Wikipedia

The Normal Heart (film)

The Normal Heart is a 2014 American television drama film directed by Ryan Murphy and written by Larry Kramer, based on his 1985 play of the same name. The film stars Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Joe Mantello, Jonathan Groff, and Julia Roberts.

The Normal Heart
Television release poster
GenreDrama
Based onThe Normal Heart
by Larry Kramer
Screenplay byLarry Kramer
Directed byRyan Murphy
Starring
Music byCliff Martinez
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
ProducerScott Ferguson
CinematographyDaniel Moder
EditorAdam Penn
Running time132 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseMay 25, 2014 (2014-05-25)

The film depicts the rise of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City between 1981 and 1984, as seen through the eyes of writer/activist Ned Weeks (Ruffalo), the founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group. Weeks prefers public confrontations to the calmer, more private strategies favored by his associates, friends, and closeted lover Felix Turner (Bomer). Their differences of opinion lead to arguments that threaten to undermine their shared goals.

It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 26, 2014.[1]

Plot

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In the summer of 1981, Alexander "Ned" Weeks, an openly gay writer from New York City, travels to Fire Island to celebrate the birthday of his friend Craig Donner at a beach house. Other friends in attendance include Mickey Marcus and the charismatic Bruce Niles, who has recently begun dating Craig, who is young and appears to be in good health. While walking on the beach, however, Craig feels dizzy and collapses. Later, when blowing out the candles on his birthday cake, Craig begins to cough repeatedly.

While traveling back to New York City, Ned reads an article in the New York Times titled "Rare Cancer Diagnosed in 41 Homosexuals". Back in the city, he visits the offices of Dr. Emma Brookner, a physician who has seen many patients afflicted with symptoms of rare diseases that normally would be harmless unless their immune systems had been compromised. All of these cases seem to be appearing in gay men. In the waiting room, Ned meets Sanford, a patient whose face and hands are marked with skin lesions caused by Kaposi's sarcoma, a rare cancer. Brookner examines Ned, but finds that he does not have the symptoms of this disease. She asks Ned to help her raise awareness of this disease within the gay community.

Craig suddenly suffers violent convulsions and is rushed to the hospital with Ned, Mickey, and Bruce where he is later pronounced dead. Brookner recognizes Bruce, noting that he is the former boyfriend of another one of her patients who recently died. Ned organizes a gathering at his home where many local gay men are invited to hear Brookner share information about the disease. Though she lacks conclusive evidence, she states her belief that the illness is sexually transmissible and that they should all avoid having sex for the time being to prevent new transmissions. Most attendees question her belief. She notes that few medical journals appear interested in publishing anything on this disease which is mostly affecting homosexual men. Ned announces that he wants to start an organization to spread information about the disease and provide services to those who have been infected.

Brookner and Ned visit a local hospital where several of her sick patients are in critical condition with an illness that is now being referred to as gay-related immune deficiency (GRID). They stay in rooms that many hospital staff are afraid to enter for fear of contracting the disease. Ned, Bruce, Mickey, and several other friends including Tommy Boatwright establish a community organization called Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC). The organization sponsors fundraisers for research on the disease now called AIDS and establishes a telephone hotline, counseling, and other services. Over Ned's objections, they elect Bruce their president. Ned arranges for his older brother, lawyer Ben Weeks, to provide free legal advice to the GMHC. The two brothers are close, but there remains an underlying tension over Ben's lack of understanding of Ned's sexuality. Ned contacts gay New York Times reporter Felix Turner, hoping that he can use his media connections to publish more stories about the unfolding health crisis. Felix laments that it is difficult getting any mainstream newspapers to report much information on AIDS. After Felix recalls that he and Ned had a sexual tryst at Man's Country bathhouse, the two begin a romantic relationship.[2]

The disease continues to spread and claim lives. Tommy begins a ritual of taking the contact information of his friends who have died from AIDS out of his Rolodex and adding them to a pile, which he describes as "cardboard tombstones." Bruce attempts to travel to Phoenix with his boyfriend Albert, who is dying, so that Albert can see his mother one more time. The airline refuses at first to fly the plane with sick Albert on board. When they do eventually get to Phoenix, Albert dies following a period of dementia. The hospital doctors refuse to examine him and issue a death certificate, and instead throw his body out with the garbage. Bruce bribes a funeral home to cremate his body without a death certificate.

