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By
DEBORAH NICOL
It is no small undertaking
to portray a God-less (he's taken an unexcused
leave of absence) world under the initial
ravishing of the AIDS virus during Reagan's
America. Tony Kushner does so with amazing
results, bringing his 1993 play to the now highly
respected HBO mini-series forum, and puts Mike
Nichols at its helm ("Primary Colors," "Wit").
Cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt ("Prince of
Tides") frames the series beautifully and
creatively, and Thomas Newman ("Road to
Perdition") delivers a haunting score. With enough
star power to weigh down any other production,
actors roar to let their characters speak clearly,
each role portraying a voice that deserves to be
heard. Actors follow the direction from the stage
play, and many portray multiple roles.
Al Pacino tops the credits with a now expected
over the top performance as string-puller Roy
Cohn. His revolting character screams like a child
as he pushes buttons, and yet he uses this absurd
power to create a world that punishes those brave
enough to be openly gay, unlike his closeted self.
As the illness overtakes him, he becomes
confronted with a ghost from the past, and is
tested as to whether he has lived a worthy life.
His protégé is played by the subtle but anguished
Patrick Wilson ("The Alamo"), as Mormon Joe Pitt
who inwardly acknowledges his desires towards men,
but who feels his religion will help rid him of
these thoughts. As his rocky path begins to
parallel Cohn's, he must also deal with a wife who
seeks love and solace in a lithium-altered world.
His dispassionate denial of the truth has left her
alone and desperate for her hallucinatory
friendships. Mary-Louise Parker portrays this
vacant-eyed character with an underlying
intelligence and starved passion.
Pitt eventually gives in to the seduction of
co-worker Louis, played with disdain and
frustration by Ben Shenkman ("Roger Dodger").
Louis can give of himself physically, and though
he claims to still be in love with AIDS-inflicted
boyfriend Prior, he cannot stand watching Prior
become ill and quickly leaves him. Prior is played
brilliantly by Justin Kirk ("Love! Valour!
Compassion!"). He is the heart of the story; from
the moment he discovers his first telltale mark of
the virus, through dealing with this intense
illness alone, to the fantastic conclusion. The
angels assign him a powerful role that he
questions, as any human would, and he draws in the
audience, through his justified anger and his
humor.
As the only actor brought from the stage
performance, Jeffrey Wright proves his
Tony-winning chops in the role of Belize. As a
stereotypically effeminate gay man, Belize
portrays a strength and dignity that no other
character possesses, as he is the only one to face
truth head-on. His wisdom and support for both
friends and enemies underlies the greatest message
of the play, and he maintains focus towards the
future when all others have forsaken hope.
Though Belize comprises Prior's one true friend,
Prior unexpectedly finds solace in Pitt's mother,
who has come to town to save her outed son. Mama
Pitt is played with frantic control by Meryl
Streep, thrown into a world altogether different
from her home in Salt Lake City. Prior is also
assisted by Emma Thompson's characters, in the
forms of a salty nurse and a bellowing,
disorganized angel, and she does both with the
ingenious wit and humor only she possesses.
There is no shortage of political commentary in
this deservedly awards-showered program. This
anthropological dissection of New York City delves
into cultural classism, racism, sexism, religion,
and tolerance for the under-understood. This is no
woe-is-me soap opera -- it is equally thoughtful
and humorous, intelligent and human, and
consistently engaging.
There are no extras on this 6-hour, widescreen,
2-disc set. Though it would be appreciated to have
at least an interview with writer Kushner, it is
almost enough to ponder one's own thoughts in
order to truly digest the movie and each of its
deliciously detailed parts. |
