The Witnesses

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10/23/2012 Interesting unconventional characters, each struggling with their own discontents, sexuality & relationships set within the context of the aids epidemic hitting France. Cinematography was good, but nothing interesting, good performances, and good overall. See more 11/16/2011 Heureusement que Bouajila est prà (C)sent, le seul qui joue juste dans ce film... qui a facilement 10 ou 15 ans de retard, sans rien apporter à l'à (C)difice existant sur le sujet See more 12/30/2010 My complaints about this movie are mostly about the fact that it was drawn out and seemed to have no definite climax, thus leaving me unsatisfied at the end. But even though it seemed lackluster, I thought it was a great story, with spectacular acting and an incredibly realistic plot. The movie serves as the perfect reminder to any promiscuous culture -- regardless of sexual orientation -- that AIDS is as real an issue today as it was in the 80's, when this movie is set. Iffy as a story, but very good as a work of film. See more 07/08/2010 Its a bit different kind of movie. Same as french culture. Later,one got AIDS. Love is broken, and others just find easier options and life continues and one dies. See more 06/21/2010 This is an emotional French drama depicting the emergence of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s. A young gay man has an affair with a married man but later discovers that he is HIV positive. The film then examines how the people that he is connected to cope with his illness and his death. I definitely found this film worth watching; it is a good character study and explores some interesting issues. I myself was only a young child during the early 1980s, and therefore completely unaware of the social paranoia surrounding AIDS (although it does still exist today), so it was interesting for me to watch this young man's story. I also found it compelling when the young man describes the difficulties in trying to find a partner when you are gay. A few things did let this film down for me: 1) When the young man dies, there does not seem to be much emphasis on the grief of his loved ones. They cope a lot better than I would! I was expecting a little more depth of emotion. I suspect the script is to blame rather than the acting. 2) The ending is an anti-climax. The ending that I had predicted in my mind was actually a lot better! 3) The film feels too long. Parts of it felt a little bit unnecessary for me. However, on the whole, I did enjoy watching this film. See more 06/12/2010 An unusual but refreshingly straightforward film that sensitively shows how the beginning of the AIDS epidemic affects a group of connected friends. Beautifully filmed, the screenplay keeps things relatively pared back and serves the actors well - the power and intensity comes from the terrific performances instead of artificial melodrama. An intelligent and adult film. See more Read all reviews

The Witnesses

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