The Boys in the Band (2020)

I had never seen the original 1970 version and decided to watch both in one afternoon. The original is a classic, much better then I ever thought it could be, with excellent performances. I thought this would be an updating , but like the original, the dialogue , place and time, plot, actions ( NYC late 1960s) are very much the same although this has been edited down. Unlike the original , which was engrossing , this contains none of the spark and fire of the original, performances that are for the most part, not as well done and cuts some dialogue to throw in some flashbacks, including nudity ,that add nothing. Did they feel they needed to add brief full frontal nudity to appeal to a 2020 audience ? Jim Parsons does not give the outstanding performance in the lead that Kenneth Nelson did in the original. Even worse, how did so many of these characters , that came across as real people in the 1970 version become more flamboyant stereotypes in this updated version ?? Is this some type of progress ? I found nothing offensive about the 1970 version having grown up in NY at that time. This film in no way captured the time and the actors just came across as actors acting. Only Tuc Watkins and Brian Hutchinson were as good or better then their 1970 counterparts. If you have to see only one version , see the 1970. Some movies do not need to be remade.

Fmovies: I really enjoyed this film. If I'm honest it was my most anticipated film for September and let me tell you it was worth the wait. The film is split in 2 let's say with the first hour of build up and character inductions and right on the hour mark the real events finally begin and I laughed so hard, Emory is by far my favourite character and Hank came a close second. I love that the film tackled a number of things like depression, discrimination and the horrible truth of what it was like to be gay in the late 1960's. Jim parsons gives an outstanding performance as he always comes through but the acting that stood out for me was Zachery's, his presence filled each scene he was in and he really played this character so well from the body language, emotion and dialogue. The drama and comedy blend in so well together. I will absolutely return to this film over and over again.

"There's a nothing quite like feeling sorry for yourself."

Even with the stellar setup, The Boys in the Band misses a mark. I expected something but got a different story instead. The movie has an all-star cast with great performances, with the exception of two a little too over-the-top actors, and a story that should be a good time. What comes is strange tonal shifts and not enough emotion to care as much as we should. The experience of watching is fine but what follows is a mainly forgettable movie.

The Boys in the Band fmovies. How amazing it is that this story is basically about "What was it to be a Gay Man back in the 1968's" and it is still relavant to us in Year 2020. Coz, this talks about much more than that!!

Thank you Ryan Murphy!

Best Part: 1. The Ensamble cast: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carvaer, Robin De Jesus, Brian Hutchison, Micheal B Washington, Tuc Watkins. All of them were fantastic.Everyone one got their respective shining moment in the film.

2. Dialogues: They were funny, mean, metaphorical, dramatic and what not! This is a dialogue driven film, and the dialogues keep you engaging.

3.Script, Screenplay and Narrative: The way you can see, how one hell of a "funny-happy-dancing" Birthday party gets turned into a "Dark-dramtic-realistic" aka one of the worst party ever....!!! This transition is amazing!

4. Authenticity: The overall look, costumes, art design, cinematography, everything was perfect.

5. Songs/Sound Tracks The songs during the film were so beautifully and smartly chosen and they just adds up to the flavor of overall narrative.

I wish the ending was more powerful.... but overall it was a great film. I could write a thesis on it lol

My Fav Scenes: 1. When Larry (Played by Andrew) pours his heart out during the calling game.

2. When Micheal (Played by Jim) brakes down in the end. 3. When Emory (Played by Robin) teaches everyone dance in the party

Summary: A journey of "Happy-Fun-Comic" to "Dark-Sob-Drama" Birthday Party Ever 9/10

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So, first and foremost, I didn't know a single thing about this film nor the play it's adapted from. As usual, I also didn't watch the trailer or any clip. Based purely on the cast and the synopsis, I actually expected a fun, lighthearted movie, where an important story about sexual orientation and homosexuality would definitely be developed. While I'm not entirely wrong on the last part, The Boys in the Band is far from being one of those Sunday afternoon's flicks people occasionally put on their TVs to entertain guests for a couple of hours.

It possesses two distinct halves. The first contains one of the most captivating introductions to the characters and the overall narrative I've seen this year so far. From the very start, Mart Crowley and Ned Martel's screenplay is packed with interesting conversations, and every actor is able to elevate their script by being incredibly realistic and spontaneous. Each character has a clear personality, and their relationships are cleverly established. It's definitely one of the best films of the year regarding character development since every single one is explored beyond just one or two lines of characterization. Technically, the one-location set always pleases me, and it works beautifully in the context of the movie since it never deviates the focus from the characters and their personal stories.

However, the second half couldn't take a more shocking turn. The once lighthearted tone drastically changes after Alan (Brian Hutchison) enters the party. An uneasy, uncomfortable atmosphere fills up the apartment, and it never leaves, not even after everything's over. It's an emotionally heavy, even tiresome story that takes every single character to their absolute limit. Secrets are revealed, omitted truths (those that everyone saves deep inside not to hurt their friends) come out, and alcohol plays a good part in all of this. Nevertheless, it's not really one of the film's central themes, even though there's a clear message regarding that subject as well.

Homosexuality (how it was and still is treated by society) is undoubtedly the narrative's primary topic, but I believe "sexual orientation" to be the ultimate theme in The Boys in the Band. In fact, an even more general analysis concludes that the main message follows the "accept who you are" and "don't be afraid or ashamed of what you enjoy" guidelines. Consequently, it becomes a more accessible movie since it never feels like it's closing itself, excluding people outside of the target audience. Everyone can (and should) enjoy the film's thematic component since the debates that characters have with each other are extremely meaningful for today's society.

The chaos that dominates the apartment feels surprisingly genuine and natural, creating a comparison with what occurs daily, everywhere in the whole wide world. The writers' treatment of homosexuality and sexual orientation is profound and really well-developed, exploring those phases that thousands of people go through: confidence, shame, uncertainty, acceptance, and so much more. Honestly, if someone feels uncomfortable while watching this movie, then someone must be wrong with that person. Yes, it deals with preconceived notions, sexual discrimination, and many other aspects related to this subject. However, in the end, it's not a film exclusively about homosexualit

I had seen this play on Broadway with this cast and it was amazing, good acting and very memorable. Was excited to hear it was to be a movie so was happy when it was finally released Loved the movie version, too. Jim Parson's acting was incredible and loved all the casts' chemistry, especially Parsons and Bomer. Will be watching this again Is there a way there could be a sequel?