Normal Heart [Blu-ray]

Watching "The Normal Heart" on Prime/HBO..... Mark Ruffalo, Matt, Julia, all of these fine actors... mind blowing performances. If you ever wanted to see Jim Parsons (Big Bang Theory) out of his comedic role you will be blown away by him in this. Julia Roberts... WOW... Joe Montello.... standing ovation.... WOW... the speech in the meeting room.... just stunning..... heart wrenching...... TRUE! All forces to be admired. It's def a box of Kleenex sort of feature, esp if you, like myself, were alive during the crisis in the 80's and as a survivor, like myself. Makes you think of all the loves and friends we have lost all over again. Highly recommend this movie to anyone that wants to see what we all went through in the 80's. Not for the faint of heart but something that needs to be acknowledged and understood, esp if your straight and don't know much about the epidemic! I thought Angels in America was powerful but this movie will touch you very deeply from beginning to end!

A beautifully updated film version of the '85 play only goes to show that once something is groundbreaking it remains so, years later, especially when the subject of the piece is culturally altering and presently valid and important to address. Larry Kramer, a master author, a title easily justified if only two of his works, the script of WOMEN IN LOVE and the iconoclastic FAGGOTS are used as a measure. To be brief, he has written a basic warning scream into the face of the sleeping millions to make them and the world aware of the horrific disease that has suddenly appeared. Much as the many in Germany who saw what was about to or was already happening and tried to warn others and were met with passivity and disbelief, the frustration experienced by the leading character (based on Mr. Kramer) and soon transferring itself to the viewers of the piece itself only adds validity to this piece of "docudrama".Mark Ruffalo once again proves himself to be an actor who has a talent that is to be respected and watched carefully. Over the past few years he has honed his talent so that every move, every moment in this piece is carefully presented as a moment of reality that at times is painful to watch.There is humor in the script (as there is in life, or watch out for your psyche), there is romance, there is heartbreak, there is humanity, but above all, there is a story of who each of us can be, in some way, be responsible for the state of our world and have a responsibility to each other that is too often in today's society, ignored.Thank you HBO for finally having the good sense to share this piece of art with the world.

I was 22 years old in 1983, living in the Midwest, during the time this movie is set. I remember the fear of what AIDS was, how some people were in fear of gay people, how contagious it was or wasn't, how society mis-handled all of it. So. Much. Fear. Very well made movie. Lots of passion and tells the story of how those with influence stood back and let the volume of individuals die. I can only imagine how the world would have been different if they would have lived.

Heartbreaking. Having lived through the early eighties and having witnessed the apathy toward the gay community this movie is a sad reminder. People like Falwell took it upon themselves to claim AIDS as God's retribution. I can appreciate how hard groups such as the one depicted in the movie worked to call for action. Unfortunately, the next group to be hit hard were drug users, more fodder for the likes of Billy Graham (though he did later retract his statements). Not until straight people started acquiring the virus was any effort put into looking for a cause and working on cure.Mark Ruffalo displayed a perfect combination of indignant and flawed activist; although, he often slipped into the theatrical. On the other hand, who knew Matt Bomer is more than just a pretty face? I never once had the impression his depiction of Felix was "acting". Hope he is given more opportunities of this caliber.

This movie is excellently written and well acted. Nonetheless, it is a difficult film to watch, particularly if one was effected personally by the AIDS epidemic. While no doubt showing the writer's bias (as I believe the story is somewhat autobiographical) it still shows what the United States was like regarding the response to the "Gay epidemic". No one who watches this film should be able to do so without a feeling of shame for our country's behavior. Mark Ruffalo and Matt Bomer are both extremely powerful and believable in their roles, and if one isn't crying by the end of this movie, one has no heart. Warning: the movie is very graphic regading gay lifestyle (at that time and in that place) and gay sexual behavior, so it is not a movie for children, unless they have grown up experiencing loss from this horrible epidemic.

Very powerful, well acted, great photography--a masterpiece of its kind. It is tragic, and you won't feel that happy for a while after seeing it, however, not a surprise given its subject matter of the coming of AIDS to the US in personal and human terms. There is some pretty raw sexual matter, though, germane to the movie but perhaps too graphic for some viewers.

This amazing movie should have been made 20 years ago. It's long overdue, but worth the wait. The subject is not fun -- the beginnings of the AIDS crisis in NYC -- but it is handled with passion and intensity. Acting is uniformly outstanding. Oscar-worthy performances by Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, and Julia Roberts lift it far above an average movie. Many supporting cast members contributed some of their finest performances. Though set 35 years ago, the movie has an immediacy that will affect any viewer. This is a must-see!

WOW this was a real heart wrenching watch - Mark Ruffulo and Matt Bomer were brilliant in this film.I must admit that I was stunned at how ineffective the Group that Ned Weeks set up - I was right there with Ned Screaming "do something, don't be so passive"I was in floods and Matt Bomer definately needed to be honoured by the Golden Globes

A stark and vivid warning about keeping safe and the consequences if you don't. The struggles of a community to pass on the warning to the majority and the ignorance of people who just wouldn't listen until it was too late. Great acting and very imformative

Emotional look at time that I was unaware of. This is an amazing story of what the gay community went through in the early 80's. When I was in school I read about the emergence of AIDS, and yet I know no idea what was happening on the forefront of the epidemic. This is a moving, emotional, hands on account from someone who experienced it. Very well done!

This is a fantastic film when I viewed It on Sky Atlantic I thought it was amazing, showing what truly happened when the HIV/AIDS crisis came about and the horrible injustice suffered by the gay community, if HIV/AIDS been taken note of in its early stages there would be so many people who died who would have lived.The product itself is a good quality product, the graphics are excellent, and the sound quality is good.The only thing I had a slight issue with was when the characters spoke I thought it was a slight bit tinny however I think it might just be me as after a while I stopped noticing it.I did not realise that the DVD was a Spanish import, I am not sure whether it was through fault of my own for not reading the page details properly, or if it was not advertised (I think it was probably me in my excitement since HMV didn't sell it and amazon did) either way it doesn't matter as I don't have an issue with the box being written in Spanish.Overall a great product for a great price, I highly recommend both this film and this seller.

Mark Ruffalo and Matt Bomer are sensational as always. Such dedication from Matt, losing all the weight and actually putting his health in danger for a role. What an amazing movie, made me cry lots. All of humanity should be required to see this movie.