Lee Eisenberg
I had never heard of Tony Kushner's AIDS-themed play before Mike Nichols's TV adaptation aired. I didn't manage to see it when it aired, but I finally got around to seeing it. "Angels in America" is a masterpiece. It's basically a hyperlink story about several individuals who have connections to the spread of AIDS. I found the most fascinating part of the story to be the focus on Roy Cohn (Al Pacino). The erstwhile aide to Joe McCarthy lies dying and is haunted by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg (Meryl Streep), whom Cohn helped execute. One can see a definitive link between the reactionary views of the McCarthyites and those of the Reaganites, especially in their views of LGBT people.This is a miniseries that everyone should see. The part about Cohn and Rosenberg, along with the relationship between a Jewish man and his AIDS-afflicted WASP partner, the angel, the closeted Mormon and his Valium-addicted wife (plus his mother), and the friend who links the different groups together amount to one of the most powerful stories ever put on stage and screen. It deserved every award that it won.PS: As it turns out, Cohn also worked with a young Donald Trump. Trump's upcoming presidency means that we're likely to see more of the sorts of things that "Angels in America" depicts.
thompson-darlene
Although this movie was based on a good concept, it was overdone and extraordinarily long and boring. I wish I had spent my time watching paint dry.Although the context was great, the movie was slow to the point of comatose.They really needed to compact the show a lot because it lost SO much in the watching... and waiting.Where they got it right was in having the same actors doing multiple scenes - that was really interesting and fun.The acting was excellent but it was WAY to overextended.My husband and I didn't even watch it until the end - it was that boring. I insisted that we do just to say we did but we will be "donating" this movie to anybody that actually wants to see.
rgcustomer
With 250+ reviews already, I'm probably not adding much to the conversation, yet I need a place to say it, so here it is.I've seen the stage version, and I've seen the film three times. And I really do not see what the fuss is about. I've tried, but I don't see it.It's not a bad film, and earned its 7/10 from me. It has good music, good acting, and acceptable effects.But I have a big problem with the writing. I found it to be overlong, without delivering a clear message, and too much directed like a filmed play, rather than a serious film.The angels in particular were among the most idiotic things I've seen in a long time. In a way, I guess that's appropriate, but just didn't fit with the rest of the film. If you edit all that out, I think you could get a better film. Of course, the title would have to go...I also found that the use of Roy Cohn and Ethel Rosenberg didn't fit. Why put a real man as a lead in a fictional film? It's not responsible. There was no Joe Pitt, and he never worked for a 2nd Circuit justice. It all unravels from there. If you're in fiction, it's best to stay there. If you're in docudrama, try to stick to the truth.Themes in this film are gay men and: AIDS, 1980s USA, Republicans, Mormons, the closet.While I have seen better films on gay men and AIDS (In the Gloaming, And the Band Played On) and closeted gay Republicans (Outrage) I haven't yet seen a film that covers as much ground as this one, or that covers the 80s as well. On the other hand, I know there are many significant ones I haven't seen, and I do expect I'll find one better than this.Anyway, I do admire the attempt, and the result is worth watching, although not great.
public-92
I have watched this heavy, difficult five hours, and it was worth it. Such brilliant and beautiful words among us, illuminating a strange cultural melange of our country and times.When I see wrestling or the "news" on television, I hope that there are not alien intelligences watching us, and feeling disdain for such pathetic displays. But if there are such, watching and judging, I can only hope that they see things like this, and know that there are brilliant individuals among us. There is beauty and thought, intelligence and light of reason, in this sea of apathetic stupidity and greed.
AD