Brookner attempts to obtain grant money to continue researching AIDS, but her efforts are rejected by government officials who do not see AIDS as a priority. Ned, meanwhile, is kicked out of GMHC for his combative and aggressive tactics to promote awareness of AIDS, which is causing tension within the group.

Felix comes down with symptoms and his body wastes away as the disease claims his life. Felix arranges for a will with the help of Ben, and leaves everything he has to Ned. The two state their love for one another at the hospital before Felix dies. Upon hearing of Felix's death, Tommy solemnly adds his Rolodex card to his growing pile. A few days later, Ned visits his alma mater, Yale University, where a Gay Week is being hosted by the students. He admires how young men and women are able to dance with one another openly, without fear of discrimination.

Information is displayed about the growing number of people developing AIDS, as Tommy's Rolodex pile continues to grow, eventually including Bruce.

Cast

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Production

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In August 2011, Ryan Murphy said in an interview with Deadline Hollywood that he had optioned The Normal Heart and intended to produce the film version, starring Mark Ruffalo "and maybe Julia Roberts".[7] The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the film news in January 2012, adding Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer, and Jim Parsons to the previously announced cast.[8] In March 2013, Taylor Kitsch joined the cast.[9] In April 2013, the casting of actors Jonathan Groff and Joe Mantello was announced.[10] In May 2013, it was announced that Alfred Molina would be replacing Alec Baldwin.[11] Both Parsons and Mantello had starred in the 2011 Broadway revival, although Parsons was the only actor to reprise his role.

Murphy stated that he created this film, despite the play from which it derives being written in the 1980s, due to fears that people born after the 1980s AIDS crisis would not remember its lessons.[12] The main producers were HBO & Plan B, Brad Pitt's production company.

Filming

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Principal photography began on June 8, 2013, in New York City, New York.[13] On July 12, the crew was spotted shooting the film in Little Italy.[14] During the course of filming, production was temporarily suspended to allow some of the actors to change their physical appearances; Bomer lost 40 pounds to show the ravages of AIDS on his character.[15]

Release

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The Normal Heart debuted on HBO on May 25, 2014, after an earlier theatrical screening at the Inside Out Film and Video Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on May 23, 2014.[16]

Home media

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The Normal Heart was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 26, 2014.[1]

Reception

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Critical response

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The film received widespread critical acclaim, with praise for Kramer's screenplay, its drama, moral messages, production values, and the performances of the cast.[17] Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 94% based on 50 reviews, with an average score of 7.72/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Thanks to Emmy-worthy performances from a reputable cast, The Normal Heart is not only a powerful, heartbreaking drama, but also a vital document of events leading up to and through the early AIDS crisis."[18] Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score to reviews from mainstream critics, gives the film a score of 85 out of 100, based on 33 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[19]

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone awarded the film with a 3.5/4 and praised the film, "Written, directed and acted with a passion that radiates off the screen, The Normal Heart is drama at its most incendiary, a blunt instrument that is also poetic and profound. As gay men in crisis, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons and Joe Mantello (who played Ned onstage) all excel. But it's Kramer, still raging over what's not being done, who tears at your heart."[20] Ellen Gray of the Philadelphia Daily News commended "And though the supporting cast members are all good (Parsons particularly so), it's Kramer's fury, channeled through Ruffalo's manic energy as the writer's alter-ego Ned Weeks, that keeps The Normal Heart beating and preserves a horrific bit of all too recent history not in amber, but in anger."[21]

Murphy's direction received mixed reviews from critics. Brian Lowry of Variety criticized Murphy's direction and the story's transition from stage to screen: "Murphy being Murphy, he can't resist throwing in moments that drift toward an American Horror Story vibe, such as a subway sequence where dramatic lighting flashes in and out on a lesion-pocked face. The translation from stage to screen also yields speeches that probably played better live, although the director has for the most part opened up the Tony-winning material into movie form," although he particularly hailed The Normal Heart as "a character-oriented drama with theatrical talent and values that would face challenges finding much purchase at the modern-day multiplex. The result is a movie, for mostly better and sometimes worse, that wears its heart on its sleeve."[22] Maureen Ryan of The Huffington Post also criticized Murphy's direction, writing: "But if you do watch the film, just be aware that every few minutes you may wish that someone — anyone — other than Murphy had directed it. Murphy is a self-indulgent director and not particularly rigorous or disciplined. He serves his own muse, not necessarily the needs of the material, and though it's a classic, Kramer's play is also unwieldy and outright clumsy at time."[23]

