In America

[K-man]

Did anybody else see this movie? I watched it last weekend and was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed it. I saw it got very good reviews when it first came out and eventually was nominated for 3 oscars so I took a chance, rented it, and found myself thouroughly entertained. Kind of a sleeper/surprise type feel-good movie.

[Hunee]

when it came out i was skeptical but at the end i was in tears... i thought that the plot of the movie was going to be completely different but adding matteo into the script made me understand... when johnny is in the apartment yelling at matteo you kind of get the point that he is dying... and the blood hand print makes sense after he dies... they never say he has aids but i guess anyone who knows about the disease can understand... also when he is in the hospis and she has already had the baby it is obvious that matteo is going to pay the hospital bills... n e way... i thought the movie was great and it should have been nominated for more awards...

[Guest]

OK, I admit it, I was in tears a time or two during the movie myself. But I also laughed out loud more than once too.

[K-man]

Ooooops! that last reply was mine. Gotta remember to log in. This getting old is killing me.

[Jody Barsch*]

This is such a beautiful film. I saw it three times in the theaters. I love the family, how their story is told, and just the environment of the film (the mis-en-scene is so lovely and treacherous, and equisitely detailed). The writer/director, whose name I can’t believe I’m blanking on right now, keeps talking about his efforts to the domesticate New York City in the film.

they never say he has aids but i guess anyone who knows about the disease can understand...

In the director/writer’s commentary he talks about how he didn’t want them to label Mateo’s disease as AIDS because he did not want to give the disease that power. A valid point when your focus is not the disease but the person living with it. (Too many films and plays seem to glamorize, or rather, make noble, the disease, and leaving it unnamed was his way of taking power away from it). He also talks about how Mateo is the father figure that Johnny cannot be, but when he makes contact with the baby that surrogate father is not necessary anymore and Mateo can then leave the story (that is a gross summary and I am sure I am forgetting part of it, it is well worth it to watch the commentary).

also when he is in the hospis and she has already had the baby it is obvious that matteo is going to pay the hospital bills...

The commentary is filled with the background stories of all the moments in the film, including the payment of the hospital bill.

[Jody Barsch*]

Wow. Either I'm lazy these days, or that was a pretty pretentious post. "Mis-en-scene"? Really? Was that necessary? It is a beautiful movie though, and I do recommend it. It's also on my list for great commentaries, but I guess I've already said that.