Philadelphia wasn't the first movie about AIDS (it followed such worthy independent films as Parting Glances and Longtime Companion), but it was the first Hollywood studio picture to take AIDS as its primary subject. In that sense, Philadelphia is a historically important film. As such, it's worth remembering that director Jonathan Demme (Melvin and Howard, Something Wild, The Silence of the Lambs) wasn't interested in preaching to the converted; he set out to make a film that would connect with a mainstream audience. And he succeeded. Philadelphia was not only a hit,... it also won Oscars for Bruce Springsteen's haunting "The Streets of Philadelphia," and for Tom Hanks as the gay lawyer Andrew Beckett who is unjustly fired by his firm because he has AIDS. Denzel Washington is another lawyer (functioning as the mainstream-audience surrogate) who reluctantly takes Beckett's case and learns to overcome his misconceptions about the disease, about those who contract it, and about gay people in general. The combined warmth and humanism of Hanks and Demme were absolutely essential to making this picture a success. The cast also features Jason Robards, Antonio Banderas (as Beckett's lover), Joanne Woodward, and Robert Ridgely, and, of course, those Demme regulars Charles Napier, Tracey Walter and Roger Corman. --Jim Emerson [show more]
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Tom Hanks' Oscar-winning performance as a gay man dying of AIDS in Jonathan Demme's big-budget, all-star movie brings the modern disease to mainstream Hollywood. Hanks plays Andrew Beckett, a lawyer who is fired when his boss discovers that he has AIDS. He then engages the services of homophobic lawyer Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) to take his company to court.
Please note this is a region B Blu-ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play. Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan), a promising young lawyer, finds his career cut short when he is fired from the prestigious law firm he works for. They say he has not got what it takes. Andrew knows it's because he's got AIDS. Determined to defend his dignity and professional reputation, Andrew hires a small-time personal injury lawyer, Joe Miller (Denzel Washington, American Gangster), to sue his former employees for wrongful dismissal. Joe is initially reluctant to take on the case. Although he has grown up knowing the pain of prejudice, he's never had to confront his own prejudices against homosexuality and AIDS... until now. The two men launch an historic and moving struggle against society's ignorance and intolerance. One man is fighting for his reputation, his life and ultimately for justice. The other is battling to overcome his own society's prejudice and fear. And they are both fighting for something uniquely important. Philadelphia is one of the most powerful and critically acclaimed movies of our time. Actors Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas, Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen Directors Jonathan Demme Language English Classification 15 Run Time 125 minutes
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