TVLine named Bomer the "Performer of the Week" for his performance.[24]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2014
 Critics' Choice TV Awards Best Movie Won [25]
Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries Mark Ruffalo Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries Matt Bomer Won
Joe Mantello Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries Julia Roberts Nominated
Humanitas Prize 90 Minute or Longer Network or Syndicated Television Larry Kramer Won [26]
Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Motion Picture Won [27]
Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Mark Ruffalo Won
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Matt Bomer Won
Taylor Kitsch Nominated
Joe Mantello Nominated
Alfred Molina Nominated
Jim Parsons Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Julia Roberts Nominated
Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Ryan Murphy Won
Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Larry Kramer Won
Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Won
Best Cinematography in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Costume Design in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Editing in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Music in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Production Design in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Sound in a Non-Series Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Television Movie Ryan Murphy, Dante Di Loreto, Jason Blum,
Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Mark Ruffalo,
Alexis Martin Woodall, and Scott Ferguson 		Won [28]
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Mark Ruffalo Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Matt Bomer Nominated
Joe Mantello Nominated
Alfred Molina Nominated
Jim Parsons Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Julia Roberts Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Movie Ryan Murphy Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Movie Larry Kramer Nominated
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Movie Amanda Mackey and Cathy Sandrich Gelfond Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie Danny Moder Nominated
Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Daniel Orlandi, Gail A. Fitzgibbons,
Hartsell Taylor, and Maria Tortu 		Nominated
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Movie Chris Clark, Joe Whitmeyer, Valerie Gladstone,
Frida Ardottir, and Lyndell Quiyou 		Nominated
Outstanding Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) Eryn Krueger Mekash, Sherri Berman Laurence,
Nicky Pattison, LuAnn Claps, Mike Mekash, and
Carla White 		Won
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup Eryn Krueger Mekash, Sherri Berman Laurence,
Christien Tinsley, Mary Anne Spano,
James Sarzotti, and Nicky Pattison 		Nominated
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Miniseries or Movie Adam Penn Nominated
Women's Image Network Awards Actress Made for Television Movie / Mini-Series Julia Roberts Nominated
2015
 American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Miniseries or Motion Picture for Television Adam Penn Won [29]
Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Movie/Mini Series Amanda Mackey, Cathy Sandrich Gelfond, and
Susanne C. Scheel 		Nominated [30]
Cinema Audio Society Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Movies and Mini-Series Drew Kunin, Joe Earle, Doug Andham,
Beauxregard Neylen, and Scott Curtis 		Nominated [31]
Costume Designers Guild Awards Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries Daniel Orlandi Nominated [32]
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Miniseries Ryan Murphy Nominated [33]
Dorian Awards TV Drama of the Year Won [34]
TV Performance of the Year – Actor Matt Bomer Nominated
Mark Ruffalo Nominated
TV Director of the Year Ryan Murphy Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series Won [35]
Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [36]
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Mark Ruffalo Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Matt Bomer Won
Golden Reel Awards Best Sound Editing – Long Form Dialogue and ADR in Television Gary Megregian and Jason Krane Nominated [37]
Best Sound Editing - Long Form Sound Effects and Foley in Television Gary Megregian, Timothy A. Cleveland,
John Petaja, Scott Curtis, Paul J. Diller,
Dawn Lunsford, and Alicia Stevenson 		Nominated
Gracie Awards Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Drama Julia Roberts Won [38]
Guild of Music Supervisors Awards Best Music Supervision – Television Long Form and Movies P.J. Bloom Won [39]
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling –
Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television 		Chris Clark and Joseph Whitmeyer Nominated [40]
Best Period and/or Character Makeup –
Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television 		Eryn Krueger Mekash and Sherri Berman Laurence Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television Jason Blum, Dante Di Loreto, Scott Ferguson,
Dede Gardner, Alexis Martin Woodall,
Ryan Murphy, Brad Pitt, and Mark Ruffalo 		Nominated [41]
Stanley Kramer Award Won
Satellite Awards Best Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [42]
Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Mark Ruffalo Won
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made
for Television 		Matt Bomer Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Mark Ruffalo Won [43]
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Julia Roberts Nominated
Television Academy Honors Honored [44]
Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Adapted Larry Kramer – Based on his play Nominated [45]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Hetrick, Adam (May 30, 2014). ""The Normal Heart" Sets Blu-Ray and DVD Release". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 16, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  2. ^ Inoa, Christopher (May 29, 2014). "NYC Film Locations for HBO's The Normal Heart". Untapped New York. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "The Normal Heart study guide" (PDF). TimeLine Theatre. 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  4. ^ Pond, Steve (June 20, 2014). "Why Mark Ruffalo Didn't Want to Play Larry Kramer in 'The Normal Heart' at First". Reuters. Retrieved June 18, 2020. - Original post at The Wrap
  5. ^ "Who Was John Duka? Looking for the Heart of The Normal Heart". Vulture.
  6. ^ a b c Kramer, Larry (2011). "Please Know". The Normal Heart on Broadway. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  7. ^ Finke, Nikki (August 5, 2011). "EMMYS Q&A: Ryan Murphy About 'Glee'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  8. ^ Kit, Borys (January 20, 2012). "Julia Roberts, Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer and Jim Parsons to Star in Ryan Murphy's Next Film (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 1, 2013). "Jim Parsons, Taylor Kitsch Join HBO's Ryan Murphy-Directed Movie 'The Normal Heart'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
  10. ^ Hibberd, James (April 26, 2013). "Jonathan Groff to play Taylor Kitsch's lover in Ryan Murphy film". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  11. ^ Ferri, Josh (May 9, 2013). "Larry Kramer Says Ryan Murphy's 'Obsessed' with The Normal Heart; Alfred Molina & Joel Grey Join HBO Film". Broadway.com. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  12. ^ Ulaby, Neda (May 24, 2014). "'Normal Heart' Teaches New Generation About The Early Years Of AIDS". National Public Radio. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  13. ^ "'The Normal Heart', starring Julia Roberts, Matt Bomer, & Mark Ruffalo, begins filming in NYC this week". onlocationvacations.com. June 4, 2013. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
  14. ^ "The Normal Heart' Resumes Filming in Little Italy Today". boweryboogie.com. July 12, 2013. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
  15. ^ "Matt Bomer on 'The Normal Heart' and Unconditional Love".
  16. ^ "The Normal Heart to premiere at Inside Out" Archived May 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Xtra!. May 5, 2014.
  17. ^ Miller, Bruce. "Review: Matt Bomer, Mark Ruffalo shine in 'Normal Heart'". The Boston Globe. The Boston Globe. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  18. ^ "The Normal Heart (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  19. ^ "The Normal Heart". Metacritic. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  20. ^ Travers, Peter (May 22, 2014). "'The Normal Heart' Movie Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  21. ^ Gray, Ellen (May 23, 2014). "'Gang Related,' 'The Normal Heart' premiere". Philadelphia Daily News. Archived from the original on May 24, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  22. ^ Lowry, Brian (May 21, 2014). "'The Normal Heart' TV movie review on HBO". Variety. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  23. ^ Ryan, Maureen (May 23, 2014). "'The Normal Heart' Review: Great Performances Anchor An Uneven Film". HuffPost. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  24. ^ "TVLine's Performer of the Week: Matt Bomer". TVLine. May 31, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  25. ^ "Critics' Choice TV Awards 2014: And the nominees are..." Entertainment Weekly. May 28, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  26. ^ "Past Winners & Nominees". Humanitas Prize. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  27. ^ "18th Annual TV Awards (2013-14)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  28. ^ "The Normal Heart". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  29. ^ The Deadline Team (January 10, 2014). "Film Editors Unveil ACE Eddie Award Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  30. ^ "2015 Artios Awards". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  31. ^ "51st Award Winners". Cinema Audio Society. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  32. ^ "17th Costume Designers Guild Awards". Costume Designers Guild. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  33. ^ "67th DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  34. ^ "Dorian Awards Past Winners". Dorian Awards. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  35. ^ "List of award recipients: 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles - The Beverly Hilton, March 21, 2015". GLAAD. March 21, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  36. ^ "The Normal Heart – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  37. ^ "'Birdman', 'American Sniper' Top Golden Reel Awards: MPSE Winners List". Deadline. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  38. ^ "2015 Gracies Gala Winners". Gracie Awards. March 17, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  39. ^ "5th Annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards". Guild of Music Supervisors Awards. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  40. ^ Carolyn Giardina (February 14, 2015). "'Grand Budapest Hotel,' 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Top Make-up & Hair Stylists Feature Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  41. ^ McNary, Dave (December 19, 2014). "'The Normal Heart' Wins PGA's Stanley Kramer Award". Variety. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  42. ^ "2014 Satellite Awards". Satellite Awards. International Press Academy. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  43. ^ "The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  44. ^ "8th Television Academy Honors". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  45. ^ McNary, Dave (December 4, 2014). "'Game of Thrones,' 'True Detective,' 'Transparent' Lead WGA TV Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
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