I believe fairly recently, I mentioned to someone why I was taking the opportunity to celebrate Movies With Pride in the month of June. I’m a blind film critic, and my driving force in life is to change the perspective on how blind and low vision people do actually enjoy films, and that there’s just this massive problem in terms of getting the accessibility we need on a consistent basis. This month, I made it a point to track down some titles I hadn’t yet reviewed, at least from my blind perspective that highlight the LGBTQ community in impactful ways. Pride month. Why? Because I’m also a gay critic, but I often feel so marginalized beyond marginalization, that I don’t always have the time to just focus on being LGBTQ in a world that would prefer I not exist, because there’s this whole other thing, and the world is also not very interested or motivated in participating in destigmatizing blind people, and persons with disabilities in general.

I’m not sure why Larry Krame’rs A Normal Heart is one of my favorite theatrical works. it isn’t a happy play. it’s not the only play that focuses on the aids crisis. My first interaction was this version, the HBO adaptation that swept the Emmy race. If I could reduce it, it would be slowly chopped away to “OMG Joe Mantello.” I don’t want to reveal my hand that I was not very familiar with his work before this, but I wasn’t. In a sea of excellent major stars like Mark Ruffalo, Julia Robert’s, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, and Taylor Kitsch, Mantello stole the whole thing for me.

There’s this scene where his character Mickey, who has been present throughout the whole film, just breaks down. I didn’t grow up as an adult during the AIDS crisis, and my knowledge of it is entirely second hand from stories like this, and from older gay men who survived the period. but, Mickey’s breakdown is so relatable.

At your wits end, when there’s seemingly no end in sight, no answer, and you feel like you are swimming upstream, mickey’s monologue, while extremely specific to the plight of the gay community at the time, is so deeply human that for anyone who has ever been in a fight they felt was fruitless or they were losing, they can feel Mickey’s frustration as he questions the very foundation on which his organization stands. It is all brought to a brilliant end when mickey goes to attack Ruffalo’s Ned, partially because in that moment he blames him, but also partially because the thing he is really fighting can’t be physically manifested. He cannot strangle AIDS with his bare hands, or attack the apathy politicians had as “gay cancer” exterminated everyone he cared about. The perpetually aspiring actor in me sees this monologue as the Everest of monologues, and no one can ever touch Mantello’s stunning work. I’ve been a fan ever since, and always look forward when I see he’s got a new film or television project. Did you know this brilliant actor is also a director? True story.

Aside from Mantello, there isn’t a bad actor in this film. Everyone delivers, from Ruffalo as Ned Weeks, to Julia Robert’s as a doctor with a questionable bedside manner who is fighting for the survival of these men.It is by far the best performance ever from Taylor Kitsch, who never really tackles this type of role,and a nuanced Matt Bomer performance, an actor who later would get to be on the opposite side of this battle in last years exceptional Fellow Travelers.

Perhaps because it is shorter than Angels In America, this has gone on to be my go to for a film with this material, about this time period. I’m grateful this project has audio description by Roy Samuelson. He does something truly great in the end credits, with an obvious pregnant pause that really brings home the meat of what he just said. the track, in general, was exceptional. James Mason wrote a terrific script for Samuelson to read, and Point 360 made sure it sounded excellent. I’ve heard so many poorly mixed and balanced tracks now that I no longer take that for granted.

This Pride month, if you haven’t yet seen A Normal Heart, please do. it is on MAX, has audio description, and is one of the most moving experiences I’ve had. I love this film deeply, and despite its inherently depressing subject matter, it is one of my favorite films. It’s a desert island film for me, possibly the most watched TV movie for me, certainly the most watched HBO original Film. For my first year doing Movies With pride, following The Birdcage, this was a must for me.

This is what Pride looks like.

Final Grade: A+