The Normal Heart

The Normal Heart is set in New York City in the early 1980s, as a mysterious and deadly illness begins spreading through the gay community. Ned Weeks, a writer and activist, grows frustrated with how little attention the government, the medical establishment and the wider public are paying to the disease. He helps found an organization to demand action and answers, but clashes with other members over how confrontational their campaign should be. At the same time, he becomes involved with Felix Turner, a reporter covering the story.

The film is directed by Ryan Murphy, who wrote the screenplay with Larry Kramer, adapting Kramer's own play. It is Murphy's third feature as director, following Running with Scissors in 2006 and Eat Pray Love in 2010. Mark Ruffalo plays Ned, with Matt Bomer as Felix, Taylor Kitsch as Bruce Niles, Jim Parsons as Tommy Boatwright, Alfred Molina as Ben Weeks and Julia Roberts as Dr. Emma Brookner. Brad Pitt is among the producers, and the production involved Blumhouse Productions, Plan B Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Television and HBO Films. Around 39 cast members and 49 crew members are credited.

The film drew strong notices: on IMDb it holds 7.9/10 from more than 37,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7.7/10 from roughly 930 votes. A critics' rating of 7.8/10 from 49 reviews places it close to the audience scores, suggesting broad agreement on its merits.