The Normal Heart

TV-MA

2014

2 hr. 15 min.

Drama

LGBTQ+

List

94%

49 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1980s New York, a writer (Mark Ruffalo) and his friends join forces to expose the truth about the emerging AIDs crisis to both the government and the gay community.

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Premiered Mar 14

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Alec B

The shear force of Larry Kramer's fury that lives in every line of the play has always been able to transcend its flaws, so my issues with this adaptation mostly stem from Murphy's direction of the material. It all moves too fast and I think a film version of this play would be better served if it took a little more time with these characters and situations. Still, the power of the play is hard to stifle and the central performance by Ruffalo is very good.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/10/23

Full Review

Timothy D

The Normal Heart poignantly captures the desperation that came with AIDS epidemic and the complex reasons it grew so quickly. Both Bomer and Parsons give gorgeously nuanced performances. While the sad parts of the movie shine with human love and perseverance, the main character's (Ruffalo) anger about the desperate situation comes out as constant grumbling and screaming outbursts. Although appropriate and essential to the story, these tirades are so frequent and intense that they grate nerves.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/28/23

Full Review

Giorgio G

I finally had the chance to watch this masterpiece, which so clearly shows the inadequacy of the US government during the early eighties, and the hatred of so many among the population, and apparently especially witin the ranks of the ruling jerks, against gay people, or LGBTIQ+ in general, which shockingly still persists today. As we all know the US government and the whole world should have learned something from the AIDS epidemic, but the swine flu came and reactions were slow, SARS, Ebola, and nobody ever reacted adequately. In 2019 Covid 19 eventually appeared, and there was no mental excuse that it would be killing off some folks who deserve it because of their sexual orientation, and still many governments around the globe reacted way too slow, once again the US government being one of the worst in handling the crisis, not surprisingly, just as in 1981-86, during a time of a racist, misogynistic ultra rightist president in power. Nobody can pretend anymore not to have access to the right information as when we analyze any given post for its veracity, we can find out the truth within in just a second or two it takes to type in the keywords. So if our governments are all dumb and arrogant we have to take our future into our own hands, just as those gay communities in the early eighties did, trying to fight for their rights, and in fact, their lives. This movie is as moving as it is important, and though it is tough to watch, it should be an obligation in every school, and most of all, government offices. 7/10 points

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/24/23

Full Review

Joaqun F

Totally recommended, if you're gonna watch it, be ready to shed some tears. I'm not one to cry when watching movies, but I cried around 5 times watching this one. worth it

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/12/23

Full Review

Michelle S

watch this during the day so you can go outside and get some sun. whew.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Daniel R

Um filme emocional e dramático que conta uma importante fase do ativismo gay. Destaque para Matt Bomer que teve uma excelente atuação!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/13/22

Full Review

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Ryan Murphy

Director

Mark Ruffalo

Ned Weeks

Matt Bomer

Felix Turner

Taylor Kitsch

Bruce Niles

Jim Parsons

Tommy Boatwright

Julia Roberts

Dr. Emma Brookner

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Eric Sasson

The New Republic

There is less reporting on poverty in America than on any other major societal issue. So it is with AIDS. That alone makes The Normal Heart an important film.

May 29, 2014

Full Review

Matt Zoller Seitz

New York Magazine/Vulture

If anger and suffering were all there were to The Normal Heart, watching it would be torture. Luckily, it has heart to match its guts.

May 29, 2014

Full Review

Melissa Anderson

Artforum

Despite its flaws, this iteration of The Normal Heart also exhorts us to remember.

May 29, 2014

Full Review

Jessica Johnson

Time Out Chicago

While there are kinks in Murphy's adaptation, the raw power of Kramer's story cannot be diluted. It's a powerful memorial to the men that lost their lives and those they loved while fighting bring the AIDS epidemic to light.

Jul 2, 2018

Full Review

Jac Kern

Cincinnati CityBeat

HBO knows how to produce a compelling biographical movie...

Sep 13, 2017

Full Review

Chris Barsanti

PopMatters

Larry Kramer's blistering cri de coeur about the early days of the AIDS plague gets a solidly respectful but flawed treatment from Ryan Murphy.

Rated: 6/10

Sep 3, 2014

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1980s New York, a writer (Mark Ruffalo) and his friends join forces to expose the truth about the emerging AIDs crisis to both the government and the gay community.

Director: Ryan Murphy
Executive Producer: Ryan Murphy, Dante Di Loreto, Jason Blum, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner
Screenwriter: Larry Kramer
Production Co: HBO Films, Plan B Entertainment, Blumhouse
Rating: TV-MA (L|S)
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016

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