The Normal Heart (2014)

The Normal Heart (2014)


Director: Ryan Murphy
Writers: Larry Kramer (screenplay), Larry Kramer (play), Ryan Murphy
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Language: English
Duration: 132 min
Year: 2014



Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Jonathan Groff, Frank De Julio, William DeMeritt, Taylor Kitsch, Joe Mantello, Julia Roberts, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons,

Priča o počecima HIV-AIDS krize u Njujork Sitiju ranih osamdesetih, sa hrabrim osvrtom na nacionalnu politiku o seksualnosti u vrijeme kada se gej aktivisti i njihovi saveznici bore da objelodane istinu o epidemiji koja se širi.
Ova drama HBO priča dramatičnu, dirljivu i umnogome frustrirajuću priču o počecima HIV-AIDS krize u Njujork Sitiju tokom ranih osamdesetih, sa hrabrim osvrtom na nacionalnu politiku o seksualnosti u vrijeme kada se gej aktivisti i njihovi saveznici bore da svom gradu i naciji u stanju poricanja objelodane istinu o epidemiji koja se širi. Mark Rafalo, Met Bomer, Tejlor Kič , Džim Parsons, Alfred Molina i Džulija Roberts glume u adaptaciji pozorišnog komada Larija Krejmera, dobitnika nagrade Toni.
Nakon što je jedan od njegovih prijatelja preminuo od novog, nikada ranije dijagnosticiranog oblika raka, Ned Weeks {Mark Ruffalo} odlučio je preduzeti sve potrebno za borbu protiv istog. Maničan, na momente verbalno agresivan, od strane svojih prijatelja Weeks nije shvaćen ozbiljno. Borbi protiv i dalje nepoznatog virusa, nakon što su izgubili svoje najmilije, pridružila mu se nekolicina njegovih najbližih prijatelja.

Početkom 80-tih godina malo se toga znalo o AIDS-u tj HIV-u. 30 godina kasnije o HIV-u se zna mnogo, ali i dalje ne postoji lijek niti vakcina koja sprečava ovu bolest.

Srećom, opštepoznata prihvaćeno pravilo o obaveznoj upotrebi kondoma i sigurnom seksu sa nepoznatim osobama postalo je dio savremene kulture življanja. Ipak svake godine se dosta mladih ljudi zarazi ovim virusom. Od HIV-a se danas ne umire i osobe koje u sebi imaju virus mogu uz adekvatnu terapiju da nastave normalno da žive. Takve osobe su i dalje prenosioci ovog virusa.

Ono što se može primjetiti da se gaj kultura življenja nije mnogo promjenila u odnosu na 80-te godine proslog vijek. Naravno sve je modernizovano i jednostavno je stupiti u kontakt sa gaj osobama koje na prvo mjesto postavljaju pitanja a/p, god, izgled i veličina kite. Malo ko će vas pitati koji ste film pogledali zadnji put, a još manje njih da li ste pročitali neku knjigu u zadnje vrijeme?

Iako su se skoro svi pederi medjusobno pojebali u skoro svakom malo većem mjestu, možemo biti sigurni da se međusobno vrlo malo poznaju i još manje druže. Opis neke osobe, veličinu kurca i poziciju u seksu će te lako saznati od svakog pedera, ali kakva je ta osoba, kako živi, šta voli, kakve su joj karakterne osobine i slično je nepoznanica za većinu gej osoba.
Međusobno nepoznavanje, nepovjerenje koje prevazilazi svaki razuman pristup ljudima i otuđenost je karakteristika današnjeg svijeta koji radije provodi vrijeme sa kučetom u stanu, pored kompjutera nego u zdravoj komunikaciji kroz koju se stića prijateljstvo.

Kako nekada, tako i sada, gej zajednica sama po sebi nije sposobna da se izbori za sopstveni bolji život. Rijetko će neki gej pomoći drugome da nađe posao, ili se založiti za nekog po bilo kom pitanju osim ako iza toga ne stoje neki lični razlozi.
Više ustupaka i pokušaja komunikacije sa gej osobama učini str8 čovjek koji na taj načim pokazuje sam sebi karakter i ljudskost nego što će to gej prema drugom geju. Često mi se onladina žali na razne probleme koje ima. Uvjek ih upitam koliko prijatelja imaju i da li su oni spremni da ih saslušaju i pomognu u rješavanju problema? Začudili bi se kako su tužni ti odgovori.
Otuda i borba protiv HIV-a vše zavisi od većinskog str8 društva nego od manjinske gej zajednice koja radije sakrivena čuči u nekom žbunju pokraj plaže u nadi da će sjesti na neki kurac, nego da dozvoli bilo kome da je upozna po imenu i prezimenu.

The Normal Heart is a 2014 American drama television film directed by Ryan Murphy and written by Larry Kramer, based on his own 1985 play of same name. The film stars Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Joe Mantello, Jonathan Groff, and Julia Roberts.

It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 26, 2014.

The film depicts the rise of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City (among gay people) between 1981 and 1984, as seen through the eyes of writer/activist Ned Weeks (Ruffalo), the founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group. Weeks prefers public confrontations to the calmer, more private strategies favored by his associates, friends, and closeted lover Felix Turner (Bomer). Their differences of opinion lead to arguments that threaten to undermine their shared goals.

It is summer of 1981. Ned Weeks (Mark Ruffalo) is an openly gay writer from New York City who travels to Fire Island Pines on Long Island to celebrate the birthday of his friend Craig Donner (Jonathan Groff) at a house on the beach. Other friends in attendance include Mickey Marcus (Joe Mantello) and the charismatic Bruce Niles (Taylor Kitsch), who has recently begun dating Craig. Craig is young and appears to be in good health. While walking on the beach, however, Craig feels dizzy and collapses. Later, when blowing out the candles on his birthday cake, Craig begins to cough repeatedly.

While traveling back to New York City, Ned reads an article in The New York Times titled "Rare Cancer Diagnosed in 41 Homosexuals." Back in the city, he visits the offices of Dr. Emma Brookner (Julia Roberts), a physician who has seen many patients unexpectedly afflicted with the symptoms of rare diseases that normally wouldn't harm people unless their immune systems have been compromised. All of these cases seem to be appearing in gay men. In the waiting room, Ned meets Sanford (Stephen Spinella), a patient whose face and hands are marked with skin lesions caused by Kaposi's sarcoma, a rare cancer. Brookner examines Ned, but finds that he does not have the symptoms of this disease. She asks Ned to help her raise awareness of this disease within the gay community.

Craig suddenly suffers violent convulsions and is rushed to the hospital with Ned, Mickey, and Bruce where he is later pronounced dead. Brookner recognizes Bruce, noting that he is the former boyfriend of another one of her patients who recently died. Ned organizes a gathering at his home where many local gay men are invited to hear Brookner share information about the disease. Though she lacks conclusive evidence, she states her belief that the illness is sexually transmissible and that they should all avoid having sex for the time being to prevent new transmissions. Most attendees question her belief. She notes that few medical journals appear interested in publishing anything on this disease which is mostly affecting homosexual men. Ned announces that he wants to start an organization to spread information about the disease and provide services to those who have been infected.

Brookner and Ned visit a local hospital where several of her sick patients are in critical condition with an illness that is now being referred to as gay-related immune deficiency (GRID). They stay in rooms that many hospital staff are afraid to enter for fear of contracting the disease. Ned, Bruce, Mickey, and several other friends including Tommy Boatwright (Jim Parsons) establish a community organization called Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC). The organization sponsors fundraisers for research on the disease now called AIDS and establishes a telephone hotline, counseling, and other services. Over Ned's objections, they elect Bruce their President. Ned arranges for his older brother, lawyer Ben Weeks (Alfred Molina), to provide free legal advice to the GMHC. The two brothers are close, but there remains an underlying tension over Ben's lack of understanding of Ned's sexuality. Ned contacts gay New York Times reporter Felix Turner (Matt Bomer), hoping that he can use his media connections to publish more stories about the unfolding health crisis. Felix laments that it's difficult getting any mainstream newspapers to report much information on AIDS. The two begin a romantic relationship.

The disease continues to spread, claims lives. Bruce attempts to travel to Phoenix with his boyfriend Albert (Finn Wittrock), who is dying, so that Albert can see his mother one more time. The airline refuses at first to fly the plane with sick Albert on board. When they do eventually get to Phoenix, Albert dies following a period of dementia. The hospital doctors refuse to examine him and issue a death certificate, and instead throw him out with the garbage while Bruce bribes a funeral home to cremate his body without a death certificate. Brookner attempts to obtain grant money to continue researching AIDS, but her efforts are rejected by government officials who do not see AIDS as a priority. Ned, meanwhile, is kicked out of GMHC for his combative and aggressive tactics to promote awareness of AIDS, which is causing tension within the group.

Felix comes down with symptoms and his body wastes away as the disease claims his life. Felix arranges for a will with the help of Ben, and leaves everything he has to Ned. The two state their love for one another at the hospital before Felix dies. A few days later, Ned visits his alma mater, Yale University, where a Gay Weekend is being hosted by the students. He admires how young men and women are able to dance with one another openly, without fear of discrimination.

Information is displayed about the growing number of people contracting AIDS, as Tommy's Rolodex pile (the contact info of his friends who have died from AIDS) grows bigger, eventually including Bruce Niles.