and this is their loss - for there is much more in this movie than an overview of AIDS and gay life in New York in the 80s. This is also an overview of how people, families, lovers, relate to each other and to the world in which they live.
Occasionally television comes up with something remarkable - this was one of those occasions.