MovieChat Forums > The Normal Heart (2014) Discussion > Not as good or as sad or whatever as I t...

Not as good or as sad or whatever as I thought

posted 10 years ago by MaleManX
3 replies | jump to latest

I was pretty disappointed in this movie. I did't really have any expectations but I was just hoping for a good movie. However, I felt like there was something off about this movie that prevented me from liking it.

I think a big part of it had to do with the main character, who seems to have been miscasted. Everyone seems to have done their best acting wise, so I can't fault that. Maybe it's the story, how it unfolds or whatever, or maybe the direction? I don't know. But I came off pretty disappointed. It lacked power, lacked something stronger, more memorable.

[–] OldFriendOfTheChristys 10 years ago

I was pretty disappointed in this movie. I did't really have any expectations but I was just hoping for a good movie. However, I felt like there was something off about this movie that prevented me from liking it.

I think a big part of it had to do with the main character, who seems to have been miscasted. Everyone seems to have done their best acting wise, so I can't fault that. Maybe it's the story, how it unfolds or whatever, or maybe the direction? I don't know. But I came off pretty disappointed. It lacked power, lacked something stronger, more memorable.

Many were disappointed with Ruffalo’s performance, but personally I thought it was spectacular. His narration while nursing Matt Bomer’s character is one of the most heartbreaking moments of the film.

[–] aaahmemories 10 years ago

I thought it was spectacular

I was impressed, too. I'd sort of written off Rufallo as an empty-headed pretty boy. But looking over his career, he's made several courageous and daunting career choices, with this being one of the most impressive of them. He's a straight man who portrays a gay character with absolute conviction. His intimate scenes with Mark Bomer are some of the most credible I've ever seen, and I say this as a gay man myself who's very sensitive to the physical language of hetero actors playing gay.

Religion is like a rocking chair -- a lot of work to get nowhere.

[–] Katiedidd 10 years ago

When the movie first came out, many on this board (including myself) said what felt off was the editing. Many shots were too quick, and it was hard to absorb the profundity of the subject matter. It did take me a couple viewings to change my thoughts on Ruffalo's performance too. I originally felt he was too much of a one note character--the one note being shouting throughout. Then I warmed up to his performance because that is how Ned Weeks really is meant to be. I finally settled on the editing that makes this film lose some of its rawness and tragedy. It's still really great, but I feel the direction and editing hindered it a great deal.