Jeffrey

R

Released Aug 4, 1995

1h 32m

Comedy

List

70%

30 Reviews

Tomatometer

67%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Jeffrey (Steven Weber), a gay man living in New York City with an overwhelming fear of contracting AIDS, concludes that being celibate is the only option to protect himself. As fate would have it, shortly after his declaration of a sex-free existence, he meets the handsome Steve Howard (Michael T. Weiss), his dream man -- except for his HIV-positive status. Facing this dilemma, Jeffrey turns to his best friend (Patrick Stewart) and an outrageous priest (Nathan Lane) for guidance.

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Critics Consensus

Jeffrey offends as readily as it amuses, but an outstanding performance from Patrick Stewart keeps it from going completely off the rails.

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Jeff M

This is one of those movies that comes close to barely squeaking by based on its good intentions, but there's just too many problems to be able to recommend it. Watching over 25 years after it initial release, it has not aged well, neither in its filmmaking nor its handling of the subject matter. A scene involving Nathan Lane as a Catholic priest is particularly uncomfortable and there's no possible way it would ever be done in today's climate. Weber is a fine but bland actor, but the character of Jeffrey is not an especially appealing one, and we don't find ourselves rooting for him or even caring much what happens at the end. The movie relies too much on breaking the fourth wall, which makes it feel like it would have been more successful as a play rather than motion picture. The supporting characters feel almost unanimously stereotypical, and the melding of comedy and drama feels forced. There are actually several moments of really deep and meaningful dialogue but the moment is quashed for the sake of a quick laugh. It all feels just a bit too sitcom-y for my taste.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

Robert Frederick T

As I have a hearing issue and wasn't wearing my hearing aid, much of the film's narrative passed me by. but I did think some of the scenarios very witty, so guffawed a lot. I ill watch it again on tubi with my hearing aid plugged in so that i capture all the dialogue. PS I thought I recognized Sigourney Weaver and Christine Baranski, both excellent, and recognized other actors' faces but couldn't recall their names or the films I had seen them in. It drags in a very few places, and I didn't feel the serious and sad ending of the film matches up with the overall comic tenor of the movie. The production values are excellent, the cast is attractive and a few of the scenarios very clever and well performed. So it's worthwhile seeing it just for these elements .

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/04/23

Full Review

PridePosterStudios

It’s hard to believe HIV and comedy can both appropriately feature in a film, but this one pulls it off. An interesting discovery.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/24/24

Full Review

andy n

Very light superficial humor. Without special dramaturgy and emotions!

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Aside from being a sort time capsule of gay life in the early 1990's, this is a classic example of why some plays should never be translated to the screen. At the time of its premiere the play succeeded, but the film fails.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Great movie ! Warm, witty, funny, sad and moving all at the same time.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

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Christopher Ashley

Director

Steven Weber

Jeffrey

Michael T. Weiss

Steve Howard

Irma St. Paule

Mother Teresa

Patrick Stewart

Sterling

Robert Klein

Skip Winkley

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Edward Guthmann

San Francisco Chronicle

It's not a total bust, and some of the performances are charming, but it never matches the gleeful, irreverent mischief it had on stage.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 18, 2002

Full Review

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Rudnick, adapting his off-Broadway hit, deftly blends uproarious fun and touching gravity.

May 12, 2001

Full Review

Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

Well scripted characters along with the inspired casting of Olympia Dukakis, Sigourney Weaver, Robert Klein and Patrick Stewart (Star Trek’s Captain Picard) in supporting roles make this film very memorable.

May 13, 2022

Full Review

Mal Vincent

The Virginian-Pilot

This hetero-friendly comedy is filled with fresh ideas.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 10, 2022

Full Review

Amanda Jane Stern

Film Inquiry

For those few things that don't really work, the rest of it does. It's definitely worth a watch, or, if you're anything like me, several watches.

Sep 22, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Jeffrey (Steven Weber), a gay man living in New York City with an overwhelming fear of contracting AIDS, concludes that being celibate is the only option to protect himself. As fate would have it, shortly after his declaration of a sex-free existence, he meets the handsome Steve Howard (Michael T. Weiss), his dream man -- except for his HIV-positive status. Facing this dilemma, Jeffrey turns to his best friend (Patrick Stewart) and an outrageous priest (Nathan Lane) for guidance.

Director: Christopher Ashley
Producer: Kevin McCollum
Screenwriter: Paul Rudnick
Distributor: Orion Pictures
Production Co: The Booking Office, Workin' Man Films
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 4, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 28, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.3M
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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