Excellent mini-series! It's about Mary Ann Singleton (Laura Linney) in the 1970s. She moves from Ohio to San Francisco and decides to start a life there. She meets the wonderful Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis) who offers her a room at 28 Barbary Lane. There she meets Mona Ramsey (Chloe Webb) a bisexual hippie type, Michael Tolliver (Marcus D'Amico) an openly gay man, Brian Hawkins (Paul Gross) a single str8 guy and the mysterious Norman Neal Williams (Stanley DeSantis). These and other characters all interact in various ways and plots.
A wonderful adaptation of Armistead Maupin's book. The book isn't long but a LOT happens in it. The story wastes no time on descriptions or what the characters look like--it zips right into the various plots with wonderful dialogue and wild plot twists. The mini (wisely) retains ALL the dialogue and story. It runs about 6 hours but you're never bored. The acting is just superb. The actors don't seem to be acting--they ARE the characters! They're believable every step of the way. The only disappointments are Gross as Brian. He's handsome and in great shape (and has frequent shirtless scenes) but he seems uncomfortable in his role. DeSantis is even worse in his. He overplays his character badly and it doesn't work. Still everybody else DOES work! It was beautifully shot in San Fran and they got the clothes and feel of the 1970s just right. The open drug use here might shock some but that's the way it was! To add to the fun they are cameos by Armistead Maupin, Karen Black, Ian McKellan, Rod Steiger, Paul Dooley and many others.
This was (predictably) attacked by religious and family friendly groups for it showing drug use (which they hysterically said DIDN'T happen in the 1970s) and showing gay men kissing, in love and making out. It showed on PBS in the US which caused a HUGE uproar in some states. It seems kind of funny now. This is pretty tame stuff compared to shows like "Queer As Folk":) A wonderful funny mini. WELL worth catching!
A wonderful adaptation of Armistead Maupin's book. The book isn't long but a LOT happens in it. The story wastes no time on descriptions or what the characters look like--it zips right into the various plots with wonderful dialogue and wild plot twists. The mini (wisely) retains ALL the dialogue and story. It runs about 6 hours but you're never bored. The acting is just superb. The actors don't seem to be acting--they ARE the characters! They're believable every step of the way. The only disappointments are Gross as Brian. He's handsome and in great shape (and has frequent shirtless scenes) but he seems uncomfortable in his role. DeSantis is even worse in his. He overplays his character badly and it doesn't work. Still everybody else DOES work! It was beautifully shot in San Fran and they got the clothes and feel of the 1970s just right. The open drug use here might shock some but that's the way it was! To add to the fun they are cameos by Armistead Maupin, Karen Black, Ian McKellan, Rod Steiger, Paul Dooley and many others.
This was (predictably) attacked by religious and family friendly groups for it showing drug use (which they hysterically said DIDN'T happen in the 1970s) and showing gay men kissing, in love and making out. It showed on PBS in the US which caused a HUGE uproar in some states. It seems kind of funny now. This is pretty tame stuff compared to shows like "Queer As Folk":) A wonderful funny mini. WELL worth catching!