How would you react to seeing your friends, the people you loved, and anyone you really identified with, dying without any end in sight? That is the focus at the center of The Normal Heart, the new HBO film by Ryan Murphy. Set in the early 1980's at a time when gay men finally felt comfortable with their sexuality, and love. However it is not long before they start to get sick, unable to do anything to stop the AIDS virus from spreading. At the heart of this problem is Ned Weeks, an openly gay screenwriter who is fighting anyone and everyone who stands in his way to find a cure. Except the government seems to be absent when it comes to funding, despite overwhelming research conducted by Dr. Emma Brookner (Julia Roberts). So the war wages on while an epidemic threatens to wipe out an entire generation.
Originally performed as a stage play written by Larry Kramer, The Normal Heart definitely feels like a play. It's full of monologues, features a tight ensemble and is over two hours long. But, like a play, the performances shine through in it. Mark Ruffalo has never been better as Ned, pouring his heart and soul into every fit of rage, powerful monologue and emotional breakdown. Julia Roberts is equally good, bringing the sense of frustration and loss over not being able to do anything to treat these dying men, but never losing hope. Alfred Molina does strong work in a handful of scenes as Ben, Ned's brother, who wants to help but still isn't sure about this whole gay community yet. Jonathan Groff is also strong in a few scenes as Craig, Ned's close friend.
However, the performances from Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons and, particularly, Matt Bomer are what surprised me. Kitsch, known for Friday Night Lights and John Carter, is fantastic as Bruce Niles. He brings an honesty to the character, one who is still in the closet because he is in the army, yet doesn't know how to take in everything happening around him. His scenes with Ruffalo were always good. Parsons was a massive surprise for me. As someone who doesn't care much for The Big Bang Theory, he shows a lot of range as Tommy. While his natural cadence mirrors Sheldon Cooper a tad much, the underlying sadness and loneliness his character felt, along with a particularly moving funeral scene, won me over.
But it was Matt Bomer who I think deserves some serious looks for Emmy voters. Known primarily for the show White Collar, as well as Magic Mike, Bomer gives a gut-wrenching performance as Felix Turner, Ned's lover. He plays into the fact that he's very handsome, but throws you off with a vulnerability, and later, a sense of looming fear and death that gave me a lump in my throat. That, along with the grueling transformation he went through, showed me an actor looking to get his hands on more substantial work.
Make no mistake though, this film isn't for everyone. If homosexuality makes you uncomfortable in the least, you will not like this movie. There are sex scenes, plenty of kissing, and nudity to go along, and the movie does a good job of normalizing it for the viewer, instead of making a big deal of it. Also, a dude with a giant dong walks by in the first five minutes, so if you can't hang through that, you'll be okay.
While the film mainly suffers from pacing problems, and a needlessly long running time (the first half of the film feels long), it is still something that should be watched. Showing the destruction the AIDS virus caused, even at the beginning, and the lives it tore apart put a lot of things into perspective. It is a reminder that the war against it is not over, and needs to keep being fought.
Grade: B
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