1985

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1:59

1985

Released Oct 26, 2018

1h 25m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

53 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

A man decides to return to his hometown in Texas to tell his estranged conservative parents that he has AIDS.

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Critics Consensus

1985 pays tribute to a generation of lost lives with a powerfully made look at how HIV and the social attitudes surrounding homosexuality affect one man's choices.

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David Stratton

The Australian

All of the acting is very good, although some American commentators have remarked on the fact no one has a Texas accent. This won't matter much to an Australian audience.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 25, 2019

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

What really distinguishes the film is that it gets deep inside this broken family without becoming histrionic or accusatory. Tan avoids any hint of sentimentality, concentrating on the pain instead.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 25, 2019

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

The writer-director offers no easy solutions, relying instead on a stellar cast and nuanced responses.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 14, 2019

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Aaron Charles

InSession Film

Chiklis gives the best performance of his career, and the scenes between Smith and Chung are some of the film’s strongest.

Rated: B+

May 10, 2024

Full Review

Brian T. Carney

Washington Blade

The black and white cinematography is stunning and the richly nuanced performances are heart-breaking.

Dec 7, 2022

Full Review

Michael Cuby

them.

In spite of its somber source material, 1985 finds a surprisingly happy note to end on.

Nov 16, 2022

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Alec B

Cliched in some respects but it is still undeniably moving because of the performances.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

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PridePosterStudios

So nuanced and delicate. An affecting piece of cinema.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/26/24

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Joe S

A powerful drama set in the midst of the AIDS pandemic that was ignored by Reagan and his homophobic administration as just a gay disease. It is well directed, well written and well performed. A beautiful and moving film

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Devastating story that hits close to many homes but never spoken enough. CMS's acting is top notch, his work in this film is beautiful and tear-jerking. Lost in the characters' world. Wonderful work.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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Audience Member

Cliched in some respects but it is still undeniably moving because of the performances.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A confronting faux black and white movie. I came of age as gay in the 2000's and the family and religious rejection almost killed me. If I was born a couple of decades earlier, even if I had survived my teenage years, I almost could well have contracted HIV and died. This movie hits hard. But that's because I see myself in the story. The slowness of the early parts of the movie might seem unjustified if you can't understand the pressure of being gay in a christian household. But I think it's justified. I think it's a great movie. If you like this one, you might like The Normal Heart (2014)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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Yen Tan

Director

Jamie Chung

Carly

Virginia Madsen

Eileen

Michael Chiklis

Dale

Cory Michael Smith

Adrian

Ryan Piers Williams

Marc

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1985: Trailer 1

1:59

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Synopsis

A man decides to return to his hometown in Texas to tell his estranged conservative parents that he has AIDS.

Director: Yen Tan
Producer: Ash Christian, Hutch
Screenwriter: Yen Tan
Distributor: Wolfe
Production Co: Floren Shieh Productions, Cranium Entertainment
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 26, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 4, 2018
Runtime: 1h 25m

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