Recent Reviews for Angels In America
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MCT:May 26, 2008ANGELS IN AMERICA (2003)
directed by Mike Nichols
starring Justin Kirk, Al Pacino, Mary-Louise Parker«I hate America, Louis. I hate this country. Nothing but a bunch of big ideas and stories and people dying, and then people like you. The white cracker who wrote the National Anthem knew what he was doing. He set the word free to a note so high nobody could reach it. That was deliberate.»
New York City, the 80's. A group of people are dealings with what America has become, with homosexuals hiding what they really are, dying of aids; or taking pills to escape reality; trying to figure themselves out. People are struggling with their religious views and what their soul are telling them what they are. Angels in America is an ambitious, but not pretentious, cause of the wonderful writting, film about homosexuality, religion and politics. Its cynical, truthful and thought-provocking.This might be the best film to never be released on the silver screen, it lasts sixhours. Tony Kushner's play Angels In America: Gay Fantasia on National Themes won him a Pulitzer Prize and he adapted it to the - small - screen himself. His dialogues are sharp and engrossing, filled with anger but also some unexpected humor. Mike Nichols is agood dialogue director and he brings this tale to life, working around his actor with his camera, making the entire film look good, but intentionally keeping the stage feel of it.
A wonderful cast brings the characters to life, most of them playing multiple characters, just like in the original play. Jeffrey Wright comes out as the most outstanding actor though, with two very different bu great performances in two supporting roles. I still dont understand how that man has never become a huge star, from Basquiat to Shaft and this, he always creates believable performances. Al Pacino is pretty good as well, doing his usual thing better than usual. Meryl Streep is very strong in her supporting roles. Emma Thompson is as quirky as usual. Justin Kirk and Ben Shenkman are lesser known actor, but they carry the story on their shoulders. Mary-Louise Parker is very good as well and Patrick Wilson, now a rising star, showed all his potential.
Angels in America is an important film because of the subject matters, but its also a moving piece of filmmaking with genuine emotions ant talented actors, giving great performances. Powerful.
