Score : 9/10
Year : 1993
Country: USA
Language: English
Duration: 2h05
Writers: Ron Nyswaner
PG13 for thematic elements and graphic language - nothing graphic is shown, however.
Philadelphia tells of the legal struggles a brillant young man has to lead after losing his job, and is partially inspired by a real case, but isn't a biography : this movie can be seen more as a composite of all those who suffered the same kind of prejudice.
June is a perfect moment to correct a long-time oversight by watching Philadelphia for the very first time of my life as it deals with important topics which no one had dared addressing in this fashion before it.
Jonathan Demme's direction is superbe. He seems to know exactly how to position each character and uses close-ups of their faces in a huge majority of scenes, giving the impression of POV shot and an intensely intimate closeness to the characters.
The viewer is forced to feel and relate, because it's almost we are being the eyes looking at these people.
This direction is complemented by the great job of the cinematographer, Tak Fujimoto, and his various artistic shots : the close-ups, as well as odd angles, or certain scenes using blur and sound effects to convey a certain dizzy spell someone experiences (for instance).
Tom Hanks performance is tremendous and the makeup department made him appear realistically sick.
Philadelphia points out the realities of societal bigotry and some of the characters truly evolve as the legal case progresses.
Bruce Springsteen's Streets of Philadelphia opens this movie, and in just a few minutes introduces the city, with its various quarters and social groups.
The music thereafter is signed Howard Shore, but also Mozart, and a few more songs.
There are enough silent or more subdued music to focus on the drama, and in general the music adds to it, and I find it usually is quite aptly chosen.
I had difficulties understanding dialogues as someone listens to opera.
The movie ends with a couple sequences which emphasize the most important message, which relates to the humanity of the main character.
At moments, I forgot I was watching actors, and the movie brought tears to my eyes, but there were also moments I couldn't separate the fact that I was indeed watching actors, or that I was supposed to be moved and yet I wasn't totally there.
On this somewhat unevenness, I have to reduce the overall appreciation but that might one day evolve after watching it again.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards, Joanne Woodward, Antonio Banderas, et al.
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