The film follows a
sprawling group of characters as they navigate their way through
the cutthroat New York City of the 1980s, when AIDS began to rear
its ugly head. Getting sicker by the minute, Prior Walter is
abandoned by his tormented lover, Louis (Ben Shenkman); deluded
lawyer Roy Cohn (Al Pacino) is visited by Ethel Rosenberg (Meryl
Streep), a woman he helped to condemn; and the pill-popping Harper
(Mary-Louis Parker) is on the verge of losing her sanity when she
realizes that her husband, Joe (Patrick Wilson), is a closet
homosexual.
CRITIQUE
The first hour of
Angels in America introduces viewers to the main characters.
Each character is very different, and they deal with situations
differently. Essentially, this is a six-hour mini-series, or
movie, about people in love and people in despair, but also
references facing the truth, understanding the unknown, making
things right with people, and the list goes on. Tony Kushner's
writing is just excellent, and his characterizations and dialogue
are realistic and dramatic. Director Mike Nichols gets great
performances from the actors, but he also understands the material
and directs the script very well. I could go on about all the
actors in this film, but suffice it to say their performances are
great. As a drama, Angels in America is deeply moving, yet
humor is also present, which is a good change in tone. The story
itself is simple, yet also quite complex. Angels in America
is a powerful drama, therefore quite an achievement, but it also
says something important about humanity and AIDS. I highly recommend this mini-series.
THE VIDEO
HBO presents Angels in
America in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. Colors look very
nice, usually crisp and clear, and there are no major flaws to
be seen.
THE AUDIO
HBO presents Angels in
America English 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. Dialogue is clear
and easy to understand. Thomas Newman's score is very well
produced across the front speakers, and sound effects come
through nicely as well.
THE EXTRAS
The menus are
scored, which is nice, but that's it. There is nothing else,
nothing! What a shame.
SUMMARY
The movie, or six-hour
mini-series, is definitely worth watching, but since the DVD has no
extras at all I'm only giving it a "recommended" verdict. Still,
everyone should seek out Angels in America, and the price
tag is not too high for six hours of entertainment.
