An Early Frost (1985)

The first time i saw this i was very moved. Yes indeed people were dropping like fly's back then. but it seems today people don't care about such things and bare backing is the way to go. such fools people can be when they think the storm has passed. way too many have died from AIDS and way too many will still. For a TV movie this was way ahead of its time. the cast was very good and all did a fine job. Aidan Quinn was just perfect for the part. he and I are the same age so it was very easy to connect with this great actor. most Actors back then did not want to play such parts. Today things are so different and its very the norm for actors to play gay roles.

Great film was groundbreaking at the time of its premiere, the information is obviously dated now but it doesn't diminish the pictures message. Aidan Quinn is strong in the lead giving a firm center to the story and he's surrounded by top flight costars. Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara, both excellent as his parents, add to the film substance with the small details in their interactions with each other presenting them as a long time married couple reacting differently to devastating news but always believably being who they are. Sylvia Sidney is equally good as the loving, wise grandmother and John Glover wry and touching as a fellow victim who has been deserted by his family. A powerful experience and a reminder of how fragile life can be.

It's hard to believe that 'An Early Frost' was made for TV in 1985. I watched it for the first time on 11 November 2008 - 23 years after it was released - and I found it surprisingly fresh and enduring. Although it's an important historic record of the early response to AIDS (and for that reason alone is worth watching) it's more an exploration of family love and courage. The script is well-written, production values are high and the acting is uniformly excellent. Sylvia Sidney won a Golden Globe for her part as the grandmother, but the other main actors including Aidan Quinn (as the young man suffering from AIDS), Ben Gazzara and Gena Rowlands (playing his parents) are all excellent. A very rewarding experience.

first the acting....Aidan Quinn was apre heath ledger winner...both tackled the gay roles with finesse and ability. Gena rowlands her eyes gave some of the best emotions of the film. and the gay dude in the hospital so real even my straight brother felt for him. what a great movie full of love and pain. while it teaches us to be safe with our sex lives...it makes us realize how much life is fragile. i saw it 10 years in intervals and i remembered how the music score had touched me and how much...for its time this movie was important to all and ahead of its time. miss Sidney also was a cool grandma...and Ben gazzara....really got our hearts pounding. never to be forgotten.