The Normal Heart: Season 1

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 33 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 126 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	Your Score
7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 126 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: May 25, 2014

Summary: Ryan Murphy's adaptation of Larry Kramer's Tony-winning play about the early days of the AIDS crisis. After seeing a friend succumb to a new disease killing gay men at the offices of Dr. Emma Brookner (Julia Roberts), Ned Weeks (Mark Ruffalo) seeks to organize more action to combat it, even as his bluntness threatens to alienate peopleRyan Murphy's adaptation of Larry Kramer's Tony-winning play about the early days of the AIDS crisis. After seeing a friend succumb to a new disease killing gay men at the offices of Dr. Emma Brookner (Julia Roberts), Ned Weeks (Mark Ruffalo) seeks to organize more action to combat it, even as his bluntness threatens to alienate people around him including his brother Ben (Alfred Molina), his lover Felix (Matt Bomer), and Bruce Niles (Taylor Kitsch), a closeted investment banker.… Expand

Genre(s): Drama, Movie/Mini-Series

Season 1 Episodes

No episode information is currently available for this season

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Metascore

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Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Matt Zoller Seitz

May 23, 2014

The film has poetry and vitality, too, and its greatest virtue is that it seems not to give a damn if you approve of any of its creative choices as long as you connect with it emotionally and intellectually. Read full review

100

Tom Gliatto

May 22, 2014

Ned and just about everyone else erupts in violent arguments, denunciations, accusations, counteraccusations, diatribes--these are searing, electrifying moments, furiously articulate and delivered with escalating passion. [2 Jun 2014, p.45] Read full review

Uncle Barky Ed Bark

May 22, 2014

The Normal Heart grows in poignancy as characters we’ve come to know are affected or afflicted by AIDS. Read full review

Tim Goodman

May 21, 2014

While a miniseries might have truly been something to behold--allowing the slow helplessness to really penetrate viewers, there’s something to be said about making a big, loud noise and getting the message out--again. In that sense, both Murphy and Kramer do the play justice (as you would expect) and have created a powerful modern history reminder for those too young to understand the all-too-recent past. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

May 22, 2014

Murphy is a fascinating dichotomy in that he works expertly with actors and actresses (even in a mess like "Eat Pray Love" and undeniably in every season of "AHS") and so the performances he draws from his inevitably-Emmy-winning cast play tug-of-war with his melodramatic leanings and, ultimately, win the fight enough to allow his film to resonate. Read full review

Alan Sepinwall

May 23, 2014

Ultimately, the good in Normal Heart outweighs the bad, which isn't always the case with Murphy's work. It's an important story packed with vivid individual moments, but with this material and these actors, it feels like it could be so much more than what it is. Read full review

Brandon Nowalk

May 22, 2014

The performances are literally shaky, from wavering accents to tremulous monologues, but the movie’s such an overwhelming weepie that they fit right in. Read full review

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User Score

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7.9

User Reviews

jclemus

May 25, 2014

Leave it ti HBO to produce the most important movie this year, The Normal Heart is brave, sweet and raw. Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Julia Roberts and Joe Mantello shine and deliver Oscar worthy performances. Taylor Kitsch, Jim parsons and Alfred Molina are amazing and will also fight for theLeave it ti HBO to produce the most important movie this year, The Normal Heart is brave, sweet and raw. Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Julia Roberts and Joe Mantello shine and deliver Oscar worthy performances. Taylor Kitsch, Jim parsons and Alfred Molina are amazing and will also fight for the Emmy´s, there are great supporting cast surprises like BD Wong, Danielle Ferland and Stephen Spinella.… Expand

8 of 10 users found this helpful82

fra92

May 27, 2014

Great movie. Sad Heartbreaking and well acted. Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts and Matt Boomer hit the right note, and it all feels so REAL. Jim Parsons too had a great performance. Ryan Murphy succeeds to build a great, sad and touching story, without being too melodramatic.
Loved it

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

bboughton

May 27, 2014

I'm not sure why Roberts or Ruffalo are getting so much flack -- this movie is an adaptation of a play that is largely polemical. You should expect lengthy monologues. I thought both brought a relentlessness and emotionality to their roles that the characters required. They weren't meantI'm not sure why Roberts or Ruffalo are getting so much flack -- this movie is an adaptation of a play that is largely polemical. You should expect lengthy monologues. I thought both brought a relentlessness and emotionality to their roles that the characters required. They weren't meant to be polished, Sorkin-esque banter -- they were supposed to be charged and shaky and uneven. That takes much more acting talent than the perfectly delivered speech.

Thought the film itself was a powerful reminder of our shameful inaction and the social stigma that cost so many lives.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

beingryanjude

Sep 3, 2014

On the heels of another brilliantly moving film related to the early days of the AIDS epidemic, The Normal Heart is entirely original and just as emotional. Mark Ruffalo reaches his career-best with help from the multi-talented Julia Roberts. Ryan Murphy is impressive and proves to us allOn the heels of another brilliantly moving film related to the early days of the AIDS epidemic, The Normal Heart is entirely original and just as emotional. Mark Ruffalo reaches his career-best with help from the multi-talented Julia Roberts. Ryan Murphy is impressive and proves to us all his worth in the industry.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JrAgujaIsAGleek

May 27, 2014

Wow. I am so glad HBO made this movie.

This political gay love story about HIV/AIDS just gave me so much feels and I never expected that, mainly because of the feeling of losing someone you love the most to AIDS sucks really bad. The performances from the cast are surely Emmy worthy.Wow. I am so glad HBO made this movie.

This political gay love story about HIV/AIDS just gave me so much feels and I never expected that, mainly because of the feeling of losing someone you love the most to AIDS sucks really bad.

The performances from the cast are surely Emmy worthy. My favorite has to be when Dr. Emma Brookner (played by Julia Roberts) shouts at the mayor of New York on how she is frustrated and insulted that he won’t even give money to fund for AIDS research. I will be really surprised if she isn’t even nominated for an Emmy.

The story was great as well. I learned many things about the AIDS epidemic in the early 80s because of this movie. But there is one plot hole I noticed. If Felix Turner (played by Matt Bomer) has AIDS and he had sex with Ned Weeks (played by Mark Ruffalo), shouldn’t he be affected by it? Did Felix had AIDS after that? These questions weren’t answered.

But, the directing and the cinematography is great as well. I am glad Ryan Murphy directed this, because he is a great director. Just give him a big budget and he will do it flawlessly.

Overall, this HBO movie will surely teach the young generation about AIDS, touch the viewer’s hearts and meanwhile, grabbing the Emmy spotlight.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

ariel84

May 26, 2014

i lived through this era. it is important to remind people today how awful it was. that said, this adaptation disappointed. except for jim parson's performance, which was graceful, touching, and true, the acting was lousy. julia roberts' de-glamorizing was distracting. and she was so wrongi lived through this era. it is important to remind people today how awful it was. that said, this adaptation disappointed. except for jim parson's performance, which was graceful, touching, and true, the acting was lousy. julia roberts' de-glamorizing was distracting. and she was so wrong for the role. there was a great movie here. wish it had been.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

brentwshelton1

May 26, 2014

Let's be clear, the story of the inaction of the government during the AIDS crisis needs to be told. I am a gay man and I loved this play when I saw it on stage. However, the acting in this adaption is incredibly sub-par. I couldn't take it within 10 minutes of starting to watch. TheLet's be clear, the story of the inaction of the government during the AIDS crisis needs to be told. I am a gay man and I loved this play when I saw it on stage. However, the acting in this adaption is incredibly sub-par. I couldn't take it within 10 minutes of starting to watch. The supporting characters were alright but the actor that represented Larry Kramer (the male lead) delivered each line in a horrible monotone. Everytime he spoke I rolled my eyes and mocked his delivery. Julia Roberts was just as bad. I gave it a 1 as I'm sure many were unaware of this history (I lived through it)… Expand

1 of 18 users found this helpful117

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Seasons & Episodes

85

Series Overview
Season 1

85
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: May 25, 2014
- No episode information is currently available for this season