"Angels in America" (2003) TV mini-series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

7 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

The messenger has arrived.

Plot:

Playwright Tony Kushner adapts his political epic about the AIDS crisis during the mid-eighties, around a group of separate but connected individuals.

Plot Keywords:

AIDS | Marriage | Closet | Friend | Attorney

Awards:

Won 5 Golden Globes. Another 33 wins & 27 nominations

Cast

Patrick Wilson	...	Joe Pitt (6 episodes, 2003)
Al Pacino	...	Roy Cohn (6 episodes, 2003)
Meryl Streep	...	Ethel Rosenberg / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
Emma Thompson	...	Homeless Woman / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Harper Pitt (6 episodes, 2003)
Justin Kirk	...	Leatherman in the Park / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
Jeffrey Wright	...	Belize / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
Ben Shenkman	...	Louis Ironson / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
James Cromwell	...	Henry - Roy's Doctor (2 episodes, 2003)
Michael Gambon	...	Prior Walter Ancestor #1 (2 episodes, 2003)
Simon Callow	...	Prior Walter Ancestor #2 (2 episodes, 2003)
Robin Weigert	...	Mormon Mother (2 episodes, 2003)

Runtime:

352 min (6 parts)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew | Aramaic | Yiddish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:A (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:(Banned) | Portugal:M/16 (DVD rating) | USA:TV-MA | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Avenue Pictures Productions

Trivia:

The painting displayed during Joe and Harper's living room talk about his childhood dreams is entitled "Jacob Wrestling with the Angel" and was painted in 1865 by Alexander-Louis Leloir.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Coke can from which Joe drinks in the 1985 time setting (outside Justice with Lou) has the label "Coca-Cola Classic", rather than "Coke" or "New Coke" (introduced on 23 April that year). The design of the can is from 2002, not 1969.

Quotes:

Mr. Lies: Respect the delicate ecology of your delusions.

Movie Connections:

Features The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)

Soundtrack:

So Fresh

The best movie made for TV ever!!

Rare are movies, who challenge you and make you so completely satisfied and happy at the end, that you could watch it over and over again. Even more surprising that a television movie should have the quality in all these aspects. But it does.

Based on Tony Kushners famous play and adapted for the screen by himself, the story is set in Reagan area in New York. There we meet several different people, whose stories are interwoven. First, there's the famous conservative lawyer Roy Cohn (Al Pacino), who lives in the closet and has AIDS. Then there's his protegé, a Mormon and a hidden gay himself, Joe Pitt (Patrick Wilson), his mom (Meryl Streep) and his desperate wife Harper (Mary-Louise Parker), who is a drug addict, because she's unhappy in a sexless marriage. We also meet a gay couple, Prior (Justin Kirk) and Lou (Ben Shenkman). Prior also has AIDS and Lou, who is unable to cope with death, sickness and loss, leaves Prior. The only one left to help him is his friend Berlize (Jeffrey Wright). Prior, who is terribly unhappy and sick, starts to have these visions, an angel (Emma Thompson) tells him that he's a prophet and that he should warn the world, because God has left them and wont return.

What happens till the end and how all these different stories are interwoven I'm not able to tell, it's far too difficult to explain in detail. But though the movie is 6 hours long, it's worth every minute and you can stop watching it, wishing you could see more when it's finally over.

The 8 principal actors all turn in extraordinary performances, especially Justin Kirk is a real treat. But I don't want to diminish the quality of the other actors. Meryl Streep and Al Pacino turn in some of their best performances, Emma Thompson is at her best and Mary-Louise Parker is a miracle. Jeffrey Wright, Ben Shenkman and Patrick Wilson, though rather unknown actors, leave lasting impressions and are able to steal scenes from the more popular actors.

Director Mike Nichols kept the movie very theatrical. So are various characters played by the same actor, Meryl Streep plays 4 different characters, while Emma Thompson for example plays 3. Also some of the sets, especially in the scenes with the angel, are highly theatrical, which is great plus, as it something quite unorthodox and entertaining.

Nichols also doesn't shy away from showing gay urban life, how it is, with all it's facets, real characters, who have sex and are not reduced to be the best friend to the heroine (as in so many Hollywood movies).

As I said above, for me this movie is one of those rare movies, who touch you so profoundly, that you wont forget them. Simply the best movie made for TV ever and one that doesn't has to shy away from comparison with mayor movies.