The Normal Heart

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The Normal Heart

TV-MA

2014

2h 15m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

49 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In the 1980s New York, a writer and his friends join forces to expose the truth about the emerging AIDS crisis to both the government and the gay community.

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Critics Consensus

Thanks to Emmy-worthy performances from a reputable cast, The Normal Heart is not only a powerful, heartbreaking drama, but also a vital document of events leading up to and through the early AIDS crisis.

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Eric Sasson

The New Republic

05/29/2014

There is less reporting on poverty in America than on any other major societal issue. So it is with AIDS. That alone makes The Normal Heart an important film.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

New York Magazine/Vulture

05/29/2014

If anger and suffering were all there were to The Normal Heart, watching it would be torture. Luckily, it has heart to match its guts.

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Melissa Anderson

Artforum

05/29/2014

Despite its flaws, this iteration of The Normal Heart also exhorts us to remember.

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Jessica Johnson

Time Out Chicago

07/02/2018

While there are kinks in Murphy's adaptation, the raw power of Kramer's story cannot be diluted. It's a powerful memorial to the men that lost their lives and those they loved while fighting bring the AIDS epidemic to light.

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Jac Kern

Cincinnati CityBeat

09/13/2017

HBO knows how to produce a compelling biographical movie...

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Chris Barsanti

PopMatters

09/03/2014

6/10

Larry Kramer's blistering cri de coeur about the early days of the AIDS plague gets a solidly respectful but flawed treatment from Ryan Murphy.

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Andrew C

@YourNextCritic Jan 1

This was a really beautiful movie, it depicted the highs and lows, the emotional tones and sheer disregard of the Government.

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Belinda H

@RT40586390 Nov 23

Incredible!!!! Finally telling this story in a way no one can ignore anymore

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prawnda s

@RT72497680 Oct 5

"the abnormally cheap and talentless director"

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Frank T

@RT41460358 10/20/2024

extremely underrated

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Alec B

@Alec97 11/10/2023

The shear force of Larry Kramer's fury that lives in every line of the play has always been able to transcend its flaws, so my issues with this adaptation mostly stem from Murphy's direction of the material. It all moves too fast and I think a film version of this play would be better served if it took a little more time with these characters and situations. Still, the power of the play is hard to stifle and the central performance by Ruffalo is very good.

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Timothy D

@RT51227774 08/28/2023

The Normal Heart poignantly captures the desperation that came with AIDS epidemic and the complex reasons it grew so quickly. Both Bomer and Parsons give gorgeously nuanced performances. While the sad parts of the movie shine with human love and perseverance, the main character's (Ruffalo) anger about the desperate situation comes out as constant grumbling and screaming outbursts. Although appropriate and essential to the story, these tirades are so frequent and intense that they grate nerves.

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Synopsis

In the 1980s New York, a writer and his friends join forces to expose the truth about the emerging AIDS crisis to both the government and the gay community.

Director: Ryan Murphy
Producer: Scott Ferguson
Screenwriter: Larry Kramer
Production Co: HBO Films, Plan B Entertainment, Blumhouse
Rating: TV-MA (L|S)
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Runtime: 2h 15m

